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“No, I just know that my wife didn’t like going, so I don’t expect you to go.”
“I love the outdoors,” she stated, grabbing a rag from a drawer. “And honestly, fresh air is good for the body. I would love to see what your world looks like as well. I'm sure it's different from Earth.”
He smiled at her. He turned his attention to the dishes, having to admit he did miss the cabin. It was a great way for him to disconnect from the city and breathe again. And the kids loved going. It gave him the freedom to spend his time with them without worrying about other things that were going on. Yes, they had to go.
And with the worry about Kiek, he could use a few days to clear his mind. Maybe after the trip, he could figure out a plan better.
“Well, we should probably pack up some clothes then.”
Mia grinned at him. “I think that would be a great idea.”
They finished the dishes before he told the kids they were going out to the cabin to gather what they needed. He could hear them moving, and Mia laughed.
"They are certainly eager."
He chuckled. "It's been a while."
He suddenly looked forward to it. He looked forward to being at the cabin and sitting outside, taking in the fresh air and the sound of the water. All the city noise would be gone, and he could just relax.
He looked at Mia, eager to spend time with her as well. He looked forward to seeing how she handled everything.
SEVEN
THARON
Tharon watched Mia stare at the cabin in amazement when they pulled up and parked. He loved this cabin as a child and was happy to see someone else enjoy it. He started to unpack the vehicle while Mia played with the children in front of the cabin. All three of them started to settle down as he finished bringing the last few bags inside.
“Mia, I put your bags in the upstairs bedroom to the left. I will be staying in the upstairs bedroom to the right, and the children will be staying in the bedroom down here to the left of the kitchen.” He grew closer to Mia every moment he spent with her and may have subconsciously been hoping that her sleeping one room over would lead to more on this trip.
“Thank you. What are we doing for food while we are here? I can start cooking since it’s getting late.” She had become more used to the different food they ate.
“For tonight, I packed meat and vegetables I managed to get from others at the summit. I was told they mimic foods that you would have grown up on. Tomorrow, we will be fishing in the river for our dinner.” He was interested in helping Mia become more comfortable with their traditions and food, but he also understood she was struggling with some of the differences.
“Tharon!” Mia said in surprise. “Thank you. I will get started right away. I will make something you will all enjoy, hopefully as much as I will.”
Cian looked excited, but Triat was the first to exclaim. “Yay!”
Mia worked for the next two hours cleaning, prepping, and cooking until she was able to put a roast on the table for the four of them to eat. “Back on Earth, this would take an entire day to cook, but the advances in technology on this planet allow us to speed up the process. Something that took me the first few days to get used to.” She thought back to the first few burnt meals she’d cooked.
“I am excited to try this … roast? Is that what you called it?” Tharon had watched her prepare the food for a little while before helping the children get cleaned up for dinner.
“Yes, the meat should be tender and practically melt in your mouth. I hope you all like it. If not, I understand, considering the culinary differences between our planets.” Mia had picked up on the variances between their traditions quickly, and he was happy to have found such an understanding and caring nanny for his children.
* * *
After dinner,they had all changed and gone to bed, excited about the events that the next day would bring. Cian and Triat had been at the cabin with Tharon in the past and fished, but Mia had no idea what Tharon meant when he said they would be fishing. When they woke the following morning, Mia had been the first to get up and had prepared coffee as well as hot guava for the children.
“I am excited to go fishing today. I have not been fishing since I was a child and fished with my own father. Where are the fishing poles?”
“Fishing poles? What are fishing poles?”
“Oh, I’m so silly. I didn’t realize you fished with nets here. That makes sense, though.”
“I know what nets are, but we don’t use them when we fish.” It was the first time they had experienced a major hiccup in her time with them.
“I don’t quite understand how you are going to fish then.” Mia was more confused than when she received her first meal on the planet.
“We use our …” Before he could finish the sentence, he spotted two men outside the window with weapons. “Hide the children somewhere safe.”
