Page 420 of Bride of Choice

“The bathroom has a bigger window,” I pointed out.

There was a long pause before she finally squeaked out, “It has a window?”

Right, well, that answers that, then.

“I say we grease her up and wiggle her back inside,” I suggested.

“Grease with what?” Gopher asked.

“Fat,” Jeh-kal suggested as we all crowded around her stuck backside.

The storage room was quite large so we all easily fit.

“Did you- Did you just call me fat?!” Dace’s indignant squeak was followed by a bevy of alternative curse words and squeal-squeaks fit for public television.

“I’d point out how charming that all is to listen to if I wasn’t more distracted by her ass in our faces,” I muttered as I scrubbed at my forehead.

“No fart!” Rek called out. “No want farts in face,” he muttered quietly. “Stink up whole room.”

“Don’t do what now?” Dace cried out. “Why would I- EEEEEEE!!!!”

Dace

Reminding myself that this is on the low end of the ditziest things I’ve ever done, regrettably, I tried to stay calm.

Buu’s mate was kind of… a lot, but she was letting me stay here, and promised to help keep me safe.

That is, until the big mean one showed up.

I knew who he was, I’m ashamed to say. Doubly ashamed for the part I’d played in what had happened to Willy.

I wasn’t the nicest person when I was on my own planet. I knew what I was doing even as I did the things I did. I made those choices.

Trash. That’s what Gram-gram’s would’ve said, were she here to give me an earful, if she knew my shame. Sinful. Awful, ugly trash.

Gramps wouldn’t have said anything but his eyes would’ve told a different story. Disappointment.

They’d taught me better than that. I knew that. I’d done what I’d done, all the same.

Mama was a different story. She’d insisted snagging a man with money, someone to take care of me, was the key to surviving. Hold on tight and don’t let go. No matter what. I should’ve wised up, should’ve learned long before everything that had happened did, but there was no use wishing for things that had already come to pass. I had to live with my sins, all the things I’ve done. I’d be answering for it someday, maybe even today, just like Gram-grams had warned.

Was today that day?

I tended to speak while I was thinking. It made me seem even more bubble-brained than I played up pretending to be as the need to suited me. I’ll admit that. You can get away with almost anything if everyone around you is convinced you’re just too stupid to live.

I’ll also admit to the ugliness I’ve willfully perpetuated. Playing the dumb blonde side of me up has gotten me out of heaps of trouble as much as my true stupidity has gotten me into things.

Some men like the whole dumb blonde needing rescuing thing.

The irony of my current situation wasn’t lost on me.

“Fat,” I heard someone inside note.

I’m fat?!! Did he just call me fat?! One glance down at my arms, the thinnest they’ve been ever in my life, my eyes widened and a gasping sputter left me. “Did you- Did you just call me fat?!”

I could point out I’m like half the size of Buu’s Joanie. I could play up the airhead act so it was easier to get away with it, as if I truly didn’t understand and was incapable of comprehending how utterly nasty I sounded saying these horrible things. But I’m not that person anymore. She died a long time ago. Joanie didn’t deserve that. The demon on my left shoulder remained to whisper nasty suggestions in my ear but I paid it no heed.

If anyone could be credited with showing how far kindness and understanding can get you, it’s Buu. He’s my lifeline.

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