“What do you want to play?” Calipha asked.
“How about… tag?” Pia offered.
Yasmine stifled a giggle. Pia had managed not to ask for hide and seek. This had been a week of growth for all of them. Herself included.
“Stay where we can see you,” she said. “Right here on the green.”
“Okay,” the girls chorused.
She and Jax exchanged a smile as the two little girls took off across the green.
Up on the stage, Ruler Kreed had begun to speak.
“I want to thank you for your input,” he was saying. “Though this was a time for listening, rather than decisions, I wanted you to know that I heard you loud and clear. And I will not forget the lessons I’ve learned here.”
There were murmurs in the crowd.
It did sound a lot like typical politician-speak.
“And by that,” he added, “I mean that the redevelopment of Pirn will not consist primarily of office parks.”
A cheer went up, and a wave of relief washed over her.
“The next steps for my team will involve communicating that information to the interested investors and contractors,” he said with a wry smile.
There were some chuckles from the crowd as they remembered the men in fancy suits.
“One decision I have already made is that I am not ready to approve the construction of a clinic at this time.”
What?
He hadn’t mentioned that to her. Shooting down the idea to bring in medical care so quickly was bound to undo most of the goodwill they’d worked so hard to build.
What was he thinking?
Kreed gestured to the mayor, who smiled and gave him a little wave.
“Instead, Mayor Larkk and I have initiated the formation of a committee to investigate installing a state-of-the-art research hospital and care center dedicated to the treatment of cosmic lax mutations and the continuing search for a cure,” he went on. “Once the committee makes a viability determination, with the input of the community, we hope to begin work right away, with global funds.”
Tears prickled Yasmine’s eyes as cheers went up across the green. Leave it to Ba’shir Kreed to take things a step further, and propose funding a research hospital, not just a clinic.
“Yes, please give yourselves a hand,” he said. “Thank you for educating me, and for dreaming of a way to let your community shine brighter. These past few days have been the most rewarding of my career. I will never forget our time in Pirn. Madam Mayor?”
He stepped back from the podium to more applause and the mayor stepped forward.
“Thank you, My Ruler,” she said. “We’re all so glad you came. We’ve enjoyed talking with you and with your consultant, Miss Hall. I’d like to ask a favor of her.”
Yasmine blinked in surprise as the entire crowd turned to face her.
And though she would have liked nothing more than to disappear into the earth, she took the advice she had given the children and stood tall in the spotlight.
“What can I do to help?” she asked in a clear, loud voice she hoped the mayor could hear.
“We know the Ruler will be very busy when he returns to the palace,” the mayor said with an indulgent smile. “But we don’t want our work here in Pirn to be forgotten in the midst of his other responsibilities. Everyone here feels you understand our goals. Would you be willing to ask as a liaison? You could attend our committee meetings virtually and report back to the Ruler.”
Yasmine opened her mouth and closed it again, truly amazed.
Saying yes meant staying on at the palace.