Complicated

Chapter 11: I Can Do It Better

I finished the sandwich Gally brought. It did make me feel better. I was still angry but not blinding white hot angry. Maybe I do get hangery. I set the plate aside and went back to washing and scrubbing.

Just like he said, Gally returned and sat down heavily. Without saying anything he grabbed something out of the pile and got to work beside me.

"I didn't know Keepers stooped to Slopper level." I asked with a bit of money thrown behind my words.

"I was running out of clean shirts." He grumbled.

"Uh huh." I said slowly.

There was more to this. First Fred and now Gally. I peeked out if the corner of my eye as I scrubbed another blood stained towel. His eyes were downcast and his face was set. His arm muscles strained and flexed as he scrubbed. I felt my face heat up and I quickly focused on my own washing.

It was another hour later when he huffed and threw the towel in his hands down.

"Womens work too hard for you, Gally?" I asked, my voice dropping with sarcasm.

"How the shuck did you get the blood stains out of the towels and bed sheets?" He asked pointing to the now drying row of clean sheets.

I smiled evilly at him. "Woman have been getting blood stains out of things for centuries. Why do you think you never see many woman serial killers? We know how to clean up blood."

He froze and his eyes went wide, but then narrowed. I just smiled sweetly at him and went back to my work.

"That's not funny."

"It is."

"No. It's not."

"Look ya oaf." I finally snapped, throwing my own wet laundry down and turned to him.

"Every single shucken month females bleed. And more often than not, we have to clean up blood. So don't even start with me!" I snapped.

He growled and clenched his jaw, but I saw his eyes flicker in surprise and understand and his cheeks flushed a light pink.

I went back to washing. There was a commotion in front of me across the glade, I looked up and noticed Alby and Newt were storming over to the work station and shouting at the guys. They all hung their heads. They spun around and stormed off to the next station doing the same thing. I was too far away to hear what was being said. But they looked pissed. Gally followed them with his eyes too.

"What's that all about?" I asked.

"Don't know." He snapped and went back to helping me.

"Uh huh." I said slowly. Something was up, and I knew Gally knew, but I wasn't going to push it.

With Gally's help the afternoon went faster. The laundry pile disappeared. And with him beside me the other guys steared clear. I didn't really mind his quiet and brooding company. I wasn't in much of a talking mood. I hung up the last sheet as the supper bell rang.

"Thank you, Gally for your help. And Fred's. I appreciate it." I nodded my head.

He nodded and grunted in response. He stomped off towards the dinning area. I picked up the basket of clean folded dish rags and towels and brought it with me to the Kitchen.

"Here you go Fry. Clean and folded." I handed the basket over the counter to a smiling Fry.

"These are the cleanest towels I've ever seen! Thanks lil Lady!"

He handed me a plate of food and I turned to find the guys I usually sit with. When I turned I saw a few heads turn back around. It was almost silent in the dinning area. Every head was down, eyes on their plates. I noticed a few guys glance up but look back to their plates quickly.