Mama moved to the other side of the table, and sat across from Jack.
He heaved a big, heavy sigh of relief. He was honestly terrified of how angry she was at him right now-- He really was very sorry he had not taken her with him, when he had drug that metal moron to the clink--- but you cannot fix the past. Only fix the now, and hope for the future. He really did not want Mama mad at him anymore. She really needed to know that the conversation was completely benign-- She had never experienced anything more complicated than the 2-way only exchanges she had been sharing with him-- and he could tell, secretly-- that she did not want to give them up-- ever-- which was why she wanted him to stay with her--- forever--...
Among other reasons.
she was selfish-- did not want to share him with anyone or anything-- but was full of reasons to make exceptions for those feelings with conscious thoughts, without actually quelling the jealousy. She was putting him in an impossible position.
He really did not know if this would work-- But he would do his damnedest to try.
He could feel her eyes on him, and he nodded. He collected a heaping helping of sausage and bacon, and plopped it on her plate for her, took a sensible portion for himself, grabbed one with two fingers, took a bite, then laid his head down on the table similarly to how she had just done, and opened his mind wide.
He relaxed... let his limbs go limp. Felt her all around him-- --damn she was mad---- Carefully-- He forced his ears to hear, struggling to find the balance between a quality connection with her, and percieving the conversations in the room, so that she could benefit from it. Eventually, he found the right mix-- The perception of the room was a bit like how listening through a long 2 inch diameter tube is-- Full of the rush of one's own ear, flooding over the top of a distorted and "tinny" sounding bent to everything you hear through it-- but it was good enough.
He heard the words in the room, and understood them-- simultaneously sharing that understanding with Mama- as the words were spoken. It was tedious and hard as hell to keep up, but she needed this. He needed this.
He loved her. He loved her so much....
He spoke, but it came out kinda groggy sounding, responding to the conversation between Reeta and Lae, and letting Mama listen in on it.
Which.. is .. worse? Anim..als.. Eating Plants. Or-- Animals.. Eating.. Animals?