It was the 18th wedding, including mine, in about thirty days, and January was, as always, colder and drier than it should've been.
The wedding was more or less a dressed-down version of ours but still one of the biggest celebrations in village history. At the hall, we watched a deliriously happy couple, Setil and Stuart, sitting behind a large table, receiving the people of Emet with their small gifts and congratulations.
"They look just like us..." I leaned back on his shoulder, watching the revelry from some distance away.
"Yeah... less attractive versions, but, yeah."
I laughed a little at his... factual statement. I enjoyed his touches, his voice, his very presence, since he would leave tomorrow after the meeting—a meeting he still didn't know anything about.
"I wish I could take you with me." He smelled my hair. "I'll miss you."
"I know... but it's for a good reason... besides..."
"Yep... go, divorce, run back. Three days tops." He sounded like a well-trained dog.
Good boy.
Usually, a trip, even with his unnaturally fast method of transportation, takes time. Weeks. Visiting friends, spending time with them, taking in the sights and its historical significance, eating strange and exciting foods, not to mention mingling with the locals. Months.
I turned around with narrowed eyes, confusing him. "Yeah... okay. Tell me... what's that face for?"
"What's that face?" I reached back and pinched his sculptured profile.
He endured my senseless attack and just watched the couple feeding each other chocolate he hated so much.
"My wife, I'm saying this with passionate love, but, you're becoming unhinged."
"You should cover yourself like those weirdos down south in heavy cloth... at least that face."
"Sure thing, dear... is this pointless worrying still about..." he nodded towards the Boreas, Nifa and Cintia, who were drawing a lot of attention to themselves by passionately making out in a corner.
"No... but they sure are on your mind a lot..."
"I never should've told you," he sighed, closing his eyes and concentrating hard.
"What are you doing!?" I asked, bewildered.
"Making a God damn mental note never talk after sex ever agaa—ouch!" He had left himself wide open, and twisted nipples sure hurt. I pulled my hand out of his shirt and ignored his grumbling.
But, I apologized anyway. I couldn't have him take our pillow talks away. "...Alright. I'm sorry... promise, I'll drop it." I remembered how it ended the last time he got annoyed. I didn't want to lose that intimacy by teasing him over something natural.
"My love, you're incapable of such a thing, but I appreciate the pretense." He had less than zero faith in me.
"We got off topic... my point is... come back fast!"
"Shhh..." he rested my head on his chest, kissing the top of my head. "If not for the fact we both had some hand in this development, I would let his wet ass bounce on that horse for weeks."
He was right. We both induced, encouraged, or otherwise facilitated this little affair between Carlos and my mother. Since I can't leave Emet, he needs to be responsible for overseeing the most important part of it.
"Don't you feel bad for Yelena?..." I asked, fully knowing the answer.
"Nope."
"Yeah, me neither... let's get some of Mother's food."
We joined the family, ate, drank, danced, did naughty things in private, and then repeated those things all night.
~
At the breakfast table with the usual lot, minus the newlyweds and the rest of the Emil clan.
"What is that meeting about, I wonder..." Zephyr asked the ceiling, deep in thought.
I shared some covert looks with my co-conspirators who knew the truth, but since no one had buckled till now, we could survive for half an hour more.
Carlos, who also knew once Mother shared the news with him, answered, "Whatever it is, you'll find out soon enough."
"Hmm..." Zephyr looked at him suspiciously. He noticed our shared looks but let it go for now.
"I packed you up, just some food and a change of clothes. Carlos!" I called out the man responsible for this long journey. "Y-yes?"
"Three days TOPS or it's your ass... clear?"
"Crystal... it's umm... just some silly family stuff. Three days should be more than enough." He kept looking at a brightly smiling Mother, and he also looked suspiciously at Zephyr.
"Mnn..."
"Mnn..."
"And, that's breakfast," I quickly started to clean up some still unfinished plates while asking my mother in my head if she was kidding with this transparent body language.
When I got close to taking Zephyr's plate, he caught my hand and smiled politely. "Whatever this is... you had a hand in it."
He knows?
"Are you okay, love? Talk about unhinged..." I stood his stare like a pro while shaming him like he did to me yesterday.
"Very well... Princess, Master, come..." He stood up and picked up a running girl while taking the hand of the other. "I'll find out soon enough, just hope I like it... but..."
He turned around to the rest of us still seated.
"...If, I don't... no souvenirs!"
( GASP )
Carlos was quick to offer a lifeline. "D-don't worry everyone... I can bring some if he..."
"Then, I'll hope fish can learn to fly, Em, cause that's the only way your ass is making it back before the spring!" Zephyr finished with a grin.
"Pfftt... Ass," we heard Anna learning her word of the day before they left ahead of us.
Eleanor was the first to bring it up. "So, I guess no souvenirs then, huh?"
Carlos slowly shook his head, accepting the fact that fish can't fly.
"Maybe not! Lylly, can't you offer him something he really wants?" asked Nifa, with the others listening intently.
I looked at the Boreas and the others, but I had nothing to say out loud. I picked up some leftover bread he left on his plate and gnawed on it.
"We're just passengers on this comet called Zephyr Astoria..."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Was that a yes, no, maybe?"
"I understood her..."
"No, you didn't, Lucian, no one could..."
No one was supposed to. That nonsense was just to avoid telling them, I already gave everything, and he took it happily every single day.