1505 15.05 XORIYO

15.05 XORIYO

Her mother and the boys go to the shop with the vouchers they were given at Angel Lodge.

Xoriyo likes being with her father without the others, but today he is tight. Yesterday he taught her the queens, but today he is clenching his teeth and doing that rubbing with the back of his thumb where the hair stops on his neck.

She knows to not to ask questions, not to ask him to remind her of the names of things.

Xoriyo likes the Queen of Just Is.

The Victory Queen just looks cross.

They could both do with a clean.

When they see the English lady from the cafe again Xoriyo laughs, she thinks the lady should be called Gool Queen. A lioness. Xoriyo tries her English, ‘Hello. Hello …’ and then silently in her head … Gool Queen. Lioness. Majesty.

The English lady pretends she has not heard, then she pretends to be surprised, then she pretends to smile.