Chapter 6: 6 (household)

"And Ed, was this one time the only time you saw it, yes? Er, I mean, did your-"

"Yeah, she saw it once only, near Festival Street. Then it vanished."

"Okay. I think it should be safe there, but we'll inspect the area to make sure. And that should all be done with this week, we'll let you know."

"Okay. Thank you."

"Yes, thank you, and I hope your friend feels better soon."

"Thank you for helping her."

"Okay! Bye!"

 

And that's the end of the call. I didn't say anything about Demphia.

Sigh. I appreciate the association helping with spirit-related things, but why are they so... lax? about it? I mean, in particular, they - not once did they offer to actually help Millie. They were only interested in recording what she went through. That's not how you treat someone who's a victim-

"Eeeeeeeed!"

A cry from Omma made me jump. A welcome break, though, in those kind of thoughts. I didn't feel the best about lying to Gail either.

I unsighed myself from the sofa and went to find Omma in the next room.

 

I found Omma, in their 'sphere' form - a small green orb - on the floor inside some clothes. The sphere popped open, and their arms and legs got stuck in the clothing pile.

"Help..."

"Ommaaaa", I giggled, and went to untangle them.

They started to swivel their hands around in circles. "I, I was folding these and, they looked so nice to me and I thought I would, try and I aaaaaa."

"You could have just slipped out though."

"Slipped through the? Oh... I didn't think of... uuuah..."

Omma often disappears and reappears later - more than other selbas, I think, so they can relax when they're overloaded. But I guess those clothes made them feel... grounded.

 

I gave Omma a little cuddle. "It's okay!" They flopped and made upset Omma noises. I held them for a little longer, then I went back to the untangling.

They started, "I'm sorry if, if the, the clothes I-"

"No sorry. And it's ok if you want to try any clothes - if you need some help, just ask!"

Omma made many happy nods.

 

I still needed to talk with Omma about Demphia, but I was burnt out from today. I needed to destress for a little, with something or the other.

I took Omma back into the other room, and we just sat and talked about clothes, until the others came back.

We gathered at the dining table. Four of us, another time together, happier, more settled than before. I hoped that meant we could discuss the serious things I had to say.

Deep breaths.

 

Omma was next to me, hanging upside down above the table. Demphia was next to her chair, knelt on the floor across from me. They both seemed collected.

Millie came over and sat down to my right. "I, I just... hang on." Then she got up again and went around to beside Demphia.

Millie took out her phone. She held onto Demphia's arm and held up her phone for a selfie. I definitely wanted to get our serious talk done with, but it's better for Millie to get a thing done while she remembers it.

Demphia was first confused, but then it seemed she got the idea. They both were smiling ear to ear (horn to horn I guess).

Millie started panicking. "I'm sorry sorry I just want to send this to Mum-"

"No no, it's okay! No rush. Really."

 

Millie sat down on the chair next to Demphia, opposite me.

I was feeling uncertain a little. I thought I was about to make things a lot worse for Millie and Demphia - I was feeling guilty for doing that. And that wasn't right, so I forced myself to ignore it.

"Omma", I began - I always say Omma's name first - and turned round a little to face them. "What is it you think about Demphia?"

Omma piped up. "I'm fascinated really with them I've been looking at their flame and andithinktheremightbesignsof-"

"Omma, her flame." Omma sometimes has difficulty with... data conflicts? But to be fair, so do a lot of humans.

 

I shot an eye towards Demphia, briefly. She was still calm and happy.

Basically- well, no. Not basically. But in short, what I was worrying about regarding Demphia was that she's clearly not a normal selba.

I don't know how much Millie knows about selbas herself, but normally they're born in the human world, in underdeveloped forms. Baby selbas, I guess. They then bind to a human, and with a good relationship, the selba uses the bond to evolve and grow. Just like the bond Omma has with me.

This is to say - selbas don't just jump out of the boundary fully formed.

 

I jolted in my seat, to a sudden BANG.

"aaAAgHa OGFYRRO"

Omma had flipped over in midair and smacked their head into the table.

"Omma!" said Millie, and she and Demphia went up to them. I sat stunned in my seat from the noise.

"I I I I I I I I I'm fine...", they said, while moving their hands around in circles.

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Millie rubbed the top of their head. "It's okay."

I thought I might take the opportunity to try and comfort Omma, but first I had to think of what to say. Omma's always worried about upsetting people, when it comes to social interaction. I think I feel something similar. So that doesn't make me the best person to help someone with it. I think?

 

I was still in thought when Omma shouted "IMSORRY" and grabbed Demphia.

I looked over, and was surprised to see Demphia sit down on Omma's chair and pull them into her lap. I'd been under an impression that she didn't like Omma much - mostly because of how they interacted the other night, I think. I was glad to shift that idea, but still surprised.

 

"Hey." Demphia picked up Omma's arms and wiggled them about - Omma turned around to face her. She grinned.

"Millie," I asked, "is there anything you're... worried about, at the moment?"

She had just sat back down at her chair. "Uh, what kinda thing, I... is there something I like, should be thinking of? I don't know!"

"That's okay. It's a good thing if you have no worries, right?"

She smiled. "I'm gonna be worried about having no worries now."

 

Okay. I prepared myself.

"There's a couple of things I've been worrying about."

"Small things big things?"

"Sort of big things. But we can get over them."

Millie did a 'triumph' gesture with her fists.

I continued, "The easier thing is... I've already been telling them, the association, about what happened the other day. But" - I nodded to Demphia - "I haven't said anything to them about you. At some point they'll have to know you exist."

"So we'll have to... what do we need to say? And this is the, the selba association, right?"

"Yeah. They know about the spirit already, so you only need to say you have a partner now. Just say you met a few weeks ago, or similar."

"...I guess." She was getting anxious but trying to be firm.

Demphia looked straight at me and said, "We'll do our best."

I gave her my usual smile. "Make sure to mention you love each other lots and lots."

Millie snorted. "Ed!!"

"Joking, joking!"

Demphia waved her fist at me between chuckles.

 

I was thinking I might then say 'I won't pretend I understand', or something to that effect. But I decided that saying that would just hurt them... or hurt them more. I was already feeling like I'd hurt them with the awkward humour. I was spiralling off.

I tried to dismiss those thoughts, and focus on something better. I decided I should talk to Omma again. But at that point Millie asked me: "So when/where can I just... like tomorrow morning? Do I need to go anywhere?"

It's okay, just focus.

"Yeah, it helps to go in person. Enter the council building and ask for Gail, and she'll help you with everything. Though, I can help too if you'd like."

"It'll be okay", said Demphia. "And we'll enjoy the walk." Millie agreed.

One thing resolved?

 

So now, a different thing.

I looked down at Demphia's lap. "Omma?"

There was an Omma noise that felt contented. They looked delighted to be sitting with Demphia.

"Omma, what was it before, that you were about to say?", I asked.

"I, I think that, I was... I don't know." They sat still and thought for a bit. "I've been... Demphia's flame is all around me. And I really want to describe how it feels. But she... it's weird, I don't... uuuah"

Demphia let out a sort of grumble. "Your flame. It's very sparky. Feels like - flying. Through space."

"They are pretty zippy", said Millie.

"nyyug - Demphiaaaa I love how you feel I wanna stay with you all the time mbbbbbbbbbb"

Demphia smiled and hug-squashed Omma some more.

 

"There was another thing I've worried about", I tried to say to everyone. I was stepping myself into worries like stepping into another room. "Given all that's happened with the spirits, you might end up seeing more soon. I know that I trust you and you're responsible, but please, just" - I leant forwards - "let me know you'll stay safe. Just I..."

"No that, that's valid", said Millie. "Trust us though - we won't look for trouble. And if we do meet anything, we'll be fine."

Demphia made a pose that said 'I'm ready'.

"Seriously", I said. "You don't have much experience with them. If you find one, just run."

"Then come back and tell you all about it", Millie replied.

"Yes!" said Omma.

I wasn't sure how to feel about that. But I suppose I did ask to be reassured.

I got up from the table. "Let's go eat", I said.

We spent the rest of the evening as happily as we could.

 

Why did I ask for brown bread again?

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