Page 8 of Cozy Prisons
She shook her head, almost violently. “You’re wrong. I wasn’t like that at all.”
He hadn’t expected blatant denial. Here was a perfect example of the stubbornness that helped her species survive, but was having a disastrous effect on Nataly individually.
“I know what I saw,” he insisted. “There is an internal battle going on inside you. I’d like to help you fight it.”
She opened her mouth as if to say something, then abruptly shut it tight. He watched her jaw flex, as if those muscles were working hard to keep her thoughts from escaping past her lips.
Standing up and almost upsetting the bench she was sitting on, she snatched up their empty plates. “There’s nothing wrong.”
He was quick to follow her as she deposited the dishes into a sanitizing unit. When she turned, he was right there.
She frowned. “I’m not going to say anything more because there’s nothing to say. Go harass someone else.”
It was clear he’d pushed too hard. He’d let worry override his good sense. “I still enjoy your company. Can I not continue to remain in close proximity if I don’t ask any more questions?”
“Hey everyone, it’s time to sing!” Merrick yelled.
Nataly’s expression lit up as she looked over to where everyone was starting to gather. “Oh fun!”
She rushed across the room, trying to leave him behind again.
He followed her over as everyone started singing a refrain about happy birthdays. He could see why a species in danger of extinction would celebrate another year of surviving, especially for a child.
Their tradition of making a large, sweet concoction they called cake and putting flames on it was interesting.
When they stopped singing, Merrick held his child, Maeve, so she could blow out the four flames on the cake. Everyone cheered and Maeve looked incredibly pleased with herself and reached for the cake with both hands.
Merrick just managed to pull her away before she could sink her fingers into the sweet treat.
“Maeve, no, no, let me cut you a slice first,” Grace, Maeve’s dam, admonished with a laugh.
Looking down, he noticed Nataly's pensive expression. She’d been happy and smiling moments before.
“Do you not like cake?” he asked.
She looked up, and at the same time, her fake smile appeared. “I love cake! Especially birthday cake.”
He sounded a rumble of affirmation. “Yes, I can see the importance of that. But for a moment, you almost seemed anxious about Maeve.”
Her frown turned to a scowl. “How about you stop guessing what I’m feeling or thinking and let me enjoy the party?”
A rumble of worry escaped him. He hadn’t meant to make her angry. “I apologize! I was only commenting on what I observed. It’s a habit.”
She tilted her head at him. “Habit? From what?”
“I was a mediator mavin,” he explained.” That’s a type of law keeper.”
For the first time, her expression turned sympathetic. “I bet you weren’t very popular.”
It was a keen observation. “It was a lonely occupation. Some thought my diligence was, uh, intrusive.”
“Intrusive? You? Never!” Nataly said with faux astonishment. He could tell she was teasing him, but he didn’t entirely understand the humor.
Memories of why he was no longer a mediator mavin filtered through his mind. He forced them away. “I like living here much better.”
“Nataly, this piece is for you,” Grace said, appearing next to them and holding out a plate with a slice far too big for one human to consume.
“Thanks!” Nataly said, giving Grace one of her rare, real smiles. Then she exaggerated how heavy the plate was by pretending to almost not be strong enough to hold it up. “Did you give me half the cake?”
