Breathe with Me by Lily X

Author:Lily X
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Carina Press
Published: 2022-10-19T16:58:03+00:00

* * *

Riley didn’t eat anything I’d prepared. She seemed uncomfortable and a little paranoid, pushing food around her plate with a frown. Aster watched her as well, but neither of us commented on the odd behavior.

If Riley truly believed I was under some type of curse, it made sense that she wouldn’t touch anything I’d cooked.

On the other hand, Havi made up for Riley’s lack of appetite, scarfing down several portions of rice and meatballs without pausing for breath.

Somehow, between bites, she told us about how she’d come to pilot a long-range ship from Earth with over a hundred people on board. Despite her unassuming demeanor, she was really quite a brave figure who seemed to put everyone else’s safety and needs before her own. I admired that; I didn’t know if I could ever be that selfless.

“So, what’s going on between you and the doctor?” I asked, spooning spiced rice pudding into little porcelain dessert bowls Aster had produced. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

Havi brought the warm bowl to her nose and took a deep whiff of the generous dusting of cinnamon. “This smells amazing. Did you really make everything yourself?”

“I did,” I acknowledged with pride in my voice.

Back home, Mama would always be lead chef and we’d all pitch in as her helpers. It was nice to get a little time in the spotlight.

But at what cost?

A bubble of grief rose in my chest, and I shut my eyes, holding back the flow of tears.

“We used to have huge dinners back home with all our extended family,” I explained, my voice a little more hoarse than I’d expected. “So I’ve had a lot of training when it comes to cooking. I guess I need to learn how to scale it down, huh? This was way too much for four of us.”

We glanced at the leftovers on the table.

“Well, if you don’t mind, I could bring it back to the shelter and have this for breakfast, too,” Havi offered.

“Of course! I’ll pack it up for you.”

She took a spoonful of rice pudding and sighed. “This is fantastic—you’re an amazing cook, Naia. And coming back to your earlier question, Fay is the medic that treated me when I landed here. I was in a lot of pain and thought she was the angel who’d come to take my soul away. I would have gone with her, too. Willingly.”

Havi took another generous spoonful of pudding. “So now I just have to convince her to go out with me. It’s taking some time, but I bet she’ll say yes by Christmas. Persistence is key, especially with a doctor who probably can’t find the time for her own self-care.”

She tapped her temple as she said those last words.

“You mentioned that you’re still living at the shelter—what is it like in there? Do they provide enough resources for you?” It was Aster who asked this question as I sprinkled a little more of the sweet cinnamon into Havi’s pudding bowl.

“It’s all right.” Havi shrugged, rippling muscles on top of muscles.

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