In the garden, Jawk patted the clumpy soil into place around the base of one tomato plant and pushed its support cage down into the ground more firmly. "I wish I had room to expand a little more. I planted gourd vines against the back fence, and there's an irrigation drip line behind it so they'll get plenty of water." He wiped his brow along his shirt sleeve. "Now, Mom, all you have to do is turn on the water and let it run for a half hour every day."
"Where did you learn how to do all this?"
"One of my roomies last year had a container garden on the roof. I always figured if I got the chance I'd put in a garden for you." He dragged his claws through the soil. "So you'd have fresh vegetables every day."
"It must have been expensive. I worry you won't have enough for school. I..."
"Mom." He lowered one ear. "I'm making great tips at Batchelors." He kissed her cheek and settled himself on his other knee. "Trust me. I can afford this."
"You're sure?" Her ears lifted as she watched him, so he continued to smile. "Okay, but I want you to have an education, Jawk. It's so important. On Felidae, ahsgahee aren't allowed to attend school. This is..."
"Mom." He touched her hand. "It's been a long time since I was a boy. I'm a year from graduating. I have the highest grades in my class." He lowered his lashes, ears up and back to show he was content. "I'm good."
She continued to study him, her hands folded in her lap. Her smile said she accepted his word. "I'm glad, Ahnir. I want you to succeed. It's so important to me. You're proof to those back home it's possible for a male to learn and to do well. You have to be an engineer. You have to make something of yourself. You have to."
Could she make this any more difficult? The degree he'd obtain would accomplish nothing of what he sought in his life. She would smell any lie he told. "I want you to be proud of me, Mom."
She reached up and tweaked his left ear. "I'll be proud of you no matter what you do, Jawk."
How he wished that were true. He set his mouth in a smile, covering his fangs in the Kin way.
"When I was young," she said, sliding a claw along one leaf, "we used to plant pumpkin seeds behind the breeder house, because we could eat the leaves and flowers, too. And we grew gourds and different kinds of pods. We tried to get as much food as we could from a single space. They fed us well, but we breeders wanted something we could do for ourselves." She dragged that claw along the edge of the tomato cage. "This garden gives us that again."
"I created it so the family would have food, not to bring up bad memories."
"Bad...?" She frowned as she beheld him. "Oh, Jawk! Not bad memories. Not at all. Before I met your father..." His mother turned her head, continuing to stroke the tomato plant beneath her clawed fingers. "I was just surviving. Getting through every day thinking there would never be anything more. When Talhart came along, every single detail in my life took on new meaning." The grey beginning at her temples and at the edges of her ears shone like silver in the hot Tarthian sun. She flicked an ear. "Now, when something reminds me of home, I think back to when we met, instead of the time before. It's rare I ever think of things like the breeder house any more." She smiled as if to underscore her sincerity. "It's all right."
Jawk tucked a curl behind one of her ears. "Not for any reason do I ever want to make you sad."
"Oh!" Smiling, she set her hand against his and brought his palm to her face. Leaning against his hand, she shook her head. "You never do."
"Good." He pushed himself to his feet and brushed off the knees of his jeans. "Because I'm ready for one of those sandwiches you promised."
"That's my ahnir." She bounced up, laughing. "Always thinking of food. I have fresh store-bought tomatoes and some thick brown bread. Slabs of brick cheese, and some of that fine meat you brought yesterday." She held out a hand. "Come in."
