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“Ham” by Killick
Today’s story is “Ham” by Killick, who has short stories published in several furry anthologies, and is currently working on his first novel. You can find more of his writings on his blog, or on Fur Affinity.
Read for you by Khaki, your faithful fireside companion.
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Transcript
you're listening to the voice of dog.
Khaki QOD:I'm cocky.
Khaki QOD:Your faithful fireside companion, and today's story is ham by Killick.
Khaki QOD:The last short stories published in several furry anthologies and is
Khaki QOD:currently working on his first novel.
Khaki QOD:You can find more of his writings on his blog or on Fairfield.
Khaki QOD:Please enjoy ham by Killick
Khaki QOD:It was as hot.
Khaki QOD:Like the saying goes as bull.
Khaki QOD:The bus window dripped with condensation air conditioner, struggling to keep the
Khaki QOD:outside heat at bay scrub, and paperbark trees whizzed past letting through quick
Khaki QOD:flashes of red tiled roofs beyond them.
Khaki QOD:A wide mountain covered in thick tree growth.
Khaki QOD:Dominated the.
Khaki QOD:Linda A.
Khaki QOD:Black and white speckled blue healer stared through the window
Khaki QOD:at the mountain and tried to focus on how beautiful it was.
Khaki QOD:The view from this particular suburban road was gorgeous, but Linda still felt
Khaki QOD:her ears droop, just a little, the bus stopped and Linda collected her things.
Khaki QOD:She dug in her shorts pocket for a go-kart and tapped it against the
Khaki QOD:electronic reader, which beeped her.
Khaki QOD:Natira.
Khaki QOD:Thank you.
Khaki QOD:Merry Christmas.
Khaki QOD:Recall to the bus driver who just waved a porn response.
Khaki QOD:The side door hissed, open heat slapped into Linda's body.
Khaki QOD:Like a wet towel, instantly destroying even the memory of the wonderful chill
Khaki QOD:of the air conditioned bus, her glasses, big round ones fogged up for several
Khaki QOD:seconds . And she felt an immediate stickiness in the fur under her armpits.
Khaki QOD:She swore in resigned horror at the sudden temperature hike as was the
Khaki QOD:great Australian tradition of literally anyone walking outside from a cold place
Khaki QOD:during the summer, she still wasn't used to this kind of heat each day.
Khaki QOD:She swore that it could not possibly get any hotter.
Khaki QOD:, and then each new day would usually prove her.
Khaki QOD:She breathed in a lung full of thick, humid air and started to walk roared
Khaki QOD:around her almost as loud as the bus, as it took off above her, in
Khaki QOD:the trees, magpies gentle warbles would turn into aggressive screams.
Khaki QOD:When she passed below the fog finally vanished from her glasses, letting
Khaki QOD:her see clearly the haze of heat that rose from the concrete path.
Khaki QOD:It wasn't even noon yet.
Khaki QOD:Linda's pause clutched at a Tupperware container full of hand, iced
Khaki QOD:Christmas biscuits and a plastic Woolworths bag that contained a
Khaki QOD:bottle of wine and a wrapped present.
Khaki QOD:The tiny part of her resented, what she was doing.
Khaki QOD:It was a first Christmas in Brisbane and more importantly, her first away from
Khaki QOD:family, she already missed the family traditions, French toast for breakfast
Khaki QOD:followed by the present exchange at night.
Khaki QOD:Table set for eight with a good plate and fancy napkins.
Khaki QOD:Everyone wearing their best shirts and jackets, except for uncle Dan who
Khaki QOD:insisted on wearing the brightest most ridiculous Hawaiian clothes possible.
Khaki QOD:And dad divvying up the slices of glazed ham with a fervor of a circus ringleader,
Khaki QOD:not to mention the fresh prawns.
Khaki QOD:Oh man.
Khaki QOD:Those prawns Linda couldn't imagine prawns from anywhere else tasting
Khaki QOD:as good as they did back home.
Khaki QOD:She balanced the box of biscuits in the crook of her elbow and dug her
Khaki QOD:phone out of her pocket quickly wiping it against her shorts to remove the
Khaki QOD:thin layer of sweat from the screen.
Khaki QOD:She checked for any updates on the group, chat that doubled as the party
Khaki QOD:invitation, a few friends had reported as being on their way or already
Khaki QOD:arrived, which was good as Linda hated being the first to show up.
Khaki QOD:But social events, the party was a barbecue.
Khaki QOD:According to the.
Khaki QOD:Linda liked barbecues, but on Christmas day it seemed way too casual.
Khaki QOD:She Liked a bit of Pompe on the most wonderful day of the year.
Khaki QOD:She also liked it about 12 degrees cooler.
Khaki QOD:Linda closed the chat, but her blackmail hovered over the.
Khaki QOD:No.
Khaki QOD:She thought pulling her, pull away and shoving her phone into
Khaki QOD:the recesses of her shorts.
Khaki QOD:Don't read it again.
Khaki QOD:It'll just piss you off more.
Khaki QOD:The last thing she wanted was to be angry on Christmas day.
Khaki QOD:The walk from the bus stop was only about eight minutes, but it may as
Khaki QOD:well have been an eight kilometer run.
Khaki QOD:By the time she walked up, the driveway of the house, Linda was panting
Khaki QOD:like crazy, and she could smell her.
Khaki QOD:Wanting away a few flies.
Khaki QOD:She briefly considered that she could probably kill a man
Khaki QOD:for a drink of ice cold water.
Khaki QOD:The house was an old Queenslander style built on stilts to avoid
Khaki QOD:the occasional tropical flood.
Khaki QOD:And apparently to keep them cooler in the heat.
Khaki QOD:Linda was convinced the latter feature was a complete myth as every
Khaki QOD:Queenslander house she'd stayed in.
Khaki QOD:Got just as hot as any.
Khaki QOD:The color of the house had once been white, but decades of weather
Khaki QOD:had stripped much of the paint away along with several chips of wood.
Khaki QOD:It's current condition screamed cheap and shitty student share house.
Khaki QOD:But as with all houses of that caliber, it wasn't the outside.
Khaki QOD:But the people inside that made it a home, Linda breathe deeply of the Jasmine
Khaki QOD:that grew up the front latticework and threatened to tear down the front gutter.
Khaki QOD:It was in full bloom and smelled.
Khaki QOD:Hopefully it will also mask a little of her own stink.
Khaki QOD:She wished she'd brought a can of deodorant with her.
Khaki QOD:She knocked the thumping of heavy footfalls approached, almost shaking
Khaki QOD:the entire wooden frame of the house and a large kangaroo appeared wearing
Khaki QOD:a tank top bright orange board shorts and fuzzy Santa hat on her head.
Khaki QOD:I go Merry Christmas, said K, pushing the screen door open, and
Khaki QOD:then pulling the dog into a hug.
Khaki QOD:Linda did her best to have the tall young woman back while still balancing the
Khaki QOD:plastic container and bag of goodies.
Khaki QOD:Merry Christmas.
Khaki QOD:Kay.
Khaki QOD:I brought biscuits and some wine.
Khaki QOD:Ooh, fancy.
Khaki QOD:So that the kangaroo peaking in the bag at the bottle gum in everyone's Outback.
Khaki QOD:If you have anything that needs to go in the fridge, then you might be out of luck.
Khaki QOD:Me and Eric went a bit crazy with the salads and Angus
Khaki QOD:brought a huge bowl of trifle.
Khaki QOD:It's bloody insane.
Khaki QOD:K led Linda through the house.
Khaki QOD:So she talked, the living room, usually packed with textbooks, abandoned crochet
Khaki QOD:projects and old guitars was even more cramped with the Christmas decorations up.
Khaki QOD:Anything that could support tinsel was heavily tins vilified.
Khaki QOD:The plastic Christmas tree stood in the.
Khaki QOD:Only four feet tall and radiating cheapness.
Khaki QOD:. It had still been lovingly decorated with glitter spattered baubles at
Khaki QOD:the very top set of felt angel Dingo dressed in a white gown, and lacewings
Khaki QOD:the stereotypical cork, slouch hat and holding what was unmistakably a can of VB.
Khaki QOD:It was much too heavy for the plastic tree, making the
Khaki QOD:entire thing group to one side.
Khaki QOD:A far cry from the elegant glass and gold star.
Khaki QOD:That will be adoring the top of Linda's parents tree, but it still made her giggle
Khaki QOD:Kay turned and spoke over her shoulder.
Khaki QOD:We got an esky out back with softy, ciders and beers.
Khaki QOD:You're welcome to help yourself beer, but there's not even new.
Khaki QOD:Okay, grinned, nothing wrong with a cheeky Christmas bevy.
Khaki QOD:Although most of us will probably wait until lunch is ready.
Khaki QOD:Linda followed K through the kitchen and sniffed at the air.
Khaki QOD:What's cooking.
Khaki QOD:My famous Christmas ham Kay said puffing her chest out.
Khaki QOD:Ham.
Khaki QOD:Linda licked her muzzle, the melancholy lifting, just some of its weight from her.
Khaki QOD:I thought it was just a barbecue.
Khaki QOD:She would grab it the word just as soon as he spoke it just a barbecue.
Khaki QOD:Like she was too good for her friend's party.
Khaki QOD:Like it was beneath her.
Khaki QOD:However, Kay.
Khaki QOD:Didn't seem to notice.
Khaki QOD:I always do a ham.
Khaki QOD:It doesn't feel like Christmas without one.
Khaki QOD:To me, I've got a bunch of snags and chicken as well for the Babbie to keep us.
Khaki QOD:Linda forced a smile, her brain working overtime to decide if
Khaki QOD:she needed to apologize or not.
Khaki QOD:This K noticed she placed a port on the dog shoulder and spoke
Khaki QOD:softer privately, knowingly.
Khaki QOD:Linda, how is everything going?
Khaki QOD:Are you doing okay?
Khaki QOD:Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
Khaki QOD:I'm fine.
Khaki QOD:Just hot.
Khaki QOD:Really?
Khaki QOD:Okay, sure.
Khaki QOD:Go ahead.
Khaki QOD:You'll muzzle saying one thing, but your tail saying another,
Khaki QOD:the kangaroo crossed her arms.
Khaki QOD:Is it your dad again?
Khaki QOD:Linda side.
Khaki QOD:Have you called him yet kiosk?
Khaki QOD:Now I want to, I also really don't want to, I get it.
Khaki QOD:I'm not going to tell you whether you should or not, or whatever happens.
Khaki QOD:I got you back, girl, the affirmation brought back the tiny smile to Linda's.
Khaki QOD:Thanks.
Khaki QOD:Kay, come on.
Khaki QOD:Let's go around the back.
Khaki QOD:A cluster of fold-out camping chairs, the cheapest that Bunnings had to
Khaki QOD:offer formed a rough circle around an inflatable Kitty's paddle pool with
Khaki QOD:a yellow scraggly lawn stretching beneath them from fence defense.
Khaki QOD:The animals in the occupied chair looked up waved and shouted arousing round of
Khaki QOD:Merry Christmas as Linda and Kay descended the steps from the house to the backyard.
Khaki QOD:Kay introduced Linda to the small group.
Khaki QOD:Angus, the rat gave a smile and simple.
Khaki QOD:Hello.
Khaki QOD:Linda had no idea how he was wearing black, skinny jeans in this weather.
Khaki QOD:Eric, the rabbits, a fellow theater geek.
Khaki QOD:She already knew.
Khaki QOD:And finally, a thickly built board named Mesa, who lazily wandered between the
Khaki QOD:circle of chairs and an old flat top bar.
Khaki QOD:Get that.
Khaki QOD:Linda May.
Khaki QOD:So slurred loudly a of your four X dangling from his Trotter.
Khaki QOD:Continue.
Khaki QOD:All right.
Khaki QOD:How are you?
Khaki QOD:He ain't no bed.
Khaki QOD:Fuck him.
Khaki QOD:Buggy.
Khaki QOD:He's fucking hate.
Khaki QOD:Fuck.
Khaki QOD:Eric, the rabbits turned and smiled.
Khaki QOD:How are you enjoying your first Brisbane?
Khaki QOD:Christmas?
Khaki QOD:I'm not Linda thought trying to stop her tail from drooping.
Khaki QOD:It's too hot.
Khaki QOD:I didn't get any French toast.
Khaki QOD:I can't afford any decorations for my garbage apartment.
Khaki QOD:I miss my family, but I also hate them right now, out loud.
Khaki QOD:She said, oh, I'm still getting used to things.
Khaki QOD:So Linda, where are you from our status in a voice that was light, but we too cool.
Khaki QOD:Launceston Tasmania.
Khaki QOD:I moved up in June to finish uni feds.
Khaki QOD:Awesome.
Khaki QOD:Set.
Khaki QOD:I guess I've been to Tazzy and the Halbert though.
Khaki QOD:Decent drinking scene.
Khaki QOD:Amazing art gallery.
Khaki QOD:Linda felt a phone buzz and her attention tour away from the conversation.
Khaki QOD:Dammit.
Khaki QOD:She hated how wound up she still was jumpy.
Khaki QOD:She pulled out her phone without thinking and checked it.
Khaki QOD:It was a message from dad.
Khaki QOD:Call us please.
Khaki QOD:Three little words and a full stop that screamed louder than any capsule.
Khaki QOD:Could Linda started breathing in shock breaths?
Khaki QOD:What did it mean?
Khaki QOD:No.
Khaki QOD:Merry Christmas.
Khaki QOD:No.
Khaki QOD:Hello?
Khaki QOD:No love you.
Khaki QOD:Just three words was wasn't.
Khaki QOD:Uh, demand.
Khaki QOD:Were they angry you or was it a plea, a desperate scratch for validation or
Khaki QOD:was she just completely, over-analyzing a message sent by a boomer who
Khaki QOD:didn't understand text etiquette.
Khaki QOD:That could be oblivious when he wanted to, why did she have to call them?
Khaki QOD:Why the hell couldn't they call her?
Khaki QOD:They wanted to talk to her.
Khaki QOD:So desperately Linda realized she was squeezing her.
Khaki QOD:She stood up suddenly quicker than she meant to mumbled, excuse me,
Khaki QOD:and shuffled away from whatever conversation she interrupted.
Khaki QOD:She stared into her phone.
Khaki QOD:Moving from, launched into Brisbane, had to be in the plan for quite
Khaki QOD:some time work prospects were more promising, But honestly it was because
Khaki QOD:most of her friends lived up here.
Khaki QOD:She met so many wonderful people online and made the kind of strong
Khaki QOD:connections that you just couldn't seem to find in her hometown.
Khaki QOD:At first, her parents were doubtful in time.
Khaki QOD:That doubt had turned it to support.
Khaki QOD:And six months ago, Linda had made the move.
Khaki QOD:Something she'd feared would always be out of her reach.
Khaki QOD:It was the happiest she had ever.
Khaki QOD:Then the holiday season started to loom the regular phone calls
Khaki QOD:to her parents became increasingly strained as December approached.
Khaki QOD:At first, they simply asked what her plans for Christmas were when
Khaki QOD:she truthfully told them she had no idea they'd responded with.
Khaki QOD:You're always welcome here with us.
Khaki QOD:Linda assumed they were just curious in that parental kind of way, letting
Khaki QOD:her know that they still loved her by offering a symbolic place at the table.
Khaki QOD:Truthfully, Linda would love to fly back home for Christmas, but the final
Khaki QOD:say in the matter came from her bank account, there was no way she could
Khaki QOD:afford a plane ticket to Tasmania.
Khaki QOD:Not in December.
Khaki QOD:The airfares were always subject up for Christmas.
Khaki QOD:So in Linda's mind, that was the end of it.
Khaki QOD:But then the hints got heavier and more overt.
Khaki QOD:About two weeks before Christmas day, her dad called and said, you should
Khaki QOD:come down and spend Christmas with.
Khaki QOD:The way he'd said it was final a demand without being an order.
Khaki QOD:She knew what her dad could be like, and she dreaded what came next.
Khaki QOD:Won't be the same without you.
Khaki QOD:You're breaking traditions moving up there.
Khaki QOD:It wasn't a smart idea.
Khaki QOD:Why are you trying to upset us?
Khaki QOD:The calls and texts came like little pinches making her wince
Khaki QOD:and hesitate every time her phone.
Khaki QOD:On the rare occasion, she got to talk to mum instead.
Khaki QOD:She told Linda not to stress.
Khaki QOD:You know what dad's like?
Khaki QOD:She did know, but it was hurting her.
Khaki QOD:And she didn't know how to tell her parents that they were her parents.
Khaki QOD:She loved them.
Khaki QOD:The last message between them was a text from dad.
Khaki QOD:I just don't see why you can't come down here for Christmas.
Khaki QOD:We always have Christmas together.
Khaki QOD:That was three days.
Khaki QOD:She never responded.
Khaki QOD:She didn't know how her feet twisted against the yellow grass,
Khaki QOD:almost digging into the dirt.
Khaki QOD:Her lips tensed up revealing teeth, and she caught herself about
Khaki QOD:a snarl at her phone, a strong tanned poor quarter shoulder.
Khaki QOD:Hey, what's wrong?
Khaki QOD:The touch of case Paul on Linda's shoulder, sooth, the dog, as it
Khaki QOD:had done several times before still trembling, Linda showed the
Khaki QOD:kangaroo the most recent message.
Khaki QOD:Ah, right.
Khaki QOD:Okay.
Khaki QOD:Nodded slowly, honey.
Khaki QOD:Maybe you should call them.
Khaki QOD:Otherwise this is going to eat a you all day.
Khaki QOD:It might not be so bad.
Khaki QOD:It can't exactly order you to get on a plane right now.
Khaki QOD:Linda side, you really think so you should a hike to see you like this.
Khaki QOD:If you talk to them, you might feel better.
Khaki QOD:It's worth a shot.
Khaki QOD:I hate that.
Khaki QOD:I think you're right.
Khaki QOD:. You deserve to be happy.
Khaki QOD:Especially today.
Khaki QOD:Linda smiled.
Khaki QOD:Weakly.
Khaki QOD:Thanks for.
Khaki QOD:You're going to need backup.
Khaki QOD:Kay said crossing her arms over her muscular chest and frowning.
Khaki QOD:I wouldn't mind having a couple of words with your dad.
Khaki QOD:I'll be all right now where he's then the kangaroo stepped away.
Khaki QOD:Linda was grateful for the space.
Khaki QOD:She took a deep breath and dialed oh, Linda, Merry Christmas.
Khaki QOD:Good.
Khaki QOD:I love good to see the two dogs on the other end of the video call
Khaki QOD:were blue Heelers like her, but the black fare around their muscles
Khaki QOD:started to fade into a dark gray.
Khaki QOD:Hi mom.
Khaki QOD:Hi dad, Mary Christmas.
Khaki QOD:Linda tried to put as much smile into her muzzle as she
Khaki QOD:could, without looking insane.
Khaki QOD:She was glad they couldn't see her tail in the video call, as it would
Khaki QOD:have given away her true mood.
Khaki QOD:Mum, beamed through the camera, sweetie.
Khaki QOD:I miss you so much.
Khaki QOD:How is everything up there?
Khaki QOD:Are you having a good Christmas?
Khaki QOD:Everything is fine.
Khaki QOD:She lied.
Khaki QOD:Everything would be a hell of a lot better if dad would stop pestering
Khaki QOD:her, but she would never say that.
Khaki QOD:Besides, she wants to keep this call pleasant simple.
Khaki QOD:And most of all, short I'm a case she's making Christmas
Khaki QOD:lunch, that nodded and smiled.
Khaki QOD:It's a real shame.
Khaki QOD:You couldn't get down here.
Khaki QOD:It's not the same without you.
Khaki QOD:Linda's tail started to move and short strokes.
Khaki QOD:She helped the same anxiety wasn't showing in her face.
Khaki QOD:That's fair dad.
Khaki QOD:Sometimes that's just how.
Khaki QOD:She was about to ask what kind of crazy shirt uncle Dan was wearing this year?
Khaki QOD:Desperate to keep the conversation light when dad decided he just couldn't help
Khaki QOD:himself, you still could've come down.
Khaki QOD:We could have paid half the airfare hollow buzz started at the base of
Khaki QOD:Linda skull eating up her words.
Khaki QOD:Dad had never offered to pay any part of the plane ticket before.
Khaki QOD:Why would he say this?
Khaki QOD:What did he think it would achieve except to make her feel even more like a villain
Khaki QOD:for not thinking to ask it herself?
Khaki QOD:Not that it would have mattered anyway, she still would not have
Khaki QOD:been able to afford even half a plane tickets at Christmas prices.
Khaki QOD:I'm sorry.
Khaki QOD:She mumbled I've darting around, but I couldn't.
Khaki QOD:I know you're up there to visit friends, but it's left
Khaki QOD:me and your mum and a bit of a.
Khaki QOD:Linda's jaw clenched, tight, visit friends.
Khaki QOD:This wasn't some holiday.
Khaki QOD:It was permanent.
Khaki QOD:His complete dismissal of the chains that she'd forged for herself
Khaki QOD:made her blood boil, treating it like some temporary stick.
Khaki QOD:like it wasn't a permanent and meaningful decision she'd made on her own.
Khaki QOD:Like she was supposed to scurry home any day.
Khaki QOD:Now with her tail between her legs dead.
Khaki QOD:I.
Khaki QOD:That's brow rose.
Khaki QOD:My nucleus barely a Twitch of muscle.
Khaki QOD:Just try to be more prepared in the future.
Khaki QOD:Please.
Khaki QOD:Linda's grip around her phone, turned into Claude, vice as
Khaki QOD:something inside her snapped.
Khaki QOD:It's literally Christmas day and I have no money.
Khaki QOD:What the fuck do you want me to do?
Khaki QOD:Run to the airport right now and hijack a plane.
Khaki QOD:Linda.
Khaki QOD:He barked do not talk to me like.
Khaki QOD:Oh, I'm not allowed to say fuck, but you're allowed to make me
Khaki QOD:feel terrible for our, just want us to have Christmas as a family.
Khaki QOD:Like we've always done.
Khaki QOD:You moved up there without considering anyone's feelings, but your own Linda's
Khaki QOD:grip around the phone tightened.
Khaki QOD:I have.
Khaki QOD:Dear you, you, you hypocrite.
Khaki QOD:. Do you have any idea how shitty you've been making me feel with all
Khaki QOD:that guilt shaming you've thrown.
Khaki QOD:You ain't like, I don't want to come back, but I do.
Khaki QOD:Uh, so duke can afford it right now because I don't have any money
Khaki QOD:because I don't have a decent job because I haven't finished uni yet.
Khaki QOD:Patients' dad is all I'm asking for.
Khaki QOD:It's really that simple, but you're turning it into this weird feud.
Khaki QOD:And it's making me feel like a worthless piece of shit that
Khaki QOD:opened his mouth to retort.
Khaki QOD:But Linda was damned if she was going to let him interrupt her again, she changes
Khaki QOD:dead things that I always stay the same.
Khaki QOD:I've had to make some hard decisions to make sure my life
Khaki QOD:has gone to be a good one.
Khaki QOD:And I'm sorry, that's making your perfect holiday uncomfortable.
Khaki QOD:The inside of dad's ears burned a bright pink stop making this about you.
Khaki QOD:Mum, whose muzzle had slowly moved out of the frame of the video as dad
Khaki QOD:dominated the call suddenly spoke up.
Khaki QOD:Andy.
Khaki QOD:I think that I'd like to talk to Linda now.
Khaki QOD:Not now, love I, Andrew mum said the name short and sharp.
Khaki QOD:An order.
Khaki QOD:Linda stood frozen in the middle of the hot sun filtering through the
Khaki QOD:leaves of a mango tree, watching a confused bursts of images on her phone.
Khaki QOD:As her parents' device was manhandled over 1700 kilometers away.
Khaki QOD:The movement too quick for the camera to keep up.
Khaki QOD:Her ears, twitched of their own accord, trying to focus on individual sounds
Khaki QOD:but stayed confused when all that noise came from the same tinny speaker.
Khaki QOD:She heard her parents' voices, but not the word.
Khaki QOD:Dell Claus clacking against the device.
Khaki QOD:Drown those out.
Khaki QOD:Eventually Linda heard mom say, Andrew, please.
Khaki QOD:Andrew followed by the slam of the door.
Khaki QOD:Really I could bloody belt in one, said mum, more to herself
Khaki QOD:than to Linda as sweetie.
Khaki QOD:I'm so sorry.
Khaki QOD:I didn't realize we were upsetting you so much.
Khaki QOD:I'll make sure to have words with your dead.
Khaki QOD:She shook her head paused and looked sheepishly at the screen.
Khaki QOD:He's being very immature about this.
Khaki QOD:Isn't he?
Khaki QOD:Yeah, he is.
Khaki QOD:Linda said softly.
Khaki QOD:What you're doing is very brave.
Khaki QOD:I hope you know that your dad's just not quite ready to move on.
Khaki QOD:We've always lived here.
Khaki QOD:He loves you and misses you.
Khaki QOD:I suppose.
Khaki QOD:He's just not dealing with it very well.
Khaki QOD:He can't expect me to stay around forever.
Khaki QOD:You'll right.
Khaki QOD:And it's selfish of him to think that you should she side I'll
Khaki QOD:let you get back to your party.
Khaki QOD:Now, can you call us again, please?
Khaki QOD:Perhaps in a day.
Khaki QOD:Sure mum, I can do that.
Khaki QOD:Great.
Khaki QOD:Another call to wait anxiously for, but maybe mum could talk some sense into dad.
Khaki QOD:Maybe I love you.
Khaki QOD:Linda.
Khaki QOD:Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, mom.
Khaki QOD:The phone went silent in her pores.
Khaki QOD:Linda stared at the screen for way too.
Khaki QOD:It was easier just to stand there, analyzing the bright pixels than it
Khaki QOD:was to interact with the outside world.
Khaki QOD:Again, how did it go?
Khaki QOD:Kay's voice pulled Linda out of her.
Khaki QOD:Trans not as bad as I thought, but somehow also much worse than I could've
Khaki QOD:imagined Christ nothing awful happened.
Khaki QOD:Did it?
Khaki QOD:I, I don't know her face brightened.
Khaki QOD:Mum's being really.
Khaki QOD:That'll help deal with your dad, won't it?
Khaki QOD:Yeah, I hope so.
Khaki QOD:Kay.
Khaki QOD:Leaned in for a hug.
Khaki QOD:The kangaroo always made Linda feel soft and warm, even if Kay herself was
Khaki QOD:sturdy and lean Kay pulled back and held the dog by the shoulders lunches
Khaki QOD:ready, came on a good fetal help.
Khaki QOD:You feel better?
Khaki QOD:The kangaroo didn't take her eyes off Linda until the dog gave her a nine.
Khaki QOD:Then she turned and called out.
Khaki QOD:Okay.
Khaki QOD:You feel the animals lunches officially served, whoops, and hollows.
Khaki QOD:Mark the migration to the plastic picnic table, way down by the various
Khaki QOD:glad wrapped plates and Tupperware containers that had been brought to share
Khaki QOD:more friends of K's had arrived each bringing their own tribute to the midday.
Khaki QOD:A tray of sliced watermelon pineapple and aromatic mango cheeks sat next to a
Khaki QOD:bowl of shiny cherries, a green salad, pasta salad, and potato salad were lined
Khaki QOD:up in descending order of healthiness and ascending order of which would be eaten.
Khaki QOD:First slices of cold Turkey breasts were arranged in a careful circle
Khaki QOD:right next to a bamboo bowl full of fried pork dumplings with soy.
Khaki QOD:Uh, foil tray of still sizzling snags and the chicken wings and prawns of
Khaki QOD:course, bright orange in their shells.
Khaki QOD:Linda's biscuits were yet to join the table, laying in, wait with the other
Khaki QOD:dessert in the cool refuge of K's fridge in the very center of the table, sat
Khaki QOD:the undisputed champion of the lunch.
Khaki QOD:Ks Christmas.
Khaki QOD:Surrounded by little pots of mustard, cranberry, and apple sauce, the baked
Khaki QOD:ham glistened from the juicy pink meat to the almost black sheen of the thick
Khaki QOD:glaze Linda quarter with the scent and immediately started salivate.
Khaki QOD:The smell alone was enough to shake away the funk of the phone call.
Khaki QOD:Plastic forks and paper plates were handed out and then crammed
Khaki QOD:with enough food to compromise the structural integrity of the west.
Khaki QOD:Linda filled hers with mostly the ham potato salad and a pile of prawns.
Khaki QOD:She'd go back for the other salads later, the potatoes were soft and creamy with a
Khaki QOD:little too much mustard for her liking, but it was still the perfect comfort food.
Khaki QOD:She balanced the paper plate on her knees and cut herself a big fork full
Khaki QOD:of the ham, making sure to get a hefty scraping of the black goopy glaze.
Khaki QOD:Kay.
Khaki QOD:Sat down next to her.
Khaki QOD:She looked expectantly at Linda or more accurately at Linda's
Khaki QOD:ambitious forkful Linda smiled and shoved the meat into her muscle.
Khaki QOD:Car tongue lit up followed quickly by our eyes, citrus and
Khaki QOD:earthiness washed over her tongue.
Khaki QOD:Ultimately carrying the buttery fatty ham flavor with it.
Khaki QOD:It was so juicy.
Khaki QOD:How, and she was very surprised by how salty it wasn't.
Khaki QOD:If that made any sense, her dads have needed a good spoonful of cranberry or
Khaki QOD:apple sauce to cut through the briny flavor, but this hadn't needed nothing.
Khaki QOD:It did it all on its own.
Khaki QOD:She chewed for a moment and then almost squealed.
Khaki QOD:. What is that?
Khaki QOD:She asked through a muffled smile, a dark tweak, like sweetness spread
Khaki QOD:over her tongue as a piece of glaze, crusted fat danced over her taste
Khaki QOD:buds marmalade Kay answered, found the recipe online a few years ago.
Khaki QOD:Haven't had any complaints.
Khaki QOD:It's fucking amazing.
Khaki QOD:Linda Gridley Wolf down the rest of the meat, then just sat and let her mouth hang
Khaki QOD:on to the flavor, committing it to memory.
Khaki QOD:The prawns were next.
Khaki QOD:Linda removed the head and shell with delicate precise movements.
Khaki QOD:Then pop the flesh into her muzzle.
Khaki QOD:It tasted just like it did at home fresh ocean.
Khaki QOD:She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Khaki QOD:She finished the prawns, despite them making her think of her family, they
Khaki QOD:were still delicious after all, but now she wished she'd eaten them first.
Khaki QOD:Shaking.
Khaki QOD:The memory from her head was about as easy as shaking cobbler's
Khaki QOD:pegs from her for, but perhaps another round of ham would help.
Khaki QOD:She also collected a spoonful of each salad.
Khaki QOD:Like she promised before, returning back to her chair, Kay.
Khaki QOD:Was waiting for her and held up Linda's Woolworth bag.
Khaki QOD:Linda chuckled as mine.
Khaki QOD:Then Y Kay responded, reaching into the bag and pulling out a
Khaki QOD:gift wrapped in white and gold.
Khaki QOD:Doesn't have my name on it.
Khaki QOD:I was going to give that to you later.
Khaki QOD:Linda snatched the present away, but felt a small grin pulling out her cheeks.
Khaki QOD:Kay, just laughed now is the perfect time for presence, but she paused
Khaki QOD:to reach behind her generous.
Khaki QOD:When her poor came back up, it clutched a swaddle of bright pink paper held in place
Khaki QOD:with what looked like half a roll of tape.
Khaki QOD:I think you should go first.
Khaki QOD:Checking for ants before placing the plate of food on the grass.
Khaki QOD:Linda took the badly wrapped gift and tore away the paper with her claws inside was
Khaki QOD:a cardboard box that held a wine glass deep and patterned with a slight twist.
Khaki QOD:Oh my God.
Khaki QOD:It's crystal said Linda pulling it out of the box and letting
Khaki QOD:the sun shine through it.
Khaki QOD:It's beautiful.
Khaki QOD:Just like.
Khaki QOD:Okay.
Khaki QOD:Set it as a fact confident in certain, . It's a shame.
Khaki QOD:We don't have any wine to Christen it with.
Khaki QOD:Oh wait.
Khaki QOD:We do.
Khaki QOD:She pulled Linda's bottle out of the bag, cracked it open and started pouring down.
Khaki QOD:Worry.
Khaki QOD:I already washed it.
Khaki QOD:Then she poured herself some into a clear plastic.
Khaki QOD:Classy said Linda, they touched their glasses and drank Kay twitched her nose.
Khaki QOD:Mm that's.
Khaki QOD:Um, Linda started really cheap.
Khaki QOD:Kay.
Khaki QOD:Finished with a smile in the left and finished the glass.
Khaki QOD:Now open yours.
Khaki QOD:She handed back the neat white and gold colored.
Khaki QOD:The kangaroo ripped, open the wrapping paper to reveal a plastic container
Khaki QOD:inside where a dozen biscuits cut and iced to look like kangaroos at these
Khaki QOD:K glanced up at the kitchen where Linda's other box of biscuits set.
Khaki QOD:I made these for you first there for you.
Khaki QOD:And you only said Linda, the other is a leftover dough and a few burnt ones.
Khaki QOD:He little scam.
Khaki QOD:Okay.
Khaki QOD:Pulled her into a hug.
Khaki QOD:Then they relaxed into their chairs, the Jabber of their
Khaki QOD:friends drifting over them.
Khaki QOD:It felt good to take a moment.
Khaki QOD:These are really good said, Kay, biting a biscuit and half how'd you get the icing.
Khaki QOD:So straight practice, Linda breathed, a breeze rustled the mango tree.
Khaki QOD:It wrapped around them like silk slowly beating away the humidity of the day.
Khaki QOD:Kay.
Khaki QOD:Finished the.
Khaki QOD:How you doing Linda, let RSI one of those deep sighs that fills the lungs,
Khaki QOD:leaving a feeling of satisfaction.
Khaki QOD:When it all rashes out again, still kind of shaky about mum and dad.
Khaki QOD:I've no idea how I'm going to deal with that.
Khaki QOD:Family.
Khaki QOD:We'll do that to you, I'm finally having a good time today.
Khaki QOD:I'm glad I came.
Khaki QOD:I feel a lot better.
Khaki QOD:K smirked and friends will do that.
Khaki QOD:Linda's poor drifted to the kangaroos.
Khaki QOD:Merry Christmas.
Khaki QOD:Kay.
Khaki QOD:Merry Christmas, Linda, , Merry Christmas.
Khaki QOD:This was ham by Killick , read for you by cocky your faithful fireside companion.
Khaki QOD:You can find more stories on the web@thevoice.dog or find the show
Khaki QOD:wherever you get your podcasts.
Khaki QOD:Thank you for listening to the voice of dog.
