She stared at him, not comprehending for a moment. Nova had died yesterday? But she talked to him by e-mail; whatever awful things she said to him before, they had put those things behind them. Irena dropped off a present. He was here, safe and sound, and right in front of her. She looked at him -- believing he was saying the truth, while still thinking that he was wrong about this. He couldn't have died. It made no sense.
She looked away from him.
Things began to occur to her. He said that she was his favorite earthgirl. He not only said the right thing, he said the perfect thing. She knew that she mattered, then; that she had always mattered. It was not just displaced guilt over his role in transforming her into a molavvas. Those were the sort o words one might say if he thought he would never get another chance. A last memento.
Her eyes settled on the top of the red squid plushy, which came to a triangular point that flopped over the edge of the sofa.
Her eyes stung. She tried to ignore that, when she looked back at him. Her lips curled back -- into a frown, into a shaking quiver, into a furious glower. Then, she reached back her hand, and slapped him hard across the face.
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She looked away from him.
Things began to occur to her. He said that she was his favorite earthgirl. He not only said the right thing, he said the perfect thing. She knew that she mattered, then; that she had always mattered. It was not just displaced guilt over his role in transforming her into a molavvas. Those were the sort o words one might say if he thought he would never get another chance. A last memento.
Her eyes settled on the top of the red squid plushy, which came to a triangular point that flopped over the edge of the sofa.
Her eyes stung. She tried to ignore that, when she looked back at him. Her lips curled back -- into a frown, into a shaking quiver, into a furious glower. Then, she reached back her hand, and slapped him hard across the face.
"You IDIOT!"