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Andibit her lip.
“Flow-da, what ifItold you there was a cure forHartford?” she asked, keeping her voice low.
“Acure?”Flow-da looked confused. “ButHartford’snot sick.”
“No,Imean a cure forManimalism.Look,Ican’t tell you much while we’re still here onZo’rathThree, butIcantell you there’s a cure andI’vegiven it toCade.I’mexpecting him to come back to his right mind any time now,”Andimurmured. “That’swhyI’mworried about him—I’mwaiting for him to come back andIdon’t know when it will happen.”
Flow-da gave her an incredulous look.
“Acure forManimalism?Whywould you wantthat?”
“Well…Imean, don’t you want to bringHartfordback to his normal self?”Andiasked her.
“Thisishis normal self!”Flow-da exclaimed.
“But…don’t you want a deeper connection with him?”Andiasked.Shecouldn’t help remembering her longing for a soul-deep connection withCade—the intense desire she had to look in his eyes and feel that he understood what she was saying to him as he made love to her.
Flow-da, however, didn’t seem to share this feeling.
“I’mhappy with our connection just like it is,” she toldAndi. “Look, think about it—Hartfordis a few years older than me.Hewas around thirteen whenTheIncidenthappened and that’s what age his mind was frozen at.IfIwas able to bring him back now,I’dbe dealing with an adolescent in a grown man’s body.Wouldthat be fun, do you think?BecauseIsure don’t think so,” she said, answering her own question.
“Well…Iguess you have a point,”Andiconceded reluctantly. “Butstill—”
“Plus,Iremember how my father used to push my mother around and hit her and treat her justhorribly,”Flow-da went on, heedless thatAndiwas speaking. “WhileHartfordremains aManimal, he’llnevertreat me like that.He’ssweet and kind and loyal and loving and that’s allIwant in a man—Idon’t need him to have higher brain function to be happy.”
“Inever thought of it like that,”Andiadmitted. “Iguess you have a point.Butwhat ifHartfordreallyisa kind, sweet man who would treat you right and you don’t know it because his brain is stuck inManimalmode?”
“Andwhat if heisn’t?”Flow-da’s eyes flashed. “Doyou know how often my mother went around with bruises on her face and body?Haveyou ever lived in a house where all the rooms are echoing with the sound of an angry man shouting and threatening to kill you?And…and knowing there wasn-nothingyou could do about it because theP-peaceKeeperswouldn’t believe a woman or…or do anything to stop her spouse from beating her?”Shewas starting to cry now, butAndididn’t think she knew it.
“Oh,Flow-da…I’mso sorry.Ididn’t know,” she said quietly.
Herfriend shook her head.
“BecauseIdidn’t tell you.I’veput it all behind me andI’mhappynow.”Sheswiped at the tears which had trickled down her cheek. “IlikeHartfordas aManimalandIthink he’s happy this way.Itake good care of him and give him everything he wants and in return, he gives me companionship and unconditional love.”Sheshrugged. “That’sallIneed.”
“Iunderstand,”Andisaid, nodding.Sheleaned down and gave her friend an awkward hug whichFlow-da returned. “I’msorryIsaid anything,” she murmured in her ear.
“It’sall right.”Flow-da sniffed and swiped at her eyes again. “Sorry—bad memories make me emotional.ButI’mhappy for you andCade—it sounds to me like you come from a place where the men were kind instead of abusive.Ithink that’s wonderful.”
“Well—”Andibegan, but just thenGoodieOo-lah, called,
“Allright now—Ijust got word that theMoonshuttle has started boarding.Soany of you who bought tickets, better get yourManimalsand go on outside to get your seat.”
“Oh—there!Let’sgo!”Flow-da’s face broke into a smile and she beckoned for herManimal. “Comeon,Hartford, our new life is waiting for us!”
Shehustled to the front of theEmporiumandAndifollowed her withCadetrailing behind.Shewas still thinking about everything her friend had said so intently that she nearly ran into the person who stepped in front of her.
“Oh, excuse me,” she said, trying to step around.Butthe woman—who was even taller thanAndiwas herself—moved with her.
“Idon’t think so,Missy,” she snapped, glaring down atAndi. “Stopright there.”
“What?”Andilooked up at her in bewilderment.
Thewoman had short, dark pink hair which was slicked back from a high forehead and skin the color of a dill pickle.Therewas also a kind of badge on her chest—a shiny silver crest which said, “PeaceKeeper.”Butthe most compelling thing about her—fromAndi’spoint of view at least—was the snub-nosed weapon she was pointing atAndi’schest.
“What…why are you—?”Andibegan, not even sure what to say to this bizarre turn of events.
“Andi?”Flow-da was suddenly at her side, a worried look on her face. “ChiefStern-son, what’s this about?” she demanded.
