The Mullinix Book 1: Ascension
Page 49
Chapter 47 - A Longing
"Why the long face, Miranda?" Stacy asked her friend as she returned to the room, "You look like you’ve lost your best friend."
"Not exactly," Miranda sighed, "You’re still here. Miss seeing Simon and Medo though."
"Don’t con me, kiddo," Stacy chuckled, "It is Medo you are longing for, isn’t it?"
"Yeah," Miranda sighed, "I know it can’t go anywhere, but…"
"You still like him," Stacy nodded, "I can understand that. It isn’t as if he doesn’t like you too."
"I guess," Miranda grumped, "But I mean with all those girls at the palace… he doesn’t even have to turn an eye to someone like me. I mean look at me… I’m small, an insignificant girl from a little border village."
"One who was thought enough of to almost become a Mullinix," Stacy reminded her, "You’re as good as he is, you know."
"I am still trying to forget how close I came," Miranda frowned, "But that’s beside the point, I mean, with all of them up there… Why would he even care…"
"You know," Stacy said, "I’ve spent a bit of time up there lately, hanging out with Marina. I’ve learned a few things about the women up there."
"What’s that?" Miranda asked her.
"Most of them have had problems in their past," Stacy said, "I know that’s true in Marina’s case. I could go chapter and verse into what hell that girl went through as a child. It left her with some serious emotional problems."
"But why do they…" Miranda said, then stopped as she figured it out, "It’s a place with no true attachment, no need for it…"
"Bingo," Stacy said, "Monogamy doesn’t tend to go over well in that place. It can’t, the Mullinix are too busy too much of the time. They don’t have time to go out and date and if they are sexually frustrated they don’t get much done."
"It still leaves me out in the cold though," Miranda sighed, "Not much I can do about it though."
"Enjoy what time you get," Stacy shrugged, "You’re right, Medo is pretty well locked into that life now, but you never know. You might just get a little lucky sometime."
"It would take more than luck," Miranda said, "It would take a total flouting of all the traditions. Something I don’t think I’m willing to do and I doubt he would even consider at this point."
"Gotta love it," Stacy chuckled, "So what are you going to do?"
"Just got my official paperwork," Miranda said, her mood brightening a little, "My sister came through for me. I’m going back to the border village and am going to apprentice with her while I take classes two days a week in Skolnik."
"Nice," Stacy said, "I’ll probably be either here or in one of the other schools next session since they haven’t reassigned me yet."
"That’s always fun," Miranda said, "Hopefully they’ll give you a couple weeks off when I get out of here next week."
"Next week?" Stacy asked her, "The session still has about two weeks to go, doesn’t it?"
"Medico students always get out early," Miranda reminded her, "We have to go spend a few days at our school for orientation before we go to our apprenticeships."
"I forgot," Stacy admitted, "I’m going to miss having you around too."
"If you get time off come up to the trade fairs," Miranda suggested, "I’ll get you some good deals on stuff."
"I might have to do that," Stacy chuckled, "Considering my apartment could do with a bit of sprucing up, though I don’t know why. I haven’t been there in months."
"Don’t you have friends or anything?" Miranda asked her.
"A few," Stacy shrugged, "But most of them are far in the past too."
"That sucks," Miranda sighed, "I almost wish we could just stay here like it is."
"Look at it this way, Miranda," Stacy chuckled, "At least you get to stop eating the rotten food."
"There will be a place at my mother’s dinner table for you if you come on up for a visit," Miranda chuckled, "I promise."
"I’ll take you up on that," Stacy grinned, "Count on it. I heard Medo raving about your mother’s pastries."
"That’s nothing," Miranda smiled, "You should see when she puts on a full course meal…"