Page 77 of Teaching the Kot'oll Coach

“I want to know what happened. I know you don’t want to mention the past, but...” I lift my hand out and between us. “Don’t faint.”

She sighs with a weak smile. “I don’t know. It’s scary.”

“If you’ll let me, I can hold you.”

“Oh, good. Hold me with those arms. Pin me to the wall.”

I blink. Am I hearing things?

I reach the back of my hand to her forehead. “Are you feeling well?”

She laughs. “Geez, you’re the crazy one.”

“Am I?” Does she mean it? Am I reading into thin air?

“Are you going to hold me?”

“Yes.” I sit on the bed and gather her into my arms.

She leans onto my chest, letting out a breath. Her limbs relax and the tension in her melts away. Even if she doesn’t like me back, I’d be happy to be useful to her.

“Telke... It’s wild. I don’t understand why I’d let you hold me like this.”

“But you just said—“

“Shhhh...”

Okay? I don’t understand her.

She says, “Look, sometimes, I want to know I’m making the best decision, but I know perfect isn’t possible.”

I stroke her side. I can bite my tongue and keep quiet for her. My heart races and my gut twitches. I want to know about everything right now, except it looks like she is taking her time, which is reasonable.

Except...

She says, “I just moved to the city a short while ago.”

Okay? But that can’t be the reason she didn’t want to mention her past. It can’t be that bad.

She muses for another moment before she continues, “Ossa and I, that’s all. I... I don’t know why I even trust you enough to tell you this.”

I try to stay quiet when she probably needs the space to talk it out. Sometimes, I think better when I say my thoughts out loud too, except other beings think that it’s dumb.

She says, “I had nothing. I still have nothing. Everything you see here is either second-hand pickups or on credit card.”

Wait... She is going to be in trouble in no time with this. I open my mouth, but she presses a finger on my lips. I nod, knowing better than interrupting.

“When the paycheck hits, I’ll be fine. At least a bit more fine.”

She falls into silence. I fight my urge to talk. I just want her to be fine, but... if she is struggling hard, she should have stayed where she was. Unless...

She sighs and it pains me. “I ran here with Ossa before he would be sold for pennies.”

How can someone sell a cat that they’ve been keeping? I don’t understand keeping a pet, but I know beings who love their pets and see them as family. Not to mention, how much can he get for selling a cat anyway? That’s dumb.

She says, “I used to be with someone. He... didn’t run a good business. He kept borrowing from me and everyone. My friends saw through it quicker than me. I... When I found out he was trying to gamble his way out of business debt, it was already too late.”

She sobs. I hold her even closer, wanting to calm her with my presence, even though I doubt I’m of much help. If only... I suppose I can lend her some money, but maybe she doesn’t want that.

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