Chapter 37 Esag
ESAG
Tony left.
The words echoed in Esag's mind as he stared at Tula across the café table, trying to process the implications.
Tony had moved out. Last night. While she was sleeping.
Which meant Tula was single now. Unattached. Available.
Not that being available meant she was interested in him. Or that he had any right to pursue her after the pain he had caused her sister and their entire family. Or that the strange psychic connection they'd shared during the rescue meant what he wanted it to mean.
But still.
Tony had left. Esag was still processing what Tula had said when Wonder returned with the tray of food for him. He caught only the tail end of what she was saying.
"… to get Tula a phone. We need to bring her up to speed on modern living."
Modern living. Esag latched on to that phrase like a lifeline.
"I could help with that," he said.
Both sisters turned to look at him.
"With what?" Wonder asked.
"With teaching Tula about modern technology and the state of the world she is now a free citizen of. You work full time at the café, and you have Anandur to go home to in the evenings, while I have nothing but time."
It wasn't even an exaggeration.
His days consisted of carving figurines in his workshop and contemplating whether he should join the Guardian force or try to eke a modest living from his so-called art.
He had no job, no mate, and he hadn't made any new friends since arriving at the village.
Roven and Davuh were still his only friends, and they were busy exploring their possibilities.
Davuh was considering studying engineering, of all things, because he had visited William's domain and liked the vibe of the people working there.
Roven was more inclined to check out the Guardian force and had started training just to get a feel for what was involved.
That translated to Esag spending the majority of his time alone.
"That's very kind of you to offer," Wonder said. "But I just got my sister back, and it will be my pleasure to introduce her to modern life."
Esag held his breath, waiting for Tula to echo Wonder's sentiment, say something derisive about how he had the gall to even suggest that, or to take him up on his offer.
Not that he held out much hope for the latter.
Tula was looking at him with those intense blue eyes that saw too much. "I appreciate the offer, Esag," she said. "And I'm going to take you up on it."
Esag nearly fell out of his chair. Was she accepting his offer? Had he heard it right, or was he hallucinating?
She turned to her sister. "I don't want you to miss workdays because of me. You have a life here, and I want to be a part of it, but I don't want to take over your life. This is the second day of work you are missing because you are babysitting me."
"But I've just got you," Wonder protested.
Tula smiled and put a hand on her sister's arm. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here whenever you want to spend time with me. But I just prefer to burden Esag with my education." She cast him a haughty sidelong glance. "He owes both of us. I think that's a nice way for him to repay his debt."
Esag didn't care how Tula framed it as long as she was willing to spend time with him.
"Thank you." He dipped his head in mock supplication. "Thank you for allowing me to repent. That's very gracious of you."
Tula looked like she was stifling a smile. "I am turning over a new leaf, and I decided to strengthen my nonexistent grace and forgiveness muscles."
Wonder's head moved between them like she was watching a ping-pong match, which, in a way, this was.
"Then I would love to be your coach." Esag allowed himself to finally take a whole breath. "Grace and forgiveness happen to be my specialties, along with incredible phone and tablet skills. Ready to start whenever you are."
"How about after I get my phone? You promised to show me your workshop, and I'd love to see it. After that, you can teach me how to use modern devices."
"Sounds like a plan to me," Esag said quickly, before Tula had a chance to change her mind or Wonder convinced her otherwise.
She glanced at Wonder. "How long will getting the phone take?"
"Depends on whether William can see us right away. If he does, then twenty minutes at most. He needs to collect your biometrics and input them into your phone and into the system."
"Then I'll come by around—" Tula paused. "Actually, I don't know where you live. Or how to find anything in this village."
"I'll take you," Wonder said. "And after Esag shows you how to work the phone, you will also know how to find your way around the village and where everyone lives. It's all in there."
Tula's eyes widened. "That's incredible."
Wonder nodded. "I love modern technology."
"Yeah," Tula said more hesitantly. "Me too." She pushed to her feet and gave Esag a parting smile. "I'll see you in about an hour. Okay?"
"Perfect."
After they left, Esag sat at the table, staring at his coffee cup without seeing it.
Tula was coming to his house to see his workshop, and she wanted him to show her how to use the phone.
Then it hit him.
Tula was coming to his house, and the place was a mess.
He had a lot of cleaning up to do before he could invite a lady inside.
When he got back home, he assessed the place as someone who was seeing it for the first time would, and he cringed.
Dishes were piled in the sink, crumbs covered the kitchen counter, and there was something sticky on the floor.
There were empty beer bottles and dirty plates on the coffee table in the living room.
None of that was his doing.
After returning from Safe Harbor, he'd found the house in an even worse state, and he'd ordered his roommates to clean up.
They had, but it had taken only one evening for them to create almost as much mess as there had been before, and he'd been too preoccupied to notice it when he'd left the house this morning.
Esag rolled up his sleeves and attacked the kitchen first. He washed the dishes, scrubbed the counters, and mopped the floor twice because he had only redistributed the dirt.
The living room came next. He gathered the beer bottles and empty plates, fluffed the couch cushions, and even dusted surfaces that hadn't been dusted in weeks.
Then he moved to his bedroom.
His bed was made, and the room was mess-free, but there was a lot of dust to be wiped from every surface because of the workshop that lived in his closet.
The floor of the bedroom and the workshop needed vacuuming, the shelves needed dusting, and the figurines needed better organization for the best display.
Especially the figurines of Tula.
Esag looked at the small collection he'd built up over the preceding weeks.
There were at least a dozen Tula figures, each one capturing a different aspect of her.
Tula smiling with a sarcastic tilt of her lips.
Tula pensive, looking worried and hopeful at the same time.
Tula with her hand on her belly, an angelic smile on her face, as her thoughts focused on the child growing inside her.
He'd carved them because something in him had needed to. Because when he'd tried to carve Wonder's face, Tula's had emerged instead. Because the Fates, or destiny, or whatever force governed such things had decided these two sisters would both mark his life, each in her own way.
Would Tula like the figurines or think they were creepy?
Too late to worry about that now. She was coming, and he needed to finish cleaning.
After opening all the windows in the bedroom to let fresh air in, he brushed the wood shavings from the workshop into a bin and then vacuumed the floor. He was about to start rearranging the figurines on the shelves when the doorbell rang.
Esag rushed to the bathroom to wash his hands and checked his reflection in the bathroom mirror. His hair was disheveled and sported wood shavings, and his shirt was dusty, but there was no time to brush his hair and change his shirt.
The doorbell rang again, and he rushed over to open the door.
Tula stood on his doorstep, looking beautiful and holding a small bag that must contain her new phone.
She tilted her head, studying him. "Why are you sweaty?"
Heat flooded Esag's face. "I was cleaning." He cursed his skin's tendency to show every emotion with a flash of color. "I didn't want you to think I was a slob." He wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "Not that I am one. Usually. But my roommates are not as fastidious as I am."
Tula's expression softened. "I think it's sweet that you cleaned just for me."
It was embarrassing, but he would take sweet and say thank you.
She shifted sideways to look behind him and smiled. "Are you going to invite me in, or should I come back later after you are done cleaning?"
"Right. Sorry. No. I mean, yes. Please come in." He stepped aside.
Tula walked past him into the living room, looking around with interest. "You did a good job. Everything smells so fresh. Like lemons and pine."
"Cleaning products," Esag said, then felt stupid for stating the obvious.
"I love how the village houses have so many windows and glass doors," Tula continued, walking over to the sliding doors to look out at the backyard. "So much natural light and fresh air."
Esag's heart ached thinking about the long years she'd spent living underground.
His expression must have registered because Tula turned back to him with a reassuring smile and a wave of her hand.
"Don't look so horrified. We were not locked underground.
We went outside almost every day for a walk in the gardens surrounding the harem.
We felt the sun on our faces and breathed fresh air.
" She paused. "I would have lost my mind otherwise. "
"Still," Esag said. "It was captivity."
"Yes. It was." She set her bag on the kitchen table. "But I'm free now, so let's not dwell on the past. I just need to catch up on the world that got away from me."