But now itÆs been almost a year Everyone who really wanted to leave the Orchard has already left And those that stayed Wilbur had a sardonic smile as he patted his belly He had gained perhaps fifty pounds since Vye had seen him last We have grown comfortable We own businesses we have lives that are starting to take root here Would we casually leave even if offered a job in Donnyton
Vye nodded it certainly made sense But still there are probably people who would pay for this In fact I bet you paid to acquire this for me I donÆt
The words I donÆt want to owe you anythingÆ caught in VyeÆs throat She already owed Tatiana more than enough That was why she had stayed to the point of drowning in Erickson Steel Even the memory made her long to pop a chocolate into her mouth Now as she scrambled around her mind to find a more polite way to explain that sentiment Wilbur chuckled again
But both looked toward the door as WilburÆs wife Marry walked through into the warm light of the fire MarryÆs smile was as wide and perfect as WilburÆs as she beamed at them both Can I get either of you anything I was just thinking of making myself a snack and thought IÆd offer
Wilbur rolled his eyes Marry
But VyeÆs reaction was much more violent She almost leapt to her feet and hurried over to Marry Marry please Let me help You are eight and a half months pregnant thereÆs no need to be on your feet so much
Ah shoo Marry said with irritation on her face but she let Vye take her hand and guide her into a wooden chair by the table IÆm not afflicted with consumption Besides with the SystemÆs help a lot of the pangs of pregnancy are severely diminished I honestly find it rather disturbing that you would take WilburÆs side in this abhorrent babying
VyeÆs smile was sly as she recognized the jab was aimed more at MarryÆs husband than her Even so YouÆve taken such great care of me with every meal these past two days let me help today What sort of snack would you like
As the topic of food came up MarryÆs eyes began to sparkle She leaned back in her chair and tapped her chin I was thinking of a deep dish pepperoni pizza
Shaking his head helplessly Wilbur asked With what ingredients We havenÆt had time to go grocery shopping recently
Bah itÆs like you donÆt even notice when I leave I went to the grocery store yesterday Marry sniffed
WilburÆs face twisted as he did his best to suppress a chuckle Marry that was a week ago You went to the grocery store a weak ago
Determined Vye stepped forward while Marry blinked and tried to decide how she should respond to that I can handle that too IÆll go to the grocery store and the start cooking when I get back
Even if itÆs just a small thing this is something I can do
With clear gratitude in his expression Wilbur passed Vye some cash to pay for the groceries Vye had half a mind to reject it but also acknowledged the fact that she didnÆt have very much cash on her Most of her money she had already traded for armor and camping gear for her journey that she hadnÆt yet made the first decision about
However a phrase from Marry stopped Vye just as she was about to walk out the door Oh Vye what Level is your Cooking Skill
Vye blinked I donÆt have the cooking Skill But I grew up cooking a lot so it shouldnÆt be much of a problem
Marry and Wilbur exchanged a long glance MarryÆs eyes were heavy with meaning as she gazed soulfully at him Wilbur winced MarryÆs eyes remained cold
Coughing lightly Wilbur turned back to Vye Uh actually why donÆt we just order take out It will be so much simpler
Hours and a dozen pizzas later Vye and Wilbur were once more alone after Marry wandered off to recover from the veritable feast that she had just inhaled Wilbur was bubbling like a shaken sprite Did you see her face when you said you didnÆt have the Cooking Skill Who knew marrying a chef would have made her so entitled
Vye pressed her lips tightly together They didnÆt even trust me to make a pizza I handled TatianaÆs entire schedule at Erickson Steel When needed I was trusted to fill in every step in the forging process People begged me to be more involved And yet now
Casually Wilbur pulled the ticket for the lottery out of his pants pocket and put it on the table between them
I want to earn this I donÆt deserve this gift Vye said through gritted teeth Immediately afterward she was mortified
She hated the sleazy way the phrase had sounded especially after spending so much time with the couple There was not a chance in hell that Vye was willing to sleep with this man It was just the least insulting version of the fact she didnÆt want to owe him anything and her mouth moved faster than her filter She also hated that she had to say it to Wilbur who had been such a vicious flirt in her memories She hated saying it after having such a fun time with Marry
But Wilbur just released his charming smile and didnÆt comment on the phrasing Instead he simply said I admire your spirit I felt the same when I started my first restaurant in the Orchard We should all start out with such a bold ambition But it was only after I had really gotten my feet under me that I realized how many people had helped me without me realizing it
Whether it was acquiring funding speaking with the patient architects and builders who were willing to listen to my constant demands for the layout or negotiating with the administration of Orchard allowing for a unique method of tax collection I couldnÆt have gotten here alone The people with power I met looked at me and gave me the chance to prove myself Without that support my small restaurant would have failed And thatÆs I think why I fell in love with the Orchard Everyone here is working together to build something worth having
Now I have four locations and one of them is in the running for best restaurant in the Orchard I achieved that honor because I gave a kid without the Cooking Skill a chance when he was fresh out of the time freeze At the time I had more pull than I knew what to do with But I still remembered how close I had been to failing To such a determined kid could I refuse the same chance I received
But I didnÆt do it alone The workers in this district back when it was just scaffolding and a sketch in the dirt had to walk a half mile back to the closest restaurant at which they could afford to eat But because of the distance they often had to skip lunch or let someone off early and carry it back
I didnÆt have any money for a building when I came here The next best thing I could buy was tables I just came out to the place where people were working all day and set my tables up in the muddy paths they called a street
Then Wilbur winced And man if you could taste what I served then as food I had to make such large batches that the process really lowered the quality of the taste But I was the one who came to give them what they needed So they were loyal when I finally could set up shop in an actual building For the longest time they were my only customers No matter how low my Cooking Skill was they still ate it
Now itÆs hard to say which of us needed the other more Wilbur slapped his cheeks But we both needed each other There is no shame in that
Vye just looked at Wilbur as she slowly digested what he said
His smile lessened somewhat I get the desire for independence More than any other time the System has made it so that there are threats that will end our lives as quick as breathing But even the Ghosthound received help to become what he is today
I thought the Ghosthound was the one who helped everyone else Vye asked quietly She remembered RandidlyÆs burning emerald eyes surveying the entirety of Erickson Steel
Maybe but he also worked closely with Senator Firefly for quite a while He made the big push for the Orchard The two are really close Wilbur shrugged With monsters surrounding us humanity needs to band together ThatÆs the only way we can win over this fucked up System
Very slowly Vye chewed her lip But why me Why help me LetÆs be honest we werenÆt that close I donÆt even know why I came to visit ItÆs just
itÆs just that we to each other are the only people that we knew from before Wilbur said quietly I wasnÆt in the original batch of people but I was one of the first rescued There will people waiting to assist our escape And still everyone else who was there with me died