Диана Дуэйн: Wizards Holiday

Or, on the other hand, you can just ask him. I d probably prefer to pass on that second option, Nita s dad said as they came to the cold cuts and prepackaged meats. I don t know if I d want to talk to something I might eat. Daddy, this might sound weird to you, Nita said, looking for her preferred brand of bologna, but some things are less upset about being eaten than they are about being wasted. Ouch. Nita looked at her dad in sudden shock. Daddy, I m sorry, I didn t mean it that way. Her dad smiled slightly as they turned into the next aisle. I didn t think you did. But sometimes ouch is a healthy reaction. Or so I hear. You ve been talking to Tom again, Nita said. No, Millman. Never mind. We need some pizzas. Her father paused in front of a freezer case. Yeah. Nita picked a pizza from the freezer compartment. The front of it was full of images of ancient stone ovens. Nita turned it over and started reading the ingredients. This is disgusting, Nita said. Look at all the junk they put in this! That s probably why they call it junk food. Used to be that just meant the empty calories, Nita said. These days… Not even this year s unit on organic chemistry had prepared her to cope with some of the ingredient names on that label. Nita made a face and put the package back. I m not sure I want to be eating so many things I can t pronounce. Home cooking means a lot more work… I know, Nita said. I m beginning to see why Mom was so intense about it. I guess I m just going to have to learn. They turned into the paper-towels-and-toilet-paper aisle, and Nita s dad put a couple of the giant economy-size bundles of toilet paper in the cart. It has been tough, hasn t it her dad said. Nita sighed and nodded. It hurts sometimes, she said after a moment. Hurts pretty bad. Then, having a sudden thought, she added, But not so much that I need to leave the planet for extended periods. Her father looked thoughtful. You sure about that he said. Nita looked at him, uncertain what was going through his mind. What are other kids at school doing over spring break he said. Nita shrugged. Some of them are going away, she said. Among a few of her friends there had been excited talk of family vacations, trips to Florida or even, in one or two cases, to Europe. These by themselves had left Nita unimpressed, for travel by itself was no problem for a wizard. You could be planets or star-systems away from home in a matter of minutes or hours, depending on whether you used private or public transport. But the idea of being able to get away with the family, even for just a few days, had an entirely different attraction. Unfortunately, this was the busy time of year for Nita s dad. Even though the craziness of Valentine s Day was over, it would be Easter soon, and no florist in his right mind took a vacation right now. It doesn t matter, Daddy, Nita said. Kit and I have a lot of stuff we ve been planning to do. We might need to travel, but not far. No farther than Mars, anyway. It ll be nice to just kind of take it easy for a while. Don t worry about it. I m not worrying, said her dad. But there was a strangely neutral sound to his voice, and Nita didn t know quite what to make of it. Daddy, Nita said, are you okay Sure, honey, he said. Nita wasn t so sure, but she didn t say anything. She and her dad went to the checkout, paid for the groceries, bagged them up, and carted everything out to the car. Then they headed for home. They were only a few minutes away from the supermarket when Nita s dad said, There were going to be aliens in the house Nita s thoughts had been occupied with the weather on Mars this time of year, and the question took her by surprise. Uh, yeah, she said. It is an exchange program. Not incredibly strange aliens, I take it. Well, they d have to be able to handle the basic environment, Nita said. Our atmosphere, our gravity. That doesn t mean they d be humanoid; there s a lot of variation in body structures among the kinds of carbon-based life that breathe oxygen. Anyway, whoever these guys were supposed to be, they might look pretty weird. But that wouldn t matter. If they re wizards, we d have the most important stuff in common. Her dad looked thoughtful. They wouldn t be, you know, saving the world or anything while they were here Nita wondered what he was getting at. I don t think so, she said. The manual says it s supposed to be a chance to see what the practice of wizardry looks like in some place really different, so that you get some new ideas about how to handle it at home. You re never formally sent out on errantry when you re on one of these, or so the manual says. If something minor comes up in passing, sure, you handle it. Otherwise… She shrugged. Pretty much you take it easy. Her dad nodded, stopped the car at a traffic light. We did get the milk, didn t we Plenty. I keep having this feeling that I ve forgotten something. Nita pulled out her Post-it note and once again compared it against the list in her head. No, she said. I don t think so… Her dad brooded briefly. This is going to drive me crazy until I remember what it is I think I forgot, he said. Never mind. Nita, why don t you go Where, to Mars No. On this exchange. Nita stared at him. He glanced back at her. Then the traffic light changed to green, and her dad turned his attention back to his driving. Are you kidding Nita said. No, said her dad, turning the corner off Nassau Road onto their street. At first Nita didn t know what to say. Uh, I don t know if I can, she said at last. Tom may already have used the energy for something else. Somehow I doubt that, her father said. Did you talk to him about this Nita said, still very confused. In generalities, yes, her dad said. I doubt you would have heard it, as you were occupied. I could hear you sneaking up the stairs. Uh, yeah, Nita said, okay… Well Nita was flummoxed. But, Daddy, she said at last, what about the aliens They re wizards, you said. Yeah, but And they ll be able to disguise themselves, so the neighbors won t get into a panic and call the cops or the FBI or anything like that Daddy, I think you ve been watching too much TV. I don t think the FBI really does aliens. So these other wizards can cover up for themselves Well, sure, that would be part of it, lots of times you have to do that when you re on another planet, but And Dairine will be here. From what you ve told me, Dairine doesn t have any trouble with aliens. Nita thought about that. Dairine s response to aliens could range from partying with them to blowing them up, but so far she didn t seem to have misjudged how to handle any given situation involving sentient beings who weren t human. It was her own species she seemed to have trouble with. No, she does okay. I hear another but coming, her father said, as they paused at the last traffic light before their block. I don t know if this is a good time to go away and leave you alone, Nita said at last. If Dairine s here, I won t be alone, her dad said. I mean Sweetie, said her dad, I think maybe a break would be a smart thing for you right now. Dairine and I would be capable of coping here. And among other things, it ll give me a chance to practice talking to her without a mediator. Possibly a useful life skill. Nita smiled half a smile. You really have been talking to Millman, she said. About this No. Some things I can figure out for myself. I am forty-one, you know. Uh, yeah, Nita said, and then was quiet for a moment. You need time to think about this her dad said. Maybe the thought of going so far away scares you a little Daddy! Nita said. I ve been a lot farther away than this. On business, yes, her dad said. But this is different. Honey, you ought to be a little kinder to yourself. Go on, goof off a little! You deserve it. And maybe I could use a little controlled weirdness. Sounds like that s what we d be in for. And he threw Nita a sly look. Also, it s a way to give Dairine a little something on the sly to make up for me, and your friends the Powers That Be, slapping her down so hard. Читать дальше