Anniversary

Mary slept until lunch the next day. Last time she slept like that was when she had first arrived in Salmis, Mary thought. Mary made her way downstairs and got a hug from Bettina and was then ushered to the table to be served a lunch made up of a soup and freshly baked bread.

“Do you know what today is?” Bettina asked.

“I hope it’s Saturday, or I have been sleeping longer than I thought,” Mary laughed. Bettina smiled and shook her head.

“Sometimes I swear you are a copy of your father. Today is your anniversary,” she told Mary. Mary looked at her.

“My birthday is not for a couple of months,” she said, confused.

“I know that I’m not that old that I’m going senile. It’s the anniversary of you arriving in our home,” Bettina smiled.

“It is?” Mary asked. She hadn’t realised it was that time of the year.

“It is,” Bettina nodded. “We have invited some friends over for dinner tonight,” Bettina told her.

“We’re having a dinner party? Who’s coming?” Mary asked.

“Tariana, Mildy, Leana, Tenac, Firlea, that nice boy she is seeing, Jontak I believe, Hinat and Sinhera,” Bettina counted them out on her fingers.

“We will lack in men, but as you haven’t found someone that has piqued your interest yet, they will have to do,” Bettina said, giving Mary a telling look.

“Do you think dad would be okay with me dating?” Mary asked, amused.

“He would get over it. You can’t live your life to appease him,” her mother said.

“I know, and I don’t. That’s not why I’m not seeing anyone. But I still don’t think he would be okay with me having a boyfriend,” Mary laughed. Kopa walked into the kitchen at that moment.

“Did you just say that you have a boyfriend?” he asked, having just heard the end of the conversation. Mary sent her mother a look that said, I told you so.

“No, I didn’t, and I don’t,” she reassured him.

“I thought so,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

“You need to get over this idea of Mary not seeing someone. There must be some nice men under your command, or that you know of, that you could introduce her to,” Bettina said, poking her husband in his chest.

“No, none of them deserves Mary. Besides, she doesn’t need a man,” Kopa huffed.

“I agree,” Mary said.

“Two pees in a pod, you two,” Bettina shook her head.

“Well, Mary, do you want to help me cook for the party? Maybe do some Domne dishes,” Bettina asked.

“I would love to. It’s been a while since I cooked,” Mary smiled. She realised she had been missing spending time in the kitchen, cooking with her mother.

The two women started working. Mary helped her mother by chopping vegetables and grinding spices. She was also making a beef pie from Domne and the dessert she had made for when doctor Genict had come for dinner.

Kopa helped with setting the table and doing the dishes as Mary and Bettina kept handing him used pots and pans. As the time for the dinner got closer, Bettina and Mary took turns getting ready while the other watched the food and kept an eye on Kopa. He turned into a skilled food thief as more and more dishes were done. As the guest arrived, they sent Kopa to man the door.

They all sat down around the table and chatted as Bettina and Mary started carrying in the food. Mary could tell that Hinat and Firlea was more formal than usual because of all the high ranking aari. But as they started eating and everyone made it clear that titles were to be put to the side for the evening. Everyone started to relax and enjoyed themselves.

“The food is as delicious as always, Bettina,” Tariana said.  

“Thank you, but I can’t take all the credit. Mary helped and even made the beef pie and the dessert on her own,” Bettina said proudly.

“The beef pie was amazing,” Hinat said.

“It was,” Tenac agreed.

“Thank you,” Mary smiled.

“I wish I could cook. My mother has tried to teach me, but I always end up burning the food or undercooking it,” Firlea sighed.

“It’s okay, you don’t need to cook, you have a lot of other talents,” Jontak told her with a love-sick smile. Everyone smiled at his comment.

As the dinner went on, the conversation flowed naturally, and Mary was happy that her parents had invited everyone. Mary hadn’t seen that much of Mildy and Leana since they got back to Salmis. They had been such a big part of her getting here, she would always be thankful for what they did and consider them her friends.

As the evening continued, and dinner was over, they all moved into the living room. Everyone helped to bring in extra chairs so they could sit and talk.

“What’s that?” Tenac asked, pointing at the Kai board that was set up on a table.

“Kai, it’s a strategy game. Want to try it out?” Mary asked.

“I would love to, but I don’t know if now is the time,” Tenac said.

“Oh, please teach him. He might be able to win and make you less cocky,” Firlea said with a laugh.

“I’m not cocky, just because you don’t know how to win,” Mary told her friend.

“I think I need to see this,” Jontak smiled.

Mary, Tenac, Jontak, Firlea and Hinat sat down around the table and Mary started explaining the rules.

“Sounds easy enough,” Tenac said.

“You would think so,” Hinat huffed.

Tenac and Mary started playing. Tenac was a natural, but Mary had years of experience playing against Zerden, his father, and Kopa. She won the first game easily and asked if Jontak would like to take her place. Thinking they would have more fun playing.

Tenac won that round, and Jontak frowned.

“Okay, Lea, you will have to assist me,” Jontak told Firlea.

“Fine, but then Mary will help me,” Tenac smiled.

“Oh no, if you want help, ask Hinat,” Jontak said.

“That sounds fairer,” Mary agreed.

 The two couples played each other, with Mary as referee and rules advisor. It was a close game, but in the end Tenac’s and Hinat’s cool and strategy won over Jontak’s and Firlea’s more spontaneous style. Mary that had always played using planning and strategy, as that was the way everyone she had played against had played. Was surprised to find that Jontak’s spur-of-the-moment strategy was that difficult to beat. As she had watched it, she found even she had problems to see a strategy to block it.

“Can I play a round against Jontak and Firlea?” Mary asked.

“Why do you want to humiliate me?” Jontak sighed.

“Don’t be a baby. I have never played someone that plays like you. I’m curious,” Mary told him with a smile.

When they played, Mary noted that his erratic decisions made the game a lot more challenging. She still won in the end, but it wasn’t the clear win she would have expected. They kept taking turns to play. After a while, Kopa joined them and played against Mary and then against Tenac. He won both his games.

“There is someone who can beat Mary,” Firlea smiled.

“Sometimes,” Kopa nodded. “But she has been known to win a game or two against me,” he smiled.

The evening was getting late and one by one, the visitors were saying goodbye. Tariana stayed a little longer than the rest.

“I hear you are doing well in your extra classes, Mary,” she said once everyone else had gone.

“Thank you, I do my best,” Mary said.

“You always do. Just remember to relax and have some fun as well,” Tariana said, looking at her.

“I will,” Mary promised.

“Good, it’s almost time to start the evaluation of those who want to become an aari,” Tariana said.

“It’s crazy how quickly this year has gone,” Mary said.

“Can I sign you up for helping with the process? It lets you out of some classes and you get a chance to get to know the new ones,” Tariana asked.

“Sure, sounds like fun,” Mary told her.

“Good. And I am also supposed to tell you that Ceran looks forward to meeting you again and that the candy was delicious,” she said to Mary.

“Oh, if you get the chance, please thank him,” Mary said, surprised.

“I will. We still correspond from time to time. You made quite an impression on him. Be careful or he will try to marry you off to one of his grandsons,” Tariana laughed.  

“That won’t happen,” Kopa objected.

“Is he still refusing to consider Mary with a man?” Tariana asked Bettina, sounding amused.

“They are stubborn as mules, the both of them,” Bettina sighed.

“Well, you are still young, no need to rush,” Tariana smiled at Mary.

They said goodbye and Mary, Bettina and Kopa got working on cleaning and putting things away. When Mary finally got to bed, she was tired, but happy. It had been an amazing day, and she still had most of tomorrow to spend with her parents before heading back to the sanctum.