'Right. Formal contract later.' That's easy enough, for something as simple as language lessons. Easy to make fair. But the rest...
Tayrey frowns. 'I wasn't going to say anything, Erin, given I know I'm hardly any better, but you do look rough. Within the boundaries of our contract, I've got to ask if you'd rather hold off on the difficult conversations, because - I can extend the benefit of the doubt, but you know me. If I don't like what you have to say, I can't pretend I do. And by rights I should be robust enough to hear anything. Freedom of speech matters. But I'm... damaged, Erin. I can't tell how bad. I might not be up to it. I can't do anything about that right now, but I- is there anything I can do for you? Materially, to help?'
It's a hard admission for her to make. Freedom was supposed to solve everything. It hasn't. The scars on her body might be gone, but there are people here she can't even look at without a jolt of panic. Hard to keep it all in proportion, and criticism of basic Tradeline customs would only be a reminder of how alone she is.
Although nobody on the construction site had cared about those differences, just that she pulled her weight at work, and she was more than capable of doing that. Maybe it's just a matter of finding the right places, she thinks.
no subject
Tayrey frowns. 'I wasn't going to say anything, Erin, given I know I'm hardly any better, but you do look rough. Within the boundaries of our contract, I've got to ask if you'd rather hold off on the difficult conversations, because - I can extend the benefit of the doubt, but you know me. If I don't like what you have to say, I can't pretend I do. And by rights I should be robust enough to hear anything. Freedom of speech matters. But I'm... damaged, Erin. I can't tell how bad. I might not be up to it. I can't do anything about that right now, but I- is there anything I can do for you? Materially, to help?'
It's a hard admission for her to make. Freedom was supposed to solve everything. It hasn't. The scars on her body might be gone, but there are people here she can't even look at without a jolt of panic. Hard to keep it all in proportion, and criticism of basic Tradeline customs would only be a reminder of how alone she is.
Although nobody on the construction site had cared about those differences, just that she pulled her weight at work, and she was more than capable of doing that. Maybe it's just a matter of finding the right places, she thinks.