Чужак в чужой стране

           Look,darlings,Itrustyoubothutterly.ButIjustwantyoutorememberthatthisisChurchthingsI’mtellingyou,soyoumustn’tevertellanyone?justasIwouldn’ttellanythingaboutyou."

           Mikenodded."HereonEarthwesometimescallit‘waterbrother’business.OnMarsthere’snoproblem?buthereIgrokthattheresometimesis.‘Waterbrother’businessyoudon’trepeat."

           "I?I,’Grok.’That’safunnyword,butI’mlearningit,Allright,darlings,thisis‘waterbrother’business.DidyouknowthatallFosteritesaretattooed?RealChurchmembersImean,theoneswhoareeternallysavedforeverandeverandaday–likeme?Oh,Idon’tmeantattooedallover,thewayIam,but–look,seethat?Rightovermyheart?see?That’sFoster’sholykiss.Georgeworkeditintothedesignsothatitlookslikepartofthepictureit’sin?sothatnobodycouldguessunlessItold’em.Butit’shiskiss–andFosterputittherehisself!"Shelookedecstaticallyproud.

           Theybothexaminedit."Itisakissmark,"Jillsaidwonderingly."Justlikesomebodyhadkissedyoutherewearinglipstick.But,untilyoushowedus,Ithoughtitwaspartofthatsunset."

           "Yes,indeedy,that’swhyGeorgedidit.Becauseyoudon’tgoshowingFoster’skisstoanyonewhodoesn’twearFoster’skiss–andIneverhave,uptonow.But,"sheinsisted,"I’msureyou’regoingtowearone,bothofyou,someday–andwhenyoudo,Iwanttobetheonetotattoo’emon."