"Given how rarely you rant, Gabriel, I'm fine with it. And honestly, right now, I just feel numb. You're ranting for me, and I'm okay with that, because I'm sitting here, doing exactly what the sluagh said I would. Trying to be logical. What if they undid my cure? How could I prepare myself for that? Except it's not just that--it's the threats against you and--"
"Not my primary concern at this moment."
"But it's mine. If they undid my cure, I could live with it--I'd have to. The rest?" I looked at him. "I can't. I just can't. That's where they have me, and yet you're right that I don't even know what they have me for, what exactly it means to give them my favor."
Another car came up behind us as we sat, still stopped at the i
ntersection. The driver honked. Honked again. Then he jabbed his middle finger at us as he passed. Gabriel didn't even seem to notice. He sat motionless, staring straight ahead until he took out his phone.
"May I have Ioan's number?"
I gave it to him. When Ioan answered, Gabriel gave him instructions. Instructions that I knew would not go down easily.
"I understand your position," Gabriel said as Ioan argued. "And I do not care. This isn't about you. It's about cleaning up your mess, and if you want to do that, you will be there when we arrive."
He made his next call to Ida, with the same instructions, and presumably got the same response from her, followed by the same from him. Then he added a few additional demands.
"Absolutely not." Ida's voice came clear through the phone now. "We will accept responsibility for Seanna, but you are not bringing dryads into Cainsville. We're still suffering the fallout from your last refugee request."
"The only 'fallout' you are 'suffering' is that Veronica is fostering a damaged fae. It is Veronica's choice to continue that relationship. These dryads have been nothing but helpful, and I require their continued assistance."
"We can assign someone to watch your mother, Gabriel."
"I don't trust you."
"And you trust a couple of dryads?"
"More than I trust you. We will be there in an hour. Please have an apartment at Grace's complex prepared for Seanna and the dryads."
--
"Do you ski?" I asked as Gabriel took the exit for Cainsville. When he gave me a look, I said, "Yes, probably a stupid question, but I also presumed you didn't jog, and I learned my lesson from that. No presumptions. And...judging by that continued look, no skiing."
"As a form of physical activity, it would accomplish no more than jogging or swimming or weight lifting, all of which can be undertaken with little more expense than a gym membership and no more travel time than the two-block distance to the gym, which is still often too far to fit into my schedule."
"Skiing is also considered a form of recreation."
Another look.
I sighed. "Recreation, yes. It's a word we really need to incorporate into your vocabulary. I'm mentally planning a vacation for when this is done. 'Vacation' is another word you may not be familiar with. We'll go to work on that, too."
"So long as you intend to take one with me and not send me on it alone."
"I'll only send you alone if you get on my nerves. By doing things like rolling your eyes when I dare to ask if you ski."
"I did not roll--"
"So, no skiing. Gabriel's list of acceptable sports includes running, swimming, and weight lifting, none of which are something you center a vacation around. Unless your idea of a vacation is entering a triathlon."
"A triathlon involves bicycling."
"Which you don't do, either, I presume. And don't roll..." I sighed. "Too late. Okay. No triathlon vacation, which is fine by me. Do I even dare ask what you'd want to do?"
I didn't expect an answer and was about to continue when he said, "I'd like to see the ocean."
"You've never...? Okay, first step, where have you traveled? I know you don't own a passport."
"I have visited neighboring states on business." He paused. "Nothing more."