Patrol 2: Lost & Found

Chapter 17

Vania mentally sighed with relief at the distraction and quickly stepped forward; "Hello. What can we get for you today?" Behind her, Derry frowned at her back for a moment before shaking his head and returning upstairs.

The shop mercifully empty again after the lunch rush, Vania heaved a sigh of relief as she gathered the last of the dishes from the tables. Ugh. My back is killing me. And my wings are starting to get twitchy. I'll need to step away and stretch for a bit before evening. She frowned at the number of baked goods still in the case. Usually, they only have a handful left of everything... She didn't even give me a chance to go meet her tonight before she began this removal of customers. Vania scowled as Derry's words came back, Nothing Nanda's thugs do is ever clean.

She helped Cianna with the dishes, listening and nodding as the girl spoke excitedly of her new little brother and sister. Vania smiled and replied, "mm-hmm," in appropriate places while the girl chattered over the clunk of the dishes.

As the dishes dried, she sent Cianna back upstairs and, ignoring the afternoon baking, unfurled her wings. The kitchen proved to be an inadequate place for stretching, as her wing tips kept getting caught on the shelves or the handles of the drawers and cabinets. As the sharp, painful twitchy feeling was replaced by the dull ache of sore muscles, she sighed and folded her leathery wings tightly to her back once more. At least they can fold tightly, so they're usually out of the way. If they were the feathery bird kind, I'm sure I'd have a lot less flexibility with them.

"You know, if you didn't keep them so tight all the time, they wouldn't hurt so much," Derry noted from the doorway.

"Well, they're useless anyway, so why should I leave them out where they just get in the way? I'd never fit in this kitchen with anyone else again!" She gave him a look as he stepped into the newly opened space. "How is everyone, Derry?"

"Fine. Licia decided she wanted some lemon curd cake; I hope there's some left."

"There's some of everything left," Vania confessed quietly. "The afternoon rush came, but it was noticeably smaller." She bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Derry."

"You have nothing to apologize for, girl. Licia will appreciate that you saved her some goodies."

"I—I didn't—" Vania swallowed.

Derry smiled; "Don't you worry about it. Business is always up and down. It's raining today; actually, I'm surprised it's as busy as it has been, considering the size of the mud puddle in front of our door."

"Oh. I should go... do something about it."

He grabbed her arm. "You're not going. Not until after dinner, anyway. Kuran wants to play swords and arrows with you. And Licia's anxious for you to meet your new little cousins."

Vania smiled sadly; "I'd love to. It's just... I don't want to be the reason..."

"You're not." He grabbed a few mixing bowls. "Help me make the cherry pudding, would you? It's what we always serve after there's a birth in the family."

Vania nodded, taking the trip down into the cellar to the ice chest for the cream.

"Also bring up some more butter when you come!" Derry called.

She grabbed the slab of wrapped butter and returned upstairs.

"Good. Thank you." Derry nodded, hands dyed red with juice. She found a knife and joined him in hulling the cherries.

"You know," Derry cast her a sidelong glance, hands still deftly pulling stems and extracting pits, "I learned a thing or two about field medicine when I was in the force. I know how to safely get a knife blade between the bones in a joint to amputate a shattered or septic limb to save a life. If they truly are that painful for you, I'm sure the process is much the same."