Complicated Relationships... 😉

 

Hey Everyone! 😊

Okay, full confession, I'm giving you a little reminder from the past, today, because there's a character you haven't seen for a while who will be making a reappearance in Shifting Paradigms. So, I hope you like this little blast from the past, and that it whets your appetite for things to come. Enjoy! 😉

Excerpt from Childish Things:

Once Chessie had forced her friend to shower, brush his teeth, and find clean clothes to put on, she escorted him to his small kitchen and made him sit at the table.  She found stim tea, an Upworld luxury that was rare in Under City, in his pantry, and she made some for him.  He glared at her when she plunked a mug full of the tea down in front of him.

"Drink!" she demanded.

Grumbling about how she had killed his buzz, Nax complied.

"I need your help."

"I figured," he mumbled.

"I need to go to Western sector."

Cocking an eyebrow, he peered up at her.  "Why?"

"Does it matter? I need a pass; can you get me one?"

He shrugged and huddled over his tea.

Sighing, Chessie plunked down into the chair across from him. "It's important, Nax, or I wouldn't be here. And I'm in a hurry. Can you help me, or not?"

Mumbling under his breath, Nick-Nax glared at her.

"You never paid me for that last job you contracted out to me; this could be payment," she tried in a last-ditch effort. Truth be told, what he owed her for the small job was a trifle, nowhere near what a pass was worth. But he did owe her, and bringing it up was worth a try.

The only response the swinger gave her was more glaring.

Seeing he was in a mood, Chessie got ready to leave. It was pointless to ask Nax for help when he decided to sulk. He would string her along, wasting her time, and ultimately refuse to give her what she needed. He'd done it before, and she knew all the signs. She liked the irascible swinger, but sometimes he was impossible to deal with. It was just her bad luck that this was one of the times he decided to be difficult.

Standing up, Chessie turned her mind to other possibilities. Unfortunately, there weren't many. Before she left their apartment, she had collected her and Petri's cash savings from under a loose floorboard. It was pitiful and wouldn't come close to covering the purchase price of a pass if she had to go to another high-level diddler.

Absent a diddling job of her own, which she didn't have at the moment, the only means Chessie had for getting quick creds was turning tricks. She grimaced. Working as a dolly sucked. People who wanted a candy egg dolly were almost always looking for a freak, and that's how they treated her.

Glancing at the chronometer over Nax's cook-top, Chessie realized she'd better get a move on. She'd have to service a lot of johns, and probably do some things she'd rather not do, to get the kind of money it would take to buy a pass. Turning to Nax, she patted his shoulder.

"Sorry I bothered you, Nicky. I'll let you get back to your game."

He turned watery eyes up to her. "Why d'ya only come around when you need something? Huh? Why don't you ever come just to hang out?"

Sighing, Chessie leaned down to kiss his cheek. "I'm sorry, Nax. I don't have time to argue with you about this, now. I need to get my ass to Western sector."

He kicked at the chair she had pushed back against the table and grabbed her wrist. "Sit down!"

Peeling his fingers away, Chessie glared at him. "Nax…"

"Sit down and talk to me, and I'll get you what you need," he grumbled.

Cocking an eyebrow, she asked, "You swear? You'll get me a pass to Western sector, and you'll do it tonight?"

Nick-Nax nodded.

Chessie went back to the chair and sat. If Nax promised to do something, he'd do it. In the rainbow, a diddler's only commodity was their word. All of them took promises seriously, and Nick-Nax was the best in his field.

"Alright, hun. Whatcha wanna talk about?"

"I want you to tell me why you avoid me. Why do you only come around for business?" He reached out to take one of her hands, which were lying on the table. "I want to be your friend, Chessie. Why won't you be my friend?"

Squeezing his hand, Chessie answered. "We are friends, Nicky. You know that."

Shaking his head, Nax said, "No, you only come around when I have a job for you or to deliver something for me. Or, like now, when you need a favor. Why don't you ever come by just to chill?" He slid his hand up her arm to caress her shoulder. "You know I like you. You think I'm ugly?"

Chessie smiled and shook her head. "Nah, hun. You're cute enough. When you shower."

He blushed.

Taking a breath, Chessie closed her eyes and massaged her temples. "I just…"

"You come by when you've had a TGRP," he husked as he gazed at her with heavily lidded eyes.

It was Chessie's turn to blush. "It's different then."

"You know I like you either way. It's not what's under your clothes that I like, it's you."

Sighing, Chessie raised his hand to her lips and laid a kiss on his knuckles. "I know, hun. It's just…hard for me."

Nax caught her eyes and held them, his gaze intense. "Chess, you gotta make peace with this. Not for me, but for you. It's not healthy to be so down on yourself." He gestured around at his home. "Just let go and enjoy. There's no right or wrong when it comes to a good time, so just relax."

"I know, love. But it's easier said than done."

He snorted. "You're giving me the 'it's not you, it's me' speech, aren't you?"

"Nax…"

He waved her objection away. "I know; I believe you." Running a hand through his still wet hair, he grimaced. "It's just my fucking luck to like someone with as many issues as me," he sighed.

Chessie didn't know what to say, so she just shrugged.

Shaking off his funk, Nax grinned. "Alright, babe. How long you need in Western sector?"

It was Chessie's turn to sigh. "Well…"

Nax's grin faded. "You aren't coming back, are you?"

Her shoulders hunched, Chessie turned sad eyes on her friend.

Nick-Nax took a slow breath. "Are you in trouble?"

She shook her head. "Not me."

He sighed. "Petri."

It wasn't a question, so Chessie didn't respond.

"Did someone find out what she is?"

Astonished, Chessie blurted, "You know?"

Nax nodded, his expression serious. "I could tell something was strange when I found an old signature of hers in the rainbow. I did some digging, and it was the only thing that made sense."

"And you never told anyone," she smiled.

Picking up Chessie's hand, Nax squeezed it. "I like that kid, she's good for you. I don't mind helping you help her. And I know you can't let her handle that kind of trouble on her own. But I'll still miss you."

"You know Yan? She hangs out at Abracadabra sometimes."

He blinked at the change of subject. "Yeah, I know her."

"She likes you. I think she'd be open to something more permanent."

Nax rolled his eyes. "You think I'm worried about how I'll get my nut off?"

"She's pretty!"

Another eye-roll. "She's gorgeous! But she's not you. It's you I'll miss, Chessie."

She blushed.

Kissing Chessie's hand, Nax pulled her out of her seat. "Come on. Let's get you your pass. Who knows what trouble that half-breed will get into without you."

Chessie smiled and pulled her friend into a hug. She had known Nick-Nax for years. He caught her in his system when she was still learning how to diddle and hadn't figured out what to stay away from yet. Instead of destroying her, as most other diddlers would have, he had helped her. Which led to them becoming good friends and sometimes colleagues. Chessie still learned new things about her craft from watching Nax work.

But she had never realized what an extraordinarily decent human being he was until now. That realization made her regret all the opportunities she had missed to get to know him better. Leaning down, she kissed him, trying to convey with her body what she didn't have the words to express. When the kiss broke, she held his gaze and smiled.

He patted her cheek. "I know, babe. Me too. Promise me something?"

She nodded.

"If you ever do make it back here, look me up?"

She kissed him again. "Definitely."

Want to read more about Chessie's story and the stories of several other strong women? Go ahead and grab your copy of Gems of Strength at the link below. Happy reading!! 😊