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God, I could really use a drink of water right now.
Jrrru just presses a kiss to my temple, though, and his purring continues.
The door opens and a large, thick-set praxiian with paler coloring than Jrrru steps out. He grins at the two of us, holding out his hands in what might be a request for a hug. “My brother! You’ve finally brought your mate over.”
“I have,” Jrrru says proudly.
I put the box of pastries into Hrrrusek’s outstretched hands. “Food.”
If he’s put off by my attitude, he doesn’t show it. He just nods, pleased. “Chelsea will be happy about this. I hope you both like fish for dinner. We caught it fresh.” He turns and steps inside. “Jrrru tells me you no longer eat red meat.”
“It’s a recent development,” Jrrru says as we head inside after his brother. He gives my shoulder another reassuring squeeze. “We now have ten pets in the barn, by the way.”
“Fair enough.” Hrrrusek’s tone is easy-going, just as Jrrru has described him. “Chelsea got a bird at the Port store. Hope that’s okay.”
“That’s absolutely fine,” I say, and I’m touched that they went to the effort. I know I’m being a bit silly about meat, but it’s hard to look at my cattle with their sweet faces and then eat a slab of beef. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank us,” says Chelsea, coming out of the kitchen. She has a big metal spoon in one hand and a beaming smile on her face. “You’re family. Of course we’ll accommodate.”
Emotion lodges in my throat. Family. I haven’t had family since I left Earth. I’ve been alone for years. But, looking over at Jrrru, I realize that’s another thing changing in my life. I’ve got family. Pets. A home.
And the best mate a girl could ask for.
