Chapter 116

Dinner was something unusual. Instead of taking trays up to the front and getting their food each table was given a baking sheet covered in white corn tortilla chips covered in black beans and vegetables and dripping with cheese. Each person was given a tray of salsa and fixings.

Jay took a medium peach salsa, a bowl of sour cream, and a bowl of guacamole. Norri took a mild tomato salsa. Aiden and M'redith both took bowls of spicy salsa and guacamole. It seemed that sour cream wasn't as popular as Jay would have thought.

They took a seat at a table and began to tear off tortilla chips heaped with black beans, green peppers, bits of corn, and plenty of cheese. Almost too much cheese really.

Beverages were non-alcoholic carbonated beverages. Jay had taken a ginger-ale that tasted a lot like the ones he used to drink back on Earth.

Jay was well recognized at this point and a few people actually approached him for aura cleanings after they had sat down and started to eat. Jay was happy to do a few at first but the smell of food finally took up his attention.

“Look,” he finally said to a group of younger students. A new class had most likely started up that Wednesday and the students were desperate for a bath. “I'm starving,” Jay said, “but I don't have to actually do anything. So I don't mean to be rude but I'm going to focus on eating for a bit. When someone is done I'll let you know to make room for the next person, ok?” Jay asked kindly.

The group of younger students all nodded in agreement and one of them stepped up next to Jay and Jay activated his aura but focused on eating, not talking with the person being cleaned.

The young man looked on as Jay and his friends ate and discussed their planned night.

“We don't all have to go with you to the bank do we Jay?” Norri asked in between bites of extra cheesy looking tortilla chips.

Jay shook his head. “Not really. If you want we can just all meet up at Redgrass around 8?”

M'redith laughed, “I mean, sure, we can do that, but the place might be almost empty at that hour.”

Jay shrugged, “Who cares? As long as you guys are there and maybe C'nthia and her group then I'm happy.”

Aiden chuckled but did not stop eating. “You're an emotional sap sometimes you know that?” Aiden said while also chewing.

“Ew. Eat with your mouth closed!” Norri teased him.

Jay felt a disturbance in his aura as if it was no longer working quite as hard. “You're all set,” he told the young man standing close to him. Each person cleaned had left a coin or coins on the table next to Jay. He had left them there as he planned on taking them when it was time to leave. “Next?” he asked kindly and a girl not quite yet an adult but close took the young man's spot. Jay left the aura on and it went to work on the girl next to him. M'redith looked over at one point but decided nothing inappropriate was going on so she went back and focused on her meal.

“If we don't all have to go to the bank I think I'll visit Aisha before we meet up at Redgrass. I won't bring her there, I'll drop by her work and say hi.” Aiden said carefully.

Jay shrugged and looked a little confused. “Doesn't matter. Bring her if you want. It'll be fine.”

Norri laughed at Jay for a moment before Jay finally gave in. “What did I say this time?” he asked with a smile.

Norri looked at him with a patient face, “He likes Aisha. But he also likes C'nthia - who may be at Redgrass tonight. Can you think of any reason why it might not be a great idea to have Aisha and C'nthia in the same room when Aiden still hasn't made up his mind on what or who he wants?”

Aiden coughed and sputtered on his salsa for a moment.

“Too spicy?” M'redith asked with a sly smile.

“No,” Aiden coughed out, “I was just picturing what the two of them meeting each other might look like. I think I'll keep them separate for now.”

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“Or you could just choose one.” M'redith offered.

Aiden thought about it before he shook his head. “Not yet.”

M'redith chuckled, “Fine. Don't wait too long though or they'll figure it out themselves.”

They ate quietly for a few minutes and Jay swapped people in and out of his aura as time went on. Finally everyone had eaten and the line for aura cleanings had died down completely. Although the bath house was still not working most people were planning on using a bath house in the city that night. Some, with partners. Baths could be a lot of fun.

Jay took everyone's trays as well as the now completely empty baking sheet up to the counter for cleaning.

“You going with him to the bank?” Norri asked as she turned to face M'redith who was leaning back in her chair with her hands clasped behind her head.

“I think he'll be ok on his own. I want to head back to my room and get a few things done. I think we can all meet up at 8. How about you, any plans?” M'redith asked Norri.

Norri shrugged. “Nothing really. I suppose I could do laundry? It's nice having Jay clean what I'm wearing sometimes but that doesn't clean all of the clothes I own. I still need to do a load I think. Guess I'll take care of that and then meet up with you guys later.”

Jay returned and everyone got up. “Where to next?” Jay asked.

“We're all heading off in separate directions but we'll see you tonight, ok?” M'redith said sweetly and planted a quick kiss on his cheek before sliding past him and out the doors. Aiden and Norri said goodbye as well and headed off in different directions.

“Guess it's just me.” Jay said to himself. A couple of nearby diners looked at him strangely as he was talking to himself while standing alone in the middle of the dining hall. Jay finally realized what he was doing and got out of there. Time to finally go visit Boland.

It was dark out when Jay finally stepped out from the dining hall and in to the open air. It smelled of the city, of a Friday night where anything could happen. There was still just enough light to see by and many of the surrounding buildings were brightly lit and covered the surrounding area with their glow.

Jay caught a cart and gave the driver Boland's address as the destination. Jay sprawled out in the back of the cart as it lurched in to motion, the stars twinkling above them. He enjoyed the sights and sounds as they passed through intersections and in front of bakeries and shops that sold tiny magical items as they waited for other traffic to make way for them.

Arriving at his stop Jay popped up and out of the cart, paid the driver, and headed in to the large ornate building.

Jay was met by a doorman who politely inquired as to his business. Jay fished Boland's card out of his pocket and the man respectfully ushered Jay further inside and passed him off to a stunning looking receptionist in a beautiful cream and blue colored dress.

Jay was brought up to Boland's office and left just outside of it. The room was a waiting room and had a number of chairs and a couch arranged about the room. Jay took a seat on the couch and it hugged his body softly as he sat down.

A moment later he felt something almost as if the couch had made a grabbing motion at his upper back.

Jay shouted and leapt to his feet. He turned around as fast as he could but the couch just looked like a couch. Three cushions wide, big ornate arms, and a thick plush covering, the couch looked like nothing other than a couch.

Jay carefully sat down again and was relieved when nothing happened. He leaned back slowly and was just relaxing when he could feel the couch rubbing at his back.

Jay leapt off of the couch again just as the doors to Boland's office opened up to show a grinning Boland dressed in a gray suit watching him.

“It's a massaging couch, it's not alive or anything. You never seen one of those before? Never mind, come on in. Sorry to keep you waiting! Have a seat, I promise it won't try to massage you!” Boland said with a laugh as he waved Jay to come inside the office.

Jay walked away from the couch and shook his head. He would prefer to never feel a couch grab at his back ever again.

Jay entered the office and sat in a wonderful non-massaging wooden chair with a bright red four corner cushion set atop it.

“If you think that was bad just try laying down on it!” Boland said with a crazy grin.

Jay shivered at the thought and tried to get it out of his mind.

“Sorry!” Boland said with a grin that let Jay know he was amused, not sorry.

“Now, what brings you here!” Boland asked.

Jay emptied a sack of coins on to Boland's desk and then added to the pile as he pulled coins out of various pockets. Finally he stopped and the two men stared at the pile of copper, silver, and even gold coins that sat on the desk between them.

“I'd like to make a deposit.” Jay said with a laugh as Boland eyed the coins appreciatively.