Page 21 of The Second Marriage
“And you?” Sejun asked. He always enjoyed some lighthearted social flirting, but not if Taral objected.
Taral turned his attention back to his robe. “It seems to me that you’d be better suited by someone like Gurratan.”
“Is that so.” Sejun’s concern transformed into glee. Somehow, unbelievably, Taral was jealous.
“I know I’m not—Iniya tells me I’m notfun.” Taral pronounced the word as though it were some baffling foreign custom he had just learned of.
“I wouldn’t have you any other way,” Sejun said, ignoring the guilty slither of a thought that he might, perhaps, be more content if Taral were somewhat warmer with him.
But his words had the desired effect. The bond went soft with Taral’s surprised pleasure, and Sejun tallied another point in his favor. His small hopes sent up another tender shoot inside him. His campaign was working, maybe; he could win Taral over with careful attention. And no flirting with his friend.
He prepared himself to be inexcusably rude to Gurratan by rebuffing his overtures during dinner. But to his surprise, Gurratan’s behavior was completely different when they sat down to their meal. He didn’t flirt at all. He smiled at Sejun and asked about his family and how he liked Tadasho, but there were no more comments about Sejun’s appearance, and not even a coy glance or a touch to the arm.
Gurratan’s husband, Ram, came into the house partway through the meal carrying a string of carp and gloating about the abundant yield of his traps. Sejun had vaguely pictured him as a serious older man, mature and dignified, but like Gurratan he was younger than Taral. Amid the ensuing cheerful noise of Ram and Gurratan’s fond bickering about the size of the fish, Sejun felt more at home than he ever did in Tadasho.
“Are they always this way?” he said to Taral in an undertone.
Taral smiled at him. “Always. Is it terrible?”
“No, I love it.” Gurratan was making swimming motions with his hands and saying something about the currents in the river, then dissolved into laughter when Ram caught at his hands to press kisses to his palms. Sejun could see that they adored each other, and now it was his turn for envy. He wanted that kind of love, and didn’t know if he would ever have it.
Before he could travel too far down that road of self-pity, Ram turned to him and said, “What is it you like to do, friend? Hunt? Ride?”
“Dance,” Sejun said, “and sit in the sun, mostly.”
“Sejun likes to read,” Taral said, “and to attend parties.”
“And to gamble,” Sejun added.
Gurratan laughed. “Wonderful. How long can you stay? We love to dance, and I love to play capture stones. Let Ram take Taral out to do whatever tedious outdoor activities he enjoys, and you and I will lounge in the garden.”
“Riding in the mountains is hardlytedious,” Taral said, and Sejun sat back to watch his face as he and Gurratan debated the merits of fresh air. Taral’s eyes were creased at the corners with happiness. Sejun was grateful that Taral had invited him, that he had the chance to see Taral like this, happy and relaxed with his friends. They would stay here as long as he could possibly manage and Sejun would do his best to crawl beneath these cracks in Taral’s protective carapace. He prayed Taral would let him.
CHAPTER10
They all stayed up too late drinking rice wine and talking, and everyone slept late the next day. Taral woke with Sejun still asleep in the bed beside him, turned onto his side with his open mouth smashed against the pillow. Taral watched him for a few moments, his peaceful face in the morning light, then sat up and reached for his inner robe. No need to wake Sejun just yet.
Ram was downstairs, making tea. Taral sat down and accepted the cup Ram gave him. “Gurratan’s still asleep?”
Ram nodded. “It’s the pregnancy. Don’t let him fool you. He’s doing better now, but he was miserably sick at the start, and he’s having pain while walking now. I’ll be glad when the baby is born and he’s not so uncomfortable anymore.”
“He didn’t say anything about this in his letters.”
“He told you he was doing well and thriving?” Ram rolled his eyes. “Well, that’s always his way, isn’t it? Let your husband keep him in the garden playing capture stones for the next week and I’ll be grateful to him.”
“We can’t stay that long, I’m afraid. My heat will come soon.”
“Stay here until it passes, then. We can move back to the main house for a few days and let you have this one all to yourselves.”
“I’ll consider it,” Taral said. “Thank you.”
He went out to sit in the small garden behind the house and enjoy the morning sun. Gurratan joined him after a while, yawning and holding a cup of tea. He sat on the bench next to Sejun with a groan and said, “Your husband is awake. Ram is feeding him.”
“Ram is a blessing.”
Gurratan smiled. “I know.” He yawned again. “Forgive me. This creature is sucking the life out of me.”
“You have a month left to go?”