Page 62 of What Makes an Alien a Dad?

Professor Egus came closer.

“I’m sorry he upset you, though I’m not surprised that he did. In fact, I was expecting something like that to happen much sooner.”

“Why?”

“Many of us in the scientific community lack social skills to some degree. It comes from the nature of our occupation—we tend to live in our heads more than in the real world. But with Thormus, it’s especially obvious. With colleagues, he manages to interact with some efficiency. But I had little faith in his abilities when he attempted to build a friendship with you outside of his study.”

My heart pinched with sadness. I glanced back at the window to hide my expression. I’d cherished my friendship with Kear. But it had fallen apart already, even before I’d discovered how he’d walked all over my trust and my feelings, stomped all over them with those polished hooves of his.

“Whatever he did,” Professor Egus continued, “you didn’t deserve it. I’m very sorry he spoiled what was supposed to be a lovely evening. May I offer myself as your dinner date after all? I promise to do my best to salvage the situation and ensure you have fun while dancing tonight.”

“It’s very kind of you, Professor Egus, but I’m afraid I’m no longer in a dancing mood. I’ll be leaving as soon as possible.”

Dinner and dance might help to put Kear and his lies out of my head for a while. But all I really wished to do right now was to lock myself in my apartment and eat unhealthy amounts of healthy hospital food. Sadly, there was no hope of getting any cupcakes at this time of the night.

“In this case, allow me to fly you home,” Professor Egus offered.

Would his company be any better than Kear’s? Kear had a strong possessive streak when it came to me, at least for the duration of the study. He’d hate for me to leave with the man he largely disliked for no apparent reason.

The idea of pissing Kear off brought some satisfaction, but it flitted away quickly. Deep inside, I knew that hurting him in retaliation wouldn’t really make me feel any better in the long run.

“Thank you, but I’ll wait for Ke...for Professor Thormus to fly me back to the hospital.”

“He’ll probably stay for the rest of the evening. He needs to mingle with all the important people now, since he’s been pretty much the star of every assembly since you came along. Me, on the other hand...” He smiled. “I’m free to leave anytime I please. No one would miss me.”

Still, it didn’t feel right leaving with Egus. I barely knew him.

He noticed my hesitation. “At the very least, please let me call you a taxi.”

That seemed like the optimal solution. Taking a taxi aircraft meant I wouldn’t have to endure Kear’s company on the way back to the hospital. The less I saw of that man tonight, the better.

I nodded. “Thank you. That would work.”

Egus stepped aside to the nearest AI drone and placed an order for a taxi out of my earshot while I stared out the window again.

It was hard to process the elaborate lie that had stretched over the past three and a half months. How could I have been so wrong about Kear? I thought I knew him. I thought he cared about me, at least a little bit. But all he really cared about was his work and what I represented in it.

“All set.” Professor Egus headed back to me.

I sniffled and quickly wiped off an errant tear from my cheek.

“Great. Thank you.”

He cupped my elbow. “Allow me to escort you to the aircraft.”

Thankfully, we didn’t have to return to the stage area. The last thing I wanted was to face the crowd with my eyes swollen and my nose running.

Instead, Professor Egus took me up a narrow staircase on the side of the room. We exited onto the rooftop terrace with the tables ready for a lavish dinner. My stomach spasmed at the thought of eating dinner while sitting next to Kear and thinking about what he’d done.

I absolutely had to leave.

“This way, please.” Egus led me to an aircraft parked at the edge of the terrace.

As was typical for the Voranian taxies operated by an AI, the aircraft had no driver. I climbed into the passenger’s seat and found the seat belt.

“Would you let Professor Thormus know I left, please?” I asked Egus.

Unexpectedly, he climbed into the driver’s seat.

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