Itâs time for the mid-week sneak-peek at the upcoming addition to On the Job!
This is from the second half of the new First Chapter (I know this sounds complicated, but thatâs what the links are for!).
Her stomach growled noisily. Hera rolled her eyes. Yes. She even needed food.
âSounds like those slices of meiloorun have worn off,â Kanan chuckled holding something out to her. âHere. I thought youâd like this.â
Hera eyed the oversized waxed-paper cup billowing with steam. âWhat is it?â she asked pulling it to her nose. A warm, hearty haze enveloped her face and filled her nostrils. Her mouth began watering immediately, recognizing what she was holding before she did. âShaala stew?â she gawked. âWhere did you find this?â
Kanan nodded at one of the food stalls lining the atrium. âThereâs an âOuter Rimâ place over there. Couple of Sullustans running it. Nice folks.â
Hera breathed in the rich aroma and took a sip of dark brown broth. A long slice of ribboned shaala slurped into her mouth. The mushroomâs astringent, earthy flavor washed over her tongue and pulled her mind into a time and place far, far away. Chewing slowly, she savored the flavor and breathed in the steam again. She could almost see the cool, dry caves snaking beneath the desert. Itâd been years since sheâd tasted Rylothian home-cooking. Sheâd have to meet the Sullustans whoâd made it and compliment them.
âGood?â Kananâs voice gently invaded her reverie.
Eyes still closed, Hera took another sip. âYes,â she answered and pressed her hands into the cup. It was already half empty, but she didnât care.
âGood,â he said, and something in his voice made her open her eyes. Kanan was smiling as he produced a second cup from behind his back. âBecause I got you two,â he winked.
Hera reached for the cup, carefully taking it from Kananâs fingers like a child taking a precious piece of candy. âThank you,â she murmured, mouth quirking up at the corner. âThat was reallyâŚâ she searched for a word, but all she could think to say was, âthoughtful.â
âWell, I ate most of that meiloorun this morning. I figured youâd be hungry.â He shrugged nonchalantly, but Hera caught the way his eyes lingered on her face, as if he was worried that heâd somehow done something wrong.
His arms dropped to his sides with a slap and Hera looked at his empty hands. âDid you get anything for yourself?â she asked.
âNot yet. Shaalaâs a little too strong for me, but thereâs a sandwich place over that way Iâll hit up when Iâm done at Spaceport Control. Looks like thereâs a two for one deal on today.â
Hera nodded and raised the half-drunk cup to her lips. Just like sheâs hoped, the munch fungus had all gathered at the bottom. She tipped the cup back and savored the slippery, bubble-like mushrooms as they danced along her tongue.
Opening her eyes, Hera let out a long, satisfied sigh. Kanan was right where sheâd left him: leaning against the display, watching her with a little smile. Hera braced herself for some self-aggrandizing remark about his innate thoughtfulness, but it never came. Now that she thought about it, itâd been a while since Kanan had said something like that.