Page 36 of His Human Librarian

Sten looks agitated. “I was just told that you are leaving. Why? You could stay here and work locally. Didn’t you say you could do that?”

“I did say that but it’s not going to happen.” I turn and walk away. There is no way in hells I’m working on Sten’s property both day and night, with him not remembering what we shared. He might eventually remember and then feel embarrassment that it happened, or he may never remember. It’s heartbreaking. Just last night I was going for a walk in the garden and overheard his mother discussing with him how she wanted to set him up on a date with an eligible female and he responded that it was a good idea.

“I want you to stay and work on the tablets here, on the ranch, in the shed.”

I glance back. “Really?”

“You can live in the ranch house again while this happens.”

I cross my arms. “Because you want to be pleasure mates?”

“What? No. I haven’t done anything to make you think such a thing. Why would you say that? Our relationship is strictly professional.”

My lips twitch. “Sorry, I was joking. There’s no reason.”

“I want you to stay because I learned you saved my life in that cave and I wanted to say thank you and offer you the ability to…to stay.”

“That’s the only reason why you want me to remain here instead of completing my work on Gravian?”

“No,” he shakes his head, “there isn’t another reason and there never would be.”

“Of course. Sorry for my inappropriate joke from earlier. I think I’m just tired and getting silly because I need more sleep. Thank you for your offer but I prefer to work in the lab at headquarters.” I turn away and pick up my tablet again. “I need to send one more batch of boxes before I leave.”

He stares at me, a puff of black smoke billows from his nostrils. “Goodbye, Taylor.”

“Goodbye, Sten.”

Then he turns and marches away in the opposite direction.

I watch him through the window as he walks along the path back to the ranch house. Then I shrug, wipe away my tears and get back to work.

I have to get out of this place.

Three months later…

After I left Tarvos that last time, I might have been a little bit testy.

Maybe overly upset at how that night of passion and dare I say, love, between us had been so easily forgotten. Although it's not like he forgot because he chose to forget. Sten was physically hurt, even the med lab couldn't fix amnesia. This is a well-known thing. Some brain injuries the med lab can't fix, and amnesia is one of them. It’s one of the great mysteries of intergalactic medical science.

I left as soon as possible and returned to headquarters on Gravian, back to my small antiseptic apartment and I’ve never corresponded directly with Sten Sandstone since the moment I left. I continue the work on the project, restoring those precious Hyrrokin tablets, but I’ve had my assistant respond to any questions from Sten or any missives.

I talk often to Hugsen Blackstone and who, it turns out, is a delightful Hyrrokin, and I enjoy working with him. He’sextremely helpful and he talks to Sten for me. Between Hugsen and my assistant, I've been able to avoid speaking to Sten.

He has sent me messages, none of which I've read.

I know it's terrible, but it's too painful. I don't want to hear him talking in his cold tone as if I'm just any other Librarian, and in that same way he did before the cave, where he acted like we were basically enemies.

But then two months ago, I started throwing up, and I was not sick. I finally went to the med lab to see what was wrong, only to discover I was pregnant, and the baby was half Hyrrokin. Luckily for me, everything that happens at the med lab, is confidential. So no one else knows but me. What was I to do?

First, I cried.

Then I smiled.

Then cried again.

But in the end, I was happy and decided to keep my baby. I had wanted to start a family anyway and was ready for this stage in my life. I’d just wanted a husband to go along with the baby. But if I need to, I can do this alone.

But this also means I have to tell Sten. He deserves the chance to be a part of his child’s life. He might want to be a father to this child. And he if doesn’t want that, at least I know and I’ll carry on and raise the child on my own, on Gravian.

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