Page 2 of What Makes an Alien a Dad?

I got up from the small table on the rooftop terrace of the hospital building in Voran that had been my home since my arrival on Neron. My nose started to prickle from the inside, and my vision blurred. I blinked to clear the haze, but it barely helped.

The text on the tablet screen appeared to swim.

“I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to tell you, but it is what it is. I want to be single, Maya. Properly single, without having a girlfriend out there among the stars somewhere...”

A sob bubbled up my throat, and I threw a hand over my mouth.

The beautiful rooftop gardens weren’t crowded, but there were people around. A few hospital technicians in white coveralls strolled along the mosaic stone paths. A couple were sitting on a bench two tables away from me, having lunch.

I tried to hide my face from view, hiding behind my dark, long hair.

Ten years... I’d been with Walter for ten years, and all it took for our relationship to fall apart was a few months spent away from each other.

“I hate to hurt you, Pooh Bear, but I have to be completely honest here. Maybe I just don’t love you enough to go ahead with this commitment. Maybe I grew to love my single life too much. I never really had a chance to be single before...”

My next breath came rough and coarse. I hurried along the path. My chest tightened. Tears burned behind my eyelids, but I couldn’t let them out in public.

How could he?

How could he do this to me when I’m millions of miles away from home? I was the only human in this entire hospital. As part of the study, I wasn’t allowed to leave, to socialize, or to make friends with anyone outside of the premises.

Walter was my main connection to the outside world. And now, he was leaving me...

I sniffled, desperately trying to hold back my tears.

“Are you alright?” one of the technicians asked sympathetically while passing by.

His kindness undid me.

I nodded, hiding behind my hair, and almost sprinted around the tall hedge toward the exit. But I didn’t make it. Tears ran down my face in a torrential stream. My knees gave out.

Two Voranian nurses appeared up ahead. The last thing I wanted was to cause a scene. I scrambled off the path and under the nearest tree. Crouching, I climbed into a bush with big yellow flowers and let the tears flow.

I felt so alone, like I was the only person in the entire Universe.

Chapter 2

---