An Immortal's Favour

Jack- Advice

*

"How can you stand it?" I said, inching into the road by Il. Gale Uman.

"Stand what?" 

I sighed. "Gale, what exactly did you do to become an immortal?"

Shifting in her seat, the immortal gave me a sidelong glance, clearly still confused. "I helped farmers. My husband was a trader, and I did what I could to ease the troubles of those farmers and the other people we had our dealings with. I, along with some helpers, did what could to manipulate the weather in their favour. Though that doesn't happen as often now."

"Just as I thought," I said under my breath, swerving into a new road. "Whoever's in charge of this immortal business is inconsiderate. How can you expect someone to do the same thing, over and over, for centuries on end? Times change. People change. They'll find other ways to help themselves."

"Jacob, I chose to do this."

"You shouldn't have. You can't expect people to depend on you forever."

I should've shut up. I should've said nothing. But I'd already started, and, gods, it was like a dam had broken.

Gale's round face drooped like her youngish features were being held down by the weight of my words. "We just stepped out of an uman filled with people who still look to me for aid."

"But do they? Because most of the Immortalians I know, rich, poor- whatever -they just get on. They look to you for comfort, maybe. A quick dedication, not even a request for a favour mind you, and they're off, carving out their lives on their own. They give you half an hour out of their week max."

"I couldn't have saved you if I hadn't become an immortal."

"Fine. But my point still stands. And, with you being the Immortal of Weather and all, it's a wonder you pulled it off to begin with."

Gale bit back a remark, shoving her arms over her waist and looking out of the window on her side. For a while, she didn't say anything, but admitted eventually, "I didn't lie to you if that's what you're suggesting. I am the one who got the brew to you when they thought you wouldn't make it."

"I didn't- I wasn't calling you-"

"Of course you weren't."

I don't know why I even cared. Years of pent-up frustration built from hearing about immortals non-stop might've been what set me off. Or, it could've been the principle that irked me. Why depend so much on someone else to live your life for you, solve your problems for you?

My thoughts wandered into dangerous territory. I dwelled on Father and his sports cars, his larger-than-life attitude, and his warmth. On his comforting, outwardly perfect, know-it-all outlook on anything and everything.

We came into the city centre, stopping in a crowded car park, and I looked towards Gale. "You said something about wanting to see the Crooked Pillars?"

"Mhm." She had her head in one of her hands. I got out and sped off to pay for a ticket, returning to place it between the windshield wipers. Gale still had her head balanced in one hand, eyes watching nothing in particular.

"Out we get. C'mon." I reached for her door handle, but she stayed seated. "Are you coming?"

Gale moved at snail's pace and stood beside the car, smoothing out the wrinkles in her coat. Grabbing my bag from one of the back seats, I shut the door to it and locked the car before checking for my wallet.