Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“It looks like it’s been updated. You should have received a notification,” he says.
“I can’t read your language,” I say patiently.
“Right. Of course.” He gives me a sheepish smile, tapping a button on his data pad. Immediately, a piece of plas-paper slithers out of a nearby printer. “We don’t get a lot of business applications from humans, so we haven’t quite worked out all the holes in the process.”
“It’s all right.” I hold my hand out for the plas-paper. “Was it approved?”
“It was. A two-story building along Main Street,” he says, reading from the paper. “Downstairs will contain a cooking facility and a front area for business. Upstairs will be private apartments. You’ll be attached to the electrical grid and water filtration system once the shell of the building is printed. Estimate is about five Risda months.”
My excitement dims a little at that and I drop my hand (not that he’s coming over to bring the paper to me). “Five months?”
“Five months,” he repeats, nodding. “Lord va’Rin wants his space port expansion to be completed first, and then there’s a list of other projects for the contractors. He’s limiting the availability of extraterrestrial workers to keep the colonists safe. You’re in the queue, and that’s all I can tell you. I’m sorry.”
Well, it makes sense. And five months is not so long a time in the scheme of things. “Can I see the printout?”
He surges up from behind his desk, eager to please—and immediately stops as Pluto jerks in his harness. Custodian Sinath stares down the carinoux, then eyes me. “How about I put it on the desk corner here and then I move to the back room so you can get it?”
“Perfect. Thanks.” I wait patiently as he does just that, my thoughts whirling. Five months. It gives us more time to plan—Ruth-Ann’s favorite hobby—but I’m impatient. I want my storefront yesterday, darn it. When he’s safely in the next room, I move through the empty office and pick up the plas, scanning it. There are layouts of what our building is going to look like. My heart skips a happy beat.
I can’t wait to show this to Ruth-Ann.
“This is wonderful, thank you, Custodian!” I wave the paper at him. “Can I keep this?”
“All yours,” he yells from the next room over, and gives me a very goofy thumbs-up gesture he probably learned from his wife.
With a thumbs-up in response, I grab Pluto’s harness again and head out of the building. I pause to eye the ever-elongating Main Street, noting that there’s another building popping up next to Sunrise Cantina, and what looks like markings for one after that. I wonder what side of the street I’ll be on.
Doesn’t matter. There’s so much demand for my baked goods that I’ll be a success no matter where I’m located. Excited, I all but skip towards the cantina and open the door. Or try to—it’s locked. The place doesn’t open for another hour. I bang on the door and resist the urge to shove my face against the glass. I can’t stop grinning.
A familiar face appears, and for a moment I think it’s Ruth-Ann with her hair pulled back. But as the woman gets to the door, I see that it’s Ruthie. She’s wearing a red kerchief over her normally spiky short hair and has a different nose-hoop in today. She smiles at me and unlocks the door, dusting her hands off on her overalls as she does. “Hey stranger.”
“Hey. Don’t suppose you’ve seen the sexiest woman in Port around?” I tease.
“Every time I look in the mirror,” she jokes back, then points at the back of the cantina. “She’s cleaning the restrooms.”
“Oof.” I make a face. “Did she lose a bet?”
“Her?” Ruthie’s pierced brow goes up. “You know she always wins her bets. But we’re shorthanded and now she’s having to fill in for Jerzec. It was his job.”
And Jerzec left with the Scarlet Gaze earlier this week. My poor wifey must be cussing up a storm. Organizing, she loves. Cleaning and putting things away, she enjoys. Cleaning up after strangers in a public bathroom…not so much. “I’ll see if she needs help, then.”
“Get some rubber gloves,” she advises, then kneels down to rub Pluto all over his face. “Look at this boy!” she coos. “You want a snack, buddy?”
He licks her face, excited, but doesn’t leave my side. I lean over and tap his haunch. “Go with Ruthie, Pluto. She’ll get you a treat.”
He whines, looking at me for a moment longer, then pads away after Ruthie, heading to the kitchen with her. I move toward the bathrooms at the far end of the cantina, and as I approach, I can hear Ruth-Ann cussing up a storm under her breath.
“Knock knock,” I say as I rap my knuckles on the half-open door. There’s a heavy smell of cleaners in the air.