Chapter 61

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Clarke's POV

"Nomon, Nomon (Mom, Mom)! Ask her!" Mona says excitedly.

"Very well." Tiope says, smiling at her daughter before looking back at us. "I have cleared my day tomorrow. Mona is very excited about possibly showing you the animals we have here in Yujleda. That is, if that is something you would like."

Lexa glances over at us and I nod, knowing Octavia and Raven are probably nodding right now too. Lexa turns back to Mona and Tiope.

"We would love to. Thank you for offering." Lexa answers.

Mona lights up and squirms in her mom's arms until Tiope sets her down again. She rushes back over to Lexa and hugs her legs. Lexa chuckles and scoops her up again, letting Mona rest once more on her hip.

I know my face probably betrays how much I'm melting inside. Lexa looks over at me and smiles softly. This catches Mona's attention and she looks over at me. She squints and then sticks out one tiny hand.

"You are pretty." Mona says bluntly. "You must be Heda's girlfriend. I am Mona."

"Thank you, I'm Clarke." I shake her hand. "And yes, I'm Lexa's fiancée."

Mona's eyes go wide and she looks back to Lexa. "You are getting married? Can I come?"

"Only if your mother says it is okay." Lexa answers easily.

Mona turns her head and gives her mom these puppy dog eyes. I'm shocked that Tiope doesn't give in immediately.

Tiope smiles at her daughter. "We will discuss it later at home, little one."

Mona turns back to Lexa and stage whispers. "I am going to your wedding." Tiope chuckles quietly but doesn't correct her.

"Now that that is sorted out, let us get you to where you will be staying. I am certain that you are all exhausted, especially from the walk up." Tiope says, beginning to lead us out of the building.

"Oh, Gods, that sucked." Raven groans. "You guys seriously need to figure out how to make elevators or something."

At Tiope's confused look, Lexa elaborates. "That is what I have in Heda's Tower."

Tiope nods. "I can look into that."

We walk across bridges, some of which are a bit scarier than others because it feels like the logs it's made of are sinking lower under our weight. The house we pause in front of for Tiope to open the door is noticeably larger than most of the other houses. Probably because it has to house seven people, and because the Heda herself stays in it.

Lexa adjusts Mona on her hip and I'm impressed she's been able to carry her for so long. Tiope quickly runs through what's in the house and that whole spiel and then takes Mona, promising to see us tomorrow.

We drop our stuff off and then Lexa and I make our way back to the main living area, where Octavia and Raven are already cuddled up on the couch. I take the other couch, and Lexa snuggles up next to me. I turn to her.

"You're really good with kids." I note.

Raven snickers and I look over at her. "Sorry, didn't mean to ruin your moment. I could just practically hear you swooning over the thought of having a kid with Lexa."

I stick my tongue out at her. "Kids are a someday, Rae, not a now thing."

Rae hums, clearly not quite believing me. "Whatever you say, Clarkey. Don't want a shotgun wedding?"

"A..." Lexa trails off, looking alarmed. "A wedding with shotguns? That sounds incredibly dangerous. Perhaps Mona should not come."

"No, babe. It's a saying, kinda. A shotgun wedding is when someone gets their partner pregnant and then marries them because of it." I explain. "On Old Earth, there was a lot of emphasis on not having sex before marriage, especially in some religions. So they would get married to make the child one that was born into a married household or something. I don't know, Old Earth is weird."

"It is," Lexa agrees. "So there are no guns?"

"Not at our wedding, no. Not even the guards will carry them." I say. "Mona will be okay." Lexa nods.

"Hey, Rae. A shotgun wedding and a stain on my shirt." Octavia says to an imaginary beat.

Raven furrow her brows then her eyes widen in surprise and happiness. "Float me, I love you. And that song. It's so weird, but awesome."

"In the time of chimpanzees, I was a monkey." Octavia begins and Raven joins in, but it just sounds like they're talking to a beat. "Butane in my veins, so I'm out to cut the junkie with the plastic eyeballs, spray paint the vegetables. Dog food stalls with the beefcake pantyhose."

"How the heck do they know the lyrics?" I mutter to myself, impressed.

"Kill the headlights and put it in neutral, stock car flamin' with a kiser and the cruise control. Baby's in Reno with the Vitamin D. Got a couple of couches, sleep on the love seat." They keep going and point at each other. "Someone keeps saying in insane to complain about a shotgun wedding and a stain on my shirt. Don't believe everything that you breathe. You get a parking violation and a maggot on your sleeve. So shave your face with some mace in the dark. Saving all your food stamps and burning down the trailer park."

I can join in for this, so I do, much to Octavia and Raven's delight. "Yo. Cut it. Soy un perdedor (Spanish: I'm a loser). I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me?" Soy un perdedor. I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me?"

I stop, I don't know anything but the chorus. Octavia and Raven, even more impressively, keep going without missing a beat.

"Forces of evil in a bozo nightmare. Banned all the music with a phony has chamber 'cuz ones got a weasel and the others got a flag. Ones on the pole, shove the other in a bag with the rerun shows and cocaine nose-job. The daytime crap of the folksinger slop, he hung himself with a guitar string. Slap a turkey neck and it's hanging from a pigeon wing. You can't write if you can't relate. Trade the cash for the beef for the body for the hate. And my time is a piece of wax falling in a termite who's choking on the splinters."

They finish off the song with the chorus and everything and bow for us.

"How the heck did you know all of the lyrics?" I ask.

"We're awesome." Raven shrugs.

"Are you implying that I'm not awesome?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm implying that you're less awesome." Raven shoots back.






Guys, I freaking love that song. It's called Loser, by Beck. It's so weird, the lyrics sound like random bits thrown in together. Some of it's cool and understandable but some of it is just ??? Anywho! I couldn't resist adding it in and I'm applauding Raven and Octavia for knowing the lyrics, because I don't. Also, weird stuff happened over the weekend. I went home and as I was driving with my mom she's like "slow down Lindsey!" You know why? There were turkey's in the road. TURKEYS. Just chilling. In the road. Like what? It wasn't even just three, there were like six in the road! And then not even a minute later, the car in front of me slows down. You know why? There's a beaver on the side of the road. A little live one, just sitting there! Just watching us drive by and gawk! What is my life? Thank you all for reading and for your amazing comments! Stay awesome!

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