Free Ellida by J. F. Kaufmann Page A

up.
    Behind Maggie’s quiet, reserved appearance,
Astrid quickly discovered a brilliant scientific mind, not unlike
hers.
    “Why did you choose to study oil
engineering?” Astrid asked her once.
    “The oil industry’s one of the biggest
environmental polluters, but people won’t stop with hydrocarbon
exploration until they pump up the very last drop of oil. Look
what’s going on now: the less oil there is, the dirtier the
production is. And that’s the reason why I chose it—I’ll try to
make a difference. There is a whole new generation of oil engineers
who do care about the environment and the impact of the industry on
it. Why did you choose to be a trauma surgeon instead of fixing
noses and boobs?”
    Astrid smiled and nodded.
    “I don’t want to stay here,” Maggie
continued. “This little town suffocates me. I want to go wherever
my job takes me, a year here, a year there. I want to see the
world. One day I might decide to settle down, get married and have
children, but not now. I’m too young for that.” She paused, fixing
her eyes on Astrid. “Jack understands that better than anyone else.
He used to be like that.”
    Before he met you , were Maggie’s
unspoken words.
    “I know, being bond-mates changes
everything,” Maggie said quietly. “Moreover, you are our Ellida and
Jack’s the Einhamir. Your options are somewhat limited.”
    “I’ve chosen to come here. Nobody forced
me.”
    “I know. And Jack was probably thinking about
returning even before he met you. Still…”
    Astrid sighed. She still had her doubts—about
this place, her role, her future life, everything but Jack. She
knew she would have loved him no matter what. “My friend Tristan
likes to say bonding can be both a blessing and a curse,” she said.
“It’s up to us what it’s going to be.”
    “Yeah, and if it works, you just have to
organize your life around it,” Maggie said with a snort. “Like
leaving everything behind and coming to Red Cliffs. If that’s a
blessing, then I don’t want to know what happens when it doesn’t
work.”
    Astrid smiled and shrugged. “I don’t know
either. I’m bonded but I’m not any the wiser. In my case, it’s
working just fine, that’s all I know. If you ever get bonded, do
your best to make it work.”
    “Thank you very much, but I’d rather pass.
Bonding isn’t on my wish list.”
    Astrid laughed. “As if your wishes will be
taken into consideration.”
     
    THAT AFTERNOON the ice had been broken.
Astrid had learned to value Maggie’s opinion and trust her
judgment. She was unbiased, with strong beliefs and touching
idealism. Beneath her capable mind that needed constant
stimulation, Astrid discovered plenty of sensitive emotions, too.
For such a young person, she had formidable self-discipline and a
determination to make her desires a reality.
     
    ASTRID ASKED Maggie about the time when
she’d sung with the band.
    “Pop, light rock, jazz, blues. Some country,
later on Saturday nights. People usually show you what they want to
listen to on a particular evening. You scan the audience before you
start. If you see lots of girls, sing love songs. Girls and couples
usually come on Saturday. Fridays can be pretty raw. The boys can
play anything, but they tend to avoid some songs. What do you like
to sing?”
    “Pop, jazz, blues, ’80s music…”
    “Boy, they’re going to love you! Do you have
a strong voice?”
    “You bet. I can sing for hours before my
throat gets tired. But, I haven’t made up my mind about this yet.
It seems a bit too radical. I mean, I just came here. I can’t just
walk into the first bar I see and grab a mike. Doesn’t seem proper,
being an Ellida and all.”
    Now Maggie laughed. “Ah, nobody here would
hold that against you, don’t worry. On the contrary. You’d show
them you’re a part of their life and allow them be a part of your
life. That’d be a good way to become closer to them. You’d learn
more about them singing on weekend