Page 17 of Purring, Presents, and Parties

The couple's sympathetic expressions never changed as Ari talked and talked. When she finally ran out of words, she felt lighter, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

“You’re clinically depressed,” Daniella announced after Ari finished talking.

Ari looked up, blinking in surprise. “I–what?”

Daniella reached out and grasped one of Ari’s hands. “You’re depressed. We need to get you on some medication, and you need to start talking to Baz. Tell him you feel neglected and you want a role in this operation. Most of us are pretty happy to sit back and let the Talins take care of us. It’s been a hard road,you know? If I never have to worry about someone dying on my watch again, I’m content to never practice medicine again. But I think you need to feel like you're making a difference. That means you’ve got to demand Baz let you sit at the table.”

Ari knew Daniella had some PTSD from all the people at the mining station that she couldn’t save due to lack of resources. They’d been given the barest essentials, and if someone fell seriously ill or suffered a profound injury, there wasn’t much Daniella could do to help them. In the end, she didn’t even have painkillers to ease the suffering going on.

It was hard enough to be a medical professional when there were adequate supplies, but Daniella had almost nothing by the end of their stay at the mining compound.

Suddenly Ari felt guilty for wanting more when she should be thankful that they were all safe and secure.

“Nope, don’t do that,” Daniella said, squeezing the hand she was holding. “You’re feeling guilty because you’re sad when everyone else is happy. There’s no reason for guilt.”

It was close enough to make Ari draw back a little in surprise. “When did you start reading minds?”

Daniella let out a little laugh. “You have one of the most expressive faces of anyone I’ve ever known. That’s one of the reasons everyone trusted you so much and why you were the natural successor when Tomas died. We always knew exactly what you were feeling.”

“I don’t think I can talk to Baz,” Ari admitted. “I don’t want him to think I’m ungrateful for everything he’s done. Plus, I don’t want to burden him with my issues.”

“Do you really think he hasn’t noticed something is wrong?” Christos pointed out.

All the trips to the infirmary popped into her head. Of course he’d seen the change and worried, but she’d been too mired in her own misery to appreciate it.

“I’m a selfish idiot,” she muttered.

Daniella gave their joined hands a little shake. “You’re an individual in need of help. We all need help, none of us can survive alone.”

Ari felt tears burning the back of her eyes. “You’re a good friend.”

“Only because you were a good friend first. Remember when we were eight? You beat up Steward for stealing my food credits. You became my best friend that day and there’s no getting rid of me.”

Daniella’s words made Ari bark out a laugh at the same time a few tears escaped to trail down her face. Wiping them away with her free hand, she sniffed and nodded her head.

“I’ll talk to Rossimun or Kasium,” she promised.

“Today,” Daniella insisted. “We’re due at the infirmary soon, and you can go with us. I’m sure they’ll fit you in.”

“There might not be anything they can do,” Ari said, trying to set her own expectations low.

“I’m sure they can help! Look how much the guys were able to help Aubrey, and that was with the rudimentary equipment and medication they had on their ship,” Christos pointed out.

Daniella nodded her head. “Rossimun and Kasium are fully trained, with the ability to compound or produce just about any medication, hormone, or neurotransmitter you might need. Don’t be afraid, Ari. I promise you’ll feel better. It might not be right away, but it will happen.”

The door of the cottage slid open, and Baz bounded into the room. Ignoring everyone else, he rushed to Ari’s side and dropped to his knees next to her.

“What is your favorite color?” he asked with a loud, demanding rattle.

“Um, green,” Ari answered, amused by both his abrupt arrival and random question.

“There are many greens, can you be more specific?” he urged, unclipping his Ident from his belt. He tapped it until it displayed a large color palette of greens. Ari pointed to the one she liked the best, and Baz quickly isolated the color and then sat back on his heels to do something else with his Ident that she couldn’t see.

“Hi, Baz,” Daniella said loudly. “It’s nice to see you.”

“Hello, Helpful,” he said absently, still focused on his Ident. All three of them laughed at his slip of the tongue. When they’d first encountered each other and couldn’t communicate, each group gave the other nicknames. Ari’s nickname for Baz was Leader, and he’d nicknamed Daniella Helpful. Occasionally Baz would forget and call them by their nicknames.

Aubrey hated hers, Daniella tolerated the one she was given, but Ari secretly loved the one Baz had settled on for her—Brave.

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