Chapter 21: When We Hurt Each Other Part 1
They tried to get Andrea married the first day she could walk.
Not that she understood what they were doing at first. The only difference between that day and the ones before was the cavemen didn't stand over her and talk at her, but stood next to her and talked at her.
Sorry, not cavemen.
"Ethlek?" Andrea said, pointing at Vrem.
"Eethlek," he corrected, indicating a white-eyed old woman plaiting palm-fronds. "Ethlek." Waving at a group of passing men.
"One Eethlek?" Andrea held up a finger. "Many Ethlek?" Flashed her hand.
"Nuhrrnabbt!" said Vrem, "Nirrnah!" Which meant "Finger! Hand!"
"She said 'one' and 'many,' you stupid puppy," said Mree, or something very much like that.
The two Ethlek, if that was the correct plural, were involved in something that wasn't a conversation, or really a language lesson, but a running stereo narrative of everything they saw.