She was fond of Jade, she considered her a good friend. Jade was always there, Jade was strong, Jade was very caring despite her bluntness. Jade also would ignore her own feelings, even though HuanJen’s teachings had made quite a difference.
Garnet was in the midst of a mental mine field without a metal detector.
“Garnet?” Jade asked, noting her friends distress.
“Jade, there’s something you’re not telling me, is it …”
“Riakka.”
“Riakka?” Garnet shrugged. “What, she seems nice, she and HuanJen are … ah, shit.”
“They go out together, they go to lectures. We’re settling down, and he goes to historical lectures with her, I …”
“Do you think he’s cheating on you?”
“No, so why am I being a bitch?” Jade suddenly stopped, realizing that the question was not as well-phrased as she could put it.
“Besides your natural state? You’re jealous, Jade. Gods of Xai, it’s OK to be jealous. He’s your boyfriend.”
Jade shook her head, standing still, arms crossed. “I am not jealous, Garnet. It’s … HuanJen.”
“Good, you can explain it to Riakka, she’s dropping by to see me.”
“What!” Jade’s eyes turned into the hearts of angry emerald suns.
“Gotcha!” Garnet pointed a finger at Jade, as precise as a weapon. “She’s not, but look, look at you! Look at you!”
“I’m just frustrated.” Jade crossed her arms. “We haven’t been in the sack in two weeks. I’m lashing out. It’s horniness displaced.”
“Of … course.” Garnet nodded, mind weaving a few words and ideas together. “I think if you were jealous, you’d figure it out, right?”
“Damn right,” Jade replied, hands on her hips. “I’m fine, I’m …
Garnet raised an eyebrow. A picture may have been worth a thousand words, but a good eyebrow could say even more.
“Fuck, I am jealous. I’m tired of trying! Sure, we fucked up, but we didn’t have to try. That little bitch snaps her fingers and he’s out with her. Me, I … I don’t know what I’m doing. I … hey, thanks.” Jade stopped, swaying a bit.
“No problem.” Garnet stood, and placed a hand on Jade’s arm. Jade still seemed to tower above her, even above the height distance. Sometime her mind was a lonely tower.
“Thanks, again.” Jade suddenly hugged Garnet. Garnet, surprised at the sudden affection, hugged back. “Gods, I can’t believe it … and Riakka.”
“Hey, hey, it’s fine, it’s fine.” Garnet said comfortingly. “You can’t do everyting. I know.”
“Yeah.” Jade broke the embrace. “Lorne actually, heh, thought we had it together, cornered HuanJen with some questions.”
“Yeah.” Garnet nodded, brow furrowing.
“Garnet?”
“Nothing. Just thinking. I … I understand how Lorne feels. Thinking people always know what they’re doing. He and Xianfu seem happy. I . . always figured you and HuanJen were fine.”
Jade nodded frantically. “We get that a lot. Hey, that’s part of poor HuanJen’s whole issue. I shield him, but … still. It’s nice to get the offers for freelance work, but a lot of it is too weird.”
Garnet sighed. “I know. I could never have done your job, Jade. Even if he and I hadn’t had … the other issues.”
“I guess not,” Jade agreed thoughtfully. “I love him, Garnet.”
“I know you do. I’m happy for both of you. Just … take it easy on yourselves. OK?”
“Fine, fine. So, um … how’s Slate?”
“OK,” Garnet answered, “He got a few more hours at work, and I had to argue with our broker. We’re gong to have a sort of date in awhile, and I think we need it …”
As noted, Garnet Rubissom was a planner.
Unlike some of her friends, she knew that at times her friends did act like her. She knew everyone had a story, and that people could forget everyone else too had a tale too tell.
It was very irritating.
Her summer had consisted of taking care of Slate, looking for a house, balancing the budget as Guild politics caused price fluctuations, and being vaguely aware her friends had some issues going on.
She was not an assertive person, at least in the way most people thought of assertive. She’d fully admit that she could be cowed, and that Slate and HuanJen, though unwittingly, had managed to make her feel small before.
But, she also was very, very tenacious. You could wear down your own cowardice over time.
She was starting to feel tenacious.
August 18, 2000 AD, Xaian Standard Calendar
Slate checked the mailbox in the lobby of his apartment building. Mail. Magazine. Bills.
… and on the Crossworld, that where-we-all-go, the Crosspoint of Earths, life was still life.
The huge Vulpine climbed up the stairs, passing one of his neighbors, making an unconscious greeting. It was late. He was tired.
… and you still had to earn your living there. Nothing was for free.
He paused outside of the apartment, shifting his backpack around. He’d had to do a lot of work today, and it was stuffed with papers and files.
… and he was tired. And he didn’t think Garnet would be home. She’d said something about going out.
He opened the door and fairly fell into the apartment.
“Hey!”
Garnet was snuggled up to him, a ball of red furry warmth. Slate dropped his backpack on the floor and kicked the door shut. This was going to keep him awake a few more minutes.
“Evening dear,” Slate beamed as best he could, “What is going on? I didn’t expect to see you home!”
“Not much,” Garnet said.
“Oh, yes there is.” Slate could tell something hid behind Garnet’s gleaming eyes and smile.
“Well, I hear Greenpole fixed their sewer problem …” Garnet began.
“Garnet.” Salte removed his embrace and crossed his massive arms. Garnet sagged in resignation.
“I’ve got a concern - and I have a solution.”
“Oh, please, no. It seems everyone has ‘a concern.’ I’m godsdamn tired of concerns.”
Garnet blinked, eyes twin pits of sapphire curiosity. “Let me guess …”
” … who spilled to you?” Slate asked.
“Jade.” Garnet said. “Scary. Awhile ago. I thought over it a few days …”
“Jade?” Slate seemed almost frightened. “Well, a little over a week ago Xianfu just sort of …”
“Asked questions?” Garnet asked. She zeroed in on the truth like a shark smelling blood.
Slate nodded. “I’ve heard …”
“HuanJen and Jade were asking around.” Garnet half-asked.
“Lorne and Xianfu don’t seem to certain.” Slate added.
“They’re asking us …”
” … and each other.” Garnet finished. Garnet’s mind finished assembling the pieces of a rather unpleasant puzzle.
Slate looked at Garnet. It was like staring at a bomb with an LED timer that had just begun to count down. It was an impressive sight, and would have been much more impressive if he was seeing it from a distance away.
“Dear? Slate began.
“Call people. Let’s meet at HuanJen’s place.”
“Dear?”
“Just do, it, won’t you dear?” Garnet’s smile was made of teeth and determination.
August 24, 2000 AD, Xaian Standard Calendar
“I don’t get this,” Jade stated to HuanJen.
The couple was standing on the patio of their apartment. Behind them, Lorne and Xianfu sat in the living room, watching some television and cuddling.
“Nor do I,” HuanJen looked out ofer the city. Jade reached out, hesitated, then placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You’re worried?”
“… about them, yes.” HuanJen thought. “I don’t feel … well about things.”
Jade stiffened. “You never told me.”
“I …you seemed so happy, and … well you know how things have been.” HuanJen figited. “I didn’t want to worry you. You so wanted things to be back to normal.”
Jade sighed. “I guess I did, huh. Whatever the hell normal is for us.”
HuanJen nodded. “Sorry I just have been … and how things have been …”
Jade swallowed hard. “It hasn’t been the greatest summer. I … you … needed some time to yourself, huh?”
The mystic nodded. “I love you. I want you to know that. I always come home to you.”
“I … know …” Jade began.
“… and they are here.” HuanJen intoned.
“Huan! Door!” Xianfu called out.
HuanJen and Jade left the patio and closed the door, just as Lorne let Garnet and Slate into the apartment. Slate didn’t appear to be particularly happy.
“Hey, Garnet!” Jade began.
“Hey, Jade,” Garnet walked into the center of the living room as people found a place to sit or stand. She seemed to dominate the room despite her diminutive stature.
“OK, everyone, shut up and listen.”
Four pairs of eyes focused on Garnet. Slate looked away, like someone expecting disaster.
“You people, all of us, are pathetic,” Garnet said. “We’ve frittered the summer away worrying. How many of you, how many, looked at the other and figured, well his or her relationship is better than mine, huh?”
“Um … me?” Lorne asked.
“All of us!” Garnet fairly yelled. “As soon as everything calmed down and Slate gave me the ring we’ve all been acting like morons. Oh, look, Slate and Garnet are getting married, why aren’t we? What’s up with us?”
Jade looked at her feet. She glanced over at Lorne, who looked either upset or constipated, and Xianfu, who was staring at a point six seconds outside of reality.
She didn’t even want to see how HuanJen looked. A few ideas fired into her head, and she looked Garnet straight in the eyes.
“We don’t know what we’re doing,” Garnet fumed, “we’re busy asking each other questions that none of us have answers to! I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing! Slate doesn’t! We’re winging this here! This is improv people!”
“Well, dear, we all have questions,” Slate began, sounding reasonable.
“Shut up, love.” Garnet smiled feraly.
HuanJen regarded Garnet curiously. “Garnet, please, that’s not …”
“Shut up dear,” Jade suggested in a way that brooked no chance of debate.
“She’s dangerous,” Slate noted to HuanJen, “she can tell both of us to shut up.”
“These are our role models?” Xianfu asked Lorne.
The Gendarme shrugged. “We work with what we have.”
“Quiet!” Garnet thundered. It was like watching a kitten imitate a jet engine successfully. The gathered friends wisely followed her command.
“Now, look, let’s stop this silly crap. Are we agreed?” Garnet looked around. “Look, Slate and I are getting married because it’s what we want to do, and all of you, well, you’re doing what you want to do, OK? So stop fucking it up!”
Five looks of various kinds of guilt were directed at Garnet, from Xianfu’s slightly confused guilt to a rather clueless look from HuanJen.
“Look, people … it’s been a tough few months. Let’s not mess it up by trying to screw with our relationships. I’m happy. Lorne, you’re happy. Jade, you’re happy. All of you. Look, let’s … triple-date.”
“Dear?” Slate asked.
“Screw it, we’ve spent the summer angsting and houseshopping, and in Huan’s case terrorizing pedestrians. Let’s go out. Out, as couples. I got it.” Garnet gestured at the television. “Battle Cooks.”
“Battle Cooks.” Lorne asked. “Watch it on television?”
“Go to it!” Garnet declared. “Look, we can afford it, right? I can get tickets through a friend at the Administratum. We just have to fill out some questionnaires, they use it for marketing. After all the political crap the Commuicants Guild members are working on their public image.”
Jade took HuanJen’s hand and looked at him. She wasn’t quite sure what she was looking for, but the smile on his face and the glimmer in his eye seemed reassuring.
Xianfu grinned up at Lorne, and gave the large man a hug. “Hey, why not! I …”
“Well … we …’ HuanJen looked around the room. “People, you know what we have to say.”
“Sorry.” The word echosed around the room.
“Good.” Garnet not put her hands on her hips. “I’m glad, I’m … you’re not all going to like make me resent this, are you?”
“We could if it’d make you feel better.” Xianfu said playfully.
“As jade here would say, bite me.” Garnet replied.
“No, he’s not biting anyone that’s not me,” Lorne said with a disturbing calmness, “we have to have standards here …”
August 27, 2000 AD, Xaian Standard Calendar
HuanJen stumbled into the apartment, and discovered his hope for some time alone wasn’t going to manifest.
” … Riakka.” Jade was saying. Saying to Garnet and Lorne, all of them in the living room. HuanJen shook his head. Jade seemed concerned about Riakka as of late - which seemed odd, since he saw her more than anyone and knew she was fine.
“Hello, Huan!” Jade said carefully. “You OK? You buzzed out of here after services.”
“Long day.” The cleric tried to be polite. “I had to settle a few more things at the Guild. Deliver a few medicines still. Almost forgot. You know how it goes, and then … what?”
“Relax,” Garnet said.
“Sit.” Lorne gestured at one of the random chairs HuanJen and Jade had acquired from donations.
“Sorry.” HuanJen headed for the kitchen. “Allow me to get something to drink. Is this a social visit …”
“It’s not one of our recent angst sessions,” Lorne said with a mix of humor and irony.
“I’ve banned those,” Garnet added, eyes flashing, “and none to late.”
“Rake and I usually handled the emotional crises, I understand needing help.” HuanJen fumbled through the refrigerator. “I am …”
“No apologies.” Jade said. “We were actually just talking about life in general.”
“I also think I found a dress,” Garnet said, “We’re still going to do the wedding on the roof?”
HuanJen nodded, pouring himself a glass of Spectral. “It’s private, it’s got a nice garden, and I find it’s fresh and airy. I think it’ll be quite nice.”
“Rake did offer the church,” Lorne noted, “I think he’s just a bit irritated.”
“Rake is fine, but Slate and I wanted it this way,” Garnet sighed, “I know he’s insulted, even if he doesn’t know it. We’re probably going to get him something ncie, though I don’t know what the hell to buy him.”
“He’s hard to buy for,” Jade conceded, “For Christmas we actually got him a toolset. You know how he likes to tinker.”
“I suppose … “Garnet began.
The phone rang. HuanJen snatched it up as he headed for the living room.
“Yes. HuanJen, yes. I see. I … see. That’s interesting. Thank you. I’ll call back in a bit. Yes.”
HuanJen hung up the phone. He turned to find three curious looks.
“Who was that, HUan?” Lorne asked.
“One of the staff of ‘Battle Cooks.’ He had noticed my name was on a ticket entry.”
Garnet opened her mouth, closed it, opened it, then closed it again. There was something not quite right in the air.
“What happened?” Garnet finally asked.
“As I said, they noticed me. They’d like me to be the guest. I’d compete against one of the regular chefs.”
Jade blinked.
Garnet raised her hands protectively. “I had nothing to do with this.”
“Yes,” Lorne commented, “if you had he’d end up in a thong stripping.”
> “That was your choice, big guy,” Garnet replied.
“Let’s not recall the past,” Jade fumed, “So, they want you as a guest, love?”
“Yes. Guest cook. They … remember me.”
Lorne groaned and rolled his eyes. “Gods, you jump off of one skyscraper …”
“Well, their last few contests were busts,” Garnet acknowledged, “maybe they see you as a way to, forgive the pun, spice things up.”
HuanJen nodded. Jade walked over and put a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Dear?” The Vulpine asked.
“Thinking, love.”
HuanJen’s eyes locked somewhere off to the right of reality. After a moment, he nodded.
“I’m taking it.”
His lover and two friends each gave him a look that severely questioned his sanity.
“And I’m going to loose.”
“Beg pardon?” Lorne asked.
“I’m going to loose. I’m going to screw up. I’m going to fail.” HuanJen shrugged. “I’m tired of the attention, tired of it. People know the name, but not me. I … by losing, I will achieve some measure of non-noteworthyness.”
“You … are going to blow a cooking contest to achieve some public humiliation?” Jade asked. She knew the answer, but felt, somehow, she had to go through the motions.
HuanJen nodded. His voice was clipped. “Yes. I’m quite tired of this. I do hope, Garnet …”
“No, you aren’t ruining me idea,” the diminutive Vulpine answered in caring voice, “It’ll make it an interesting evening. Not that we could talk you out of this.”
“I hope you can all look startled properly when I loose?”
Jade looked over at her friends, then, she struck a look of abject horror on her face. Garnet and Lorne followed suit.
“Excellent …”
One problem with stories is that people think they end, everyone goes off Happily Ever After and its all over. They forget that people may have stories, but the stories are part of their lives, and lives are chains of stories reaching back and forward in time.
HuanJen knew this of course, but, as noted, he was a bit naive. He was also rather exhausted, his seemingly boundless good nature being close to run dry. He had been raised from birth to avoid entanglements in publicity, fame, and grandiosity.
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