Micah spoke into the headset, “This is the best way to see the land.Look down.You can see the venom houses from here.We have a very large repository of venom that we sell to other countries.There are times when special orders are made, and Alita and I have had to make the deliveries in person.”
“Is that dangerous?”Luis asked.
“No, not really,” Micah replied.“We made one delivery to the states, to Ohio, and after the visit, we ended up making friends that we connected with last month, and we had a good time, hanging out, watching movies.”
“Hanging out?”Eliza asked.
Alita replied, “Yeah, popcorn, Netflix.We had a little party at the pool, went shopping at the mall, ate ice cream and junk food.You know teen stuff.”
“You do teen stuff?”Eliza asked.
“When possible, but I am legacy,” Micah explained.“It's kind of hard to have this conversation while we are flying, so I shall say little and refocus on the task at hand.Las Tierrasis a working farm.I have to work to earn my salary which I use to pay my personal guard’s salary.My guard goes to work each day, so when time and circumstances permit, yes, we try to have fun.”
“Good enough,” Eliza said.
The remainder of the flight was quiet even after they landed in Bogotá and were picked up by a black minivan, which transported them to campus, where Luis stood in the quad, amazed at everything he saw.It didn't take either Micah or Alita long to secure books and class schedules and make payments in the financial office.In less than an hour, they were done and headed to the flat.
Eliza cried again as she saw the apartment.“This is my room, Mami,” Alita said.
“You won’t share the same room?”Eliza asked.
From the kitchen Micah yelled out, “She snores and farts when she sleeps.When we travel by plane, she has to sleep out in the chair, because yeah, she's icky.”
Luis burst into laughter.“Especially if she has beans.”
Micah pointed at him, like “You feel me.”
“Anyway, this is going to be the guest room,” Alita said ignoring him.“We will set it up for when you guys want to come for a visit.”
“As long as it is not during finals or research paper weeks,” Micah said.
“Or video shooting weeks,” she repeated.
Eliza pulled her daughter to the side.She made a brief comment on a small item she noticed.“He is not very affectionate with you,Mija.Is everything okay between you?”
“He will not touch me until I am his wife,” Alita said, blushing.“He follows the rules.I am not his wife.He has no contact with me, intimately, until we exchange vows.Micah honors that and shows me that respect.”
“Have you kissed him?”Eliza asked.
Alita blushed.“I have.We have kissed a little.”
Eliza's eyebrows shot up.“So, he was telling the truth.You have not...he has not?”
“We have not, Mami,” she said.“He is a good man who loves me, and I love him.This is where we will start our lives together, in this flat.”
“It is a nice flat,” Eliza said as Micah called for them to head back.There was a great deal to get done, and the wedding was right around the corner.
He was getting married.
