Page 70 of Catching the Kot'oll Driver

Vatok says, “That translates to we are limited to using one set of eating utensils, so there won’t be fighting.”

I say, “By the way, Vatok is traffic police.”

Kendra’s eyes light up. “Oh, wow! Sounds like the perfect job for you.”

Vatok smiles. “Because of the arms? I suppose so.”

Kendra says, “I’m also police in my city. I work more in the front line.”

“Oh, I see.” That’s what Vatok says, but he seems unconvinced.

Kendra lifts her brows at him. “I mean, yeah, a human can do that too.”

I say, “She’ll kick your balls if you don’t listen to her.”

Kendra laughs while Vatok snorts a laugh. He says, “I’m just surprised. That’s not a common career for humans.”

She nods. “You’re right. But I’ve decided to prove the big guys wrong.”

“I don’t doubt you.”

I ask, “Vatok, I thought you were at work?”

He shakes his head. “You’re back home tonight, so I’m here.”

We fist bump each other and Vatok continues his way to the stairs to do whatever he set out to do.

Kendra watches Vatok’s back as he slowly disappears out of our sight. “More police in the house.”

“Yeah, becoming traffic police has always been his thing since he was young. Maybe have to do with how we, the kids, always fight each other.”

“How many brothers do you have?”

“Including me, there are six kids in the house.”

She stares at me with wide eyes.

I shrug. “Surprised? Kot’olls always have big families.”

“It does surprise me. Imagine all the fights at the table.”

“I’m not sure whether everyone will be at the table together this evening. Sometimes, we have different schedules.”

“It must be hard. But imagine when you were all kids and running around. Guess you really needed a traffic police.”

I wrap my arms around her and hold her to my chest. “Maybe we’ll have a lot of kids in the future.”

She laughs and hugs me back. “Then you’ll be staying home to take care of all of them. Imagine all the hands that will be grabbing things.”

“They will be beautiful like you.”

She takes a breath. “You bet. They will be smart like me.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I roll my eyes, but the warmth in my stomach grows. “I think they will be better off smart like me, but I guess they can learn stuff after they are born.”

She chuckles. She is going to say something when someone clears his throat behind me. I turn around to find Father watching us with two arms folded and two resting on his waist.

I squeeze a smile. “Father, this is Kendra.”

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