Page 69 of Malliko
“No, May fifteenth.”
“In five weeks. But that’s so close to the end of the school year. Why not wait and let them finish?”
“Because of my contract… it’s complicated.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s not that complicated. The date is just another example of you putting your own needs first. You know what, Jeremy? Right now, the boys are too young to see how selfish and manipulative you are. At some point they’ll realize how you use people and how you came between me and them.”
“Oh, come on. Do you even hear yourself? Our boys live in luxury. You can’t blame them for not wanting to go to that shitty apartment you call home.”
His words triggered me, and I hissed. “Do you think Iwantto live there? Maybe I could have afforded something better if I didn’t have to pay offyourstudent loan.”
“You’re always bitching about that. Get over it.”
He began walking but I followed him out of the restaurant. “It would be a lot easier to get over if I had gotten something for that money. You got a law degree, what did I get?”
He kept walking. “How about the two beautiful sons I gave you?”
Before I could answer, he was inside the white SUV and slammed the door. I wanted to scream when he backed out of the parking space and took off.
Getting into my own old scrappy car, I couldn’t hold back my tears any longer. My sons were moving to China and apparently there was nothing I could do about it. Letting out a cry of frustration I turned the key in the ignition, but the engine wouldn’t start. On the dashboard the engine symbol blinked red. The clicking sound felt like the eternal soundtrack to my life where nothing ever seemed to be running smoothly.
CHAPTER 20
Too Many Captains
Malliko
The docking area ofCammin-214wasn’t a bustling area of activity like on some of the largest spaceships I had visited. The metallic walls glistened in the bright, fluorescent lights, and the various clicks and beeps of the machinery all added to the ambience. There were two automated docking bays, each of which had an array of blinking lights and digital displays that indicated the status of the ships. Cacala’s shuttle was occupying one of the bays.
When we entered the area, we saw Cacala sitting with her feet dangling from one of the ramps. She was drinking something and looking through the large panorama window that showed the blue planet in the distance.
Her whole face lit up when she saw us, and she reached out her arm to Nerix. “Pull me up, cousin.”
With a smug smile, he grabbed her wrist and yanked her to her feet in a way that made her scream as her body flew up. Nerix thought it was funny while Lios and I instinctively reached out our hands to make sure she didn’t fall.
“Relax,” he told us when Cacala stood on her feet, a little shaken.
“There was no need for that,” Lios reprimanded Nerix but just like he had done with me as his leader, Nerix ignored Lios as well. Instead, he told Cacala, “We need your landing permit.”
She looked from him to me. “What is he talking about?”
“They want to take me down to Earth and see the planet for themselves.”
“No.” Her face hardened.
Lios stepped closer to her and with a soft voice he said, “I’m sure it’s routine for you by now, but few ever get to land on the Earth, and we would be forever grateful if…”
Cacala didn’t wait for Lios to finish before she repeated, “No.”
Nerix sighed. “Why do you have to be difficult?”
“You all get to go on great adventures throughout the Universe. Earth ismything. Myprivilege.”
Lios looked into her eyes, and I could tell he was using his persuasive powers with her when he spoke. “We understand and that’s why we’re so impressed with your generosity in letting us take Malliko to Earth.”
Cacala took a step back. “I don’t care how cute your ears are, don’t cloud my mind or I’ll report you.”
I felt the reaction from the entire team. Getting reported for mind clouding was a serious accusation.
