Page 119 of The Explorer
“It’s hard to compare the two places,” Victor commented.
“I’ve heard you have houses as big as districts.”
We laughed at Zola’s wild exaggeration.
“What else did you hear about us?” Mason asked.
She smiled. “That you are fierce, unpredictable, and innocent at the same time.
Thor had just swallowed a ball of water and coughed while smacking his chest with his fist. “Did you sayinnocent?”
“Oui.”
Thor looked to Mason as if he wasn’t sure whether to be amused or offended.
Mason just grinned. “She must be talking about you and Freya, ’cause there’s nothing innocent about me and those two love birds.” He nodded to Aubri and me.
Thor wrinkled his nose. “I’m not an innocent.”
“Perhaps what Zola meant wasinexperiencedrather than innocent,” Celeste said, and it sounded like she was trying to make Thor feel better.
Thor raised his chin but seemed unable to find a verbal comeback.
With one side of his lips drawn upward, Victor mused, “It’s something that amuses us to a great extent. You Northlanders are brave people in most areas but not when it comes to exploring something as fundamental as your sexuality. All those self-imposed rules and naïve expectations as to the union of two people.”
“What’s naïve about it?” Freya asked.
Victor drummed his fingers on his armrest. “The notion that one person will fulfill all your needs. It feels naïve that you would buy into such a fairy tale.”
“Aubri and Indiana look happy,” Freya pointed out. “Seems to me that they have a deep and profound connection while all you’re doing is scratching a wound of loneliness by being with a new partner over and over.”
“At least we have variety,” Isaac interjected.
“Is doing the same thing with different people more variety than doing different things with one partner?” Freya shrugged. “Call us innocent all you want, but personally, I’m not envious of your constant chase for a physical release with strangers.”
I was waiting for Victor to give some clever counter argument, but he didn’t. Rubbing his forehead, he left the subject and sat looking out the window in silence. The rest of us continued to talk about drone racing and our summer festivals.
Belle and Dina were there to greet us when we arrived at the Gray Mansion. Of course, Mason kissed Belle like they’d been separated for months. The French stared when he bent down to kiss her bulging belly as well.
Standing back up, Mason kept a hand on Belle’s stomach as he spoke to Victor and the others. “This right here makes me fucking happy that I’m not French. You will never know the joy of seeing your child grow inside your wife’s belly.”
It was ironic how Celeste, Simon, and Isaac greeted Belle as if they had missed her. Even Victor acted polite and asked about her well-being. With a hand on her bulging belly, Belle smiled and assured them she was fine and happy living in the Northlands.
“Aubri and I will need to stop by our house on Victoria’s Island to get our things,” I told the French. “But we’re staying here long enough that Aubri can say goodbye to her family.”
Aubri’s little sister Dina, who was tall as Aubri but with blonde hair instead of red, smiled. “Freya informed us you were all coming. We’ve arranged for a light lunch in the garden.”
“Thank you,” Celeste said.
“Follow me.” While Dina led the French to the patio, we said our goodbyes to Thor, Mason, Belle, and Freya.
As I hugged Thor, he muttered, “I’m fucking jealous of you.”
With our hands on each other’s shoulders, I looked into his eyes. “Why?”
“Listening to Aubri and you talk about your work. It sounds fun, and you’re so fucking free out there sleeping under the stars and rappelling down cliffs while I’m shuffling paperwork around and doing interviews.”
“You could come join us if you want to. There’s always room for another Explorer.”
