Conversations with the dead 2018

[imthepilot]

Bodhi suggests a hike up the mountain. It's starting to get chilly but Bodhi's use to the cold. With the warmth of Milliways' summer, he was almost starting to miss the feeling of cool, crispy air.

Leaving the cats in Teja's care for the night, Bodhi hefts his pack and takes Galen's hand. "Ready?"

Comments

[galen_erso]

"As I love your brother," Galen says. "And I've heard so much about you, and about your grandmother."

[imthepilot]

"We thought you'd died, Bodhi." Pema says softly, face still buried in Bodhi's shirt. "If not on Jedha then soon after. We heard such terrible things."

He strokes her back and kisses her hair. "I... it's hard to explain. I did die. So did Galen. This is... I don't know what this is but I don't think we have very long."

Malika looks Galen over again. "Did you marry before or after you died?" She seems to be rolling with the idea.

[galen_erso]

"... after," Galen manages. "There was hardly any time for anything, before."

[imthepilot]

Pema looks up at Bodhi. "I don't understand." Bodhi kisses her again.

Malika shakes her head. "We have a cottage, just over the hill. Can you stay long enough for a meal?"

Bodhi looks to Galen and smiles. "I hope so."

[galen_erso]

"I'd love to," Galen says. "Especially as you probably learned to cook from your grandmother, as did Bodhi."

He gives them a happy grin.

[imthepilot]

Pema lifts her head for the first time, still cling to Bodhi. "Bodhi cooks better than we do." She tugs on Bodhi's shirt. "Cook for us again."

Bodhi gives her a long hug and tucks her under one arm, Malika under the other. He reaches out a hand to Galen. "Of course I'll cook for you."

[galen_erso]

Galen takes his hand. "He cooks wonderfully! First thing after we met, well almost, he fed me."

[imthepilot]

Malika grins as she leads them up to a little cottage in a clearing, two speeders parked under a lean-to. "I need to hear that story!"

There's more of the purple flowers around the cottage. And several very large vegetable patches.

[galen_erso]

"Oh, are those...?" Galen says, pointing. He remembers that specific plant from their own garden, and knows how fickle and difficult they are.

[imthepilot]

"The blicci?" Malika asks. "They're almost ready to fruit."

Bodhi is dragged around the garden by Pema, taking excitedly in a Jedhean dialect.

leaving Malika standing with Galen. "Do you garden?" In that awkward way of someone trying to work out how to make small talk.

[galen_erso]

"Bodhi grows his own produce, and I make the irrigation system," Galen says. "So yes, I sort of garden. I know that plants can be difficult, and they need to be pampered differently."

[imthepilot]

"That's Pema's work. She's the serious one." She answers, distractedly. She clearly has something on her mind. "How did Bodhi die? Did it hurt?"

[galen_erso]

"Grenade," Galen says. "It probably hurt, but only for about a quarter of a second."

[imthepilot]

her breath catches in her throat as she swallows a sob. "I knew. I don't know how, I just knew." She swallows again, dropping her voice low. "Don't tell Pema. Even if she asks."

[galen_erso]

"Doesn't she deserve to know, eventually?" Galen says, gently.

[imthepilot]

"Not from you." There's an edge to her voice. "You seem nice and Bodhi likes you. But you don't know her. She's a sensitive soul."

Bodhi and Pema return, arms full of vegetables. "Dinner?"

[galen_erso]

"I won't," Galen answers, "if you promise me to tell her when she asks."

Then, he turns to the other two. "Oh, you harvested some of the blicci -- great!"

[imthepilot]

Malika gives him a very level look. One that says he has no say in the matter.

Bodhi grins triumphantly. "My sisters have the most amazing garden." He ruffles Pema's hair. "Now, let's see if they have a kitchen to match. He reaches for Galen and follows the girls in.

The cottage is cosy and tidy, with Jedhean hangings on the wall.

[galen_erso]

"You saved all of these," Galen breathes, going to admire the hangings and appreciate the subtle meanings of their designs.

[imthepilot]

"Some of them." Pema answers softly, setting their harvest down. "We wove others. From memory."

"Oh Pema." Bodhi hugs his younger sister tight, burying his face in her hair. "Stars, I love you. Both of you."

[galen_erso]

Galen admires the hangings even more, trying to discern which are old, and which are new. It is hard -- the sisters have brought all the old skills from Jeddha, it seems.

[imthepilot]

"I wish I had time for you to teach me." Bodhi makes himself at home, setting himself to chop and prep. "But I think we only have dinner."

"Then we'll make it enough." Malika says firmly, laying the table.

[galen_erso]

"Set me to work," Galen says. "I know how to chop most things, by now."

[imthepilot]

"Nope." Malika pushes Galen to the table, open to the kitchen with only a bench between them. "You get to cook with him all the time. He might be your husband, but he's our brother. Besides, we need to hear how you met. So talk!"

[galen_erso]

Galen sits, and accepts a drink, and then tells them everything, except the gory details, and then the personal detail. But his love for Bodhi will, probably, shine clear through his discretion.