Page 122 of Bride of Choice

“I don’t remember that,” I whispered.

“We knowed,” they said in unison.

My cheeks flamed and I tried to slough it off but my head was hurting and the urge to burst into tears was strong.

No. Enough of this shit.

“I know I just got up but, uh, I think I need to lie down.” My announcement was met with a telling silence.

“Leg healed,” Gopher rumbled out softly.

“Need stitches out,” Rek agreed.

“Need eat. Water. Go Rothy’s,” Odix finished.

“Right.” Nodding absently, then wincing at the motion, I moved like I still had an injured leg, baby stepping it over to the small kitchenette area.

Rek’s hand on my back startled me. “I’m jumpy,” I mumbled as I stumbled my way over to the small pitcher of water and basin.

A scrap of cloth was placed in my hand but Rek must have thought better of it, taking it back to pour some water into the wash bowl and start to wipe the crud off my face.

“How bad was it,” I mumbled around his harsh scrubbing. “One to ten?”

“Elebenty,” Gopher chimed in.

“Nobody asked you, Nosy Newt,” I shot back.

Gopher chuckled as he joined Odix in putting the place to rights.

“Jojoknee say… lots things,” Rek confided, his voice lowering in hopes of the others not overhearing.

“That doesn’t sound good,” I whispered back.

Daring a peek at Rek as he swiped goop off my left eye, I spied him shrugging his wide shoulders. “‘Pends,” he got out between heavy grunts.

My stomach dropped as my heart started pounding a mile a minute. “Depends on what?”

Rek stared at me for a long moment, green eyes searching mine. “Rek misses Jojomine, too.”

My heart pounded so hard as he stared down at me with all the things I needed, wanted, shining in his eyes, I found it hard to breathe. “Are you saying- Does that- do you mean-”

“Rek do list,” Odix decided to butt in.

The dirty look I gave him quelled his urge to continue. “What list?” The hope in my chest paused, like my entire being held its breath collectively. “What’s he talking about?”

When Rek hesitated to answer, Gopher explained, “Jo give Rek list of implaudsible tasks. Say, he wants be her seemkret boyed friend he get all things on list and do Jo says.”

“I’m sorry… I said what now?” What the hell was in Prokar’s punch?!!

“Rek say he no care but Gopher and Odix hear him talk Booger ‘bout it last night, Booger come by see Jo ‘kay.” Gopher smiled at Rek smugly when Rek turned to him with a snarl.

“My head hurts too much for this shit.” Taking the cloth clenched in Rek’s hand from him as he turned to argue with Gopher, ever at it with each other, those two, I turned to Odix and apologized profusely for all the things I could remember, and promised on my oversized banana-yellow bag to not only never touch another drop of alcohol, but forever leave him unaccosted by me. If he so wished, I pledged to never so much as look at him, if that’s what he wanted.

“No pinches,” he said at length. Rubbing the side of his butt, he grumbled, “Pinches not nice.” Leaving it at that, he reminded me that we should get going.

“As soon as I can find my clothes,” I pointed out.

“Those clothes. Other clothes not for Jojo to wear.” Odix gave an all-encompassing sweep of his hand, drawing my attention to the bits and pieces of my torn shirt, my jacket and pants soaking in a tub of water I had no idea where it came from, my boots beyond dirt encrusted and damp, tossed haphazardly about the room.

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