|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- QUARREL ORCHARD--CUP 4--"PANTIES" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Quarrel Orchard  ||  -------> (Cup SRqo004, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "Holy crap!" the clerk exclaimed. "Yeah, and if it wasn't for my friend Quarrel here being so nice to me, I'd be in real trouble!" Thiffor said. "I felt so bad for her I offered to buy her a whole new wardrobe." Quarrel said, wondering if it sounded convincing. "Huh." the clerk said. "So what college is this?" "Crelver." "Oh yeah? I go there part time! What sorority?" "Lanajay." Thiffor said without a pause, still smiling. "Wow. I used to know a few girls from there. You know Shavaughn Hooper?" "Yeah--I think she was one of the girls who drove me here. Couldn't tell though, being blindfolded and all." "Wow." the clerk said again. Quarrel was impressed at Thiffor's knowledge of the local surroundings, and her flawless lying. The next couple of hours were spent acquiring a wardrobe for Thiffor. First, Quarrel suggested he buy her something to wear right away, so she wouldn't be so conspicuous. She chose a tan miniskirt, black stockings, and a white button-down shirt. With bra, panties, and socks, she was almost fully dressed. She decided to deal with the shoes later on. When all was said and done, Thiffor had a pile of bags and boxes, which even the powerful Quarrel couldn't carry all at once. He had spent a small fortune on her, and even slipped the clerk a nice tip for being so helpful. They carried the stuff out to his car in several trips. Finally, Quarrel sat in the driver's seat and Thiffor in the passenger seat. "So what do you want to do?" Quarrel asked. It almost seemed like the two were lovers, but such a thing was far from his mind. Quarrel had always thought of Thiffor as male for some reason, though she was sexless as a tree spirit. So this was weird for him. "It's up to you." Thiffor said, looking up at him with bright, innocent eyes. Too innocent, he thought, for a being so ancient. "Then I say you come home with me and live with my family." "There's a family?" "Yeah. Reality was forced to make space for me when I returned. Actuality was jostled a bit to come up with an identity for me, see? And part of that identity is a home and a family." "Yeah I'm somewhat familiar with the phenomenon, but I never quite understood the people part. I mean--where did they come from?" "It's kind of complicated and I don't understand it entirely, but to them, they'll remember me being there for as long as I should have known them. To them it will be totally real. And yes, they are real people." "Wow." "Yeah. So you may as well come home with me, okay? A place to stay, folks to take care of you." "Won't they find it kind of strange you bringing home some young woman out of the blue? How will your wife feel?" "I'll tell them you're a relative--a long lost one. Maybe something like... like the niece I didn't know I had from the brother I didn't know I had. Something corny like that." Thiffor looked out the window as Quarrel started the car. "She won't believe it." Thiffor said. "What?" "The story. It's just such a lie. She'll think I'm your lover and you're trying to get her to accept having me under the same roof." "You know what, Thiffor? I couldn't care less what she, or any of them think. I don't care. I never met these people. You, I've know for a long time--maybe too long. So you take priority." "Wow. Thanks." "We'll deal with it." "Okay." "Okay." Quarrel said, backing out of the parking space and heading for the main road. "So where's your house?" "I have no idea. That's why I got a map while you were shopping. Here, you're the navigator." Thiffor took the map and opened it up. "Wow. Pretty complicated." "Yeah well--you're looking for 800 Stavis Court, in Bomberri Hills. I saw Bomberri Hills on the map, but not the street. I'm gonna head north on Route 8, but after that, I don't know." "Hmm..." "We'll get there. One way or another. We'll get there, Thiffor." She looked up at Quarrel. "I believe you." she said reassuringly. -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----