Page 5 of Forever

“Uh, no. Dancing is something new. Moxy was kind enough to show me. I’m here to experience terran life. Immersion, I believe, is the correct word.” I offered a slight nod and smile to the defensive man.

Moxy leaned forward to Jefferson. “Why are you here and with Kenna?” Her eyes widened. She spoke to the man as if the child couldn’t hear, but the poor one heard everything and shrunk back from the obvious mutual angst.

Jefferson chuckled. “We have to eat too. Is there a law that says I can’t bring my daughter to the finest steak house in the city? Besides, we thought mommy was working and how did we know you’d be working here?”

Ahem. “I’m sorry. Moxy, the buffalo steak was delicious. I’ll excuse myself. Perhaps I’ve overstepped my bounds.” I scoot to the edge to stand and Moxy grabs my arm holding me in place.

“No, Do’Thortn, you stay. Jefferson, what does it matter to you where and how I do my job? It didn’t seem to matter before. Like ships in the night passing without so much as a single word. Do’Thortn is here from another planet and I’m not about to justdrop him at his hotel after the meetings. He didn’t do that to me on Zorlox.”

“Clearly.” Jefferson’s eyes rolled. Little Kenna just stared ahead, her face stoic.

“Are you… No. We’re not doing this here. You have your liaisons to entertain and do whatever. I never make a scene with you.”

Jefferson laughed sarcastically. “I’m not the one making a scene, Moxy.”

“Aren’t you?”

I pulled from her grip. “I am grateful for the taste of your culture. It’s been a long day. I can take a cab to my hotel. Moxy, spend some time with your husband and daughter.” I nodded to them.

“Husband is a loose term. Right, Jefferson?” Moxy’s eyes flashed at him.

He nodded curtly, his face devoid of a smile. Already, I’ve caused too much of a problem. That’s not how a Zorloxian acts.

“No, Moxy. I’m heading to the hotel. You stay. I’ll see you tomorrow during the meetings.” I stepped away before she could react. Her anger toward Jefferson was clear. I didn’t want to be responsible for the impending inferno that threatened to make a scene at the restaurant.

Once outside, the cabs lined the curb and I grabbed one easily enough. My breath held until I made it to my hotel. Clearly, I presented an issue. Yet my hearts pounded delightfully in unison.

The best thing I could do to remedy this situation was to leave Earth and never look back. Living with the fact that my fatedmate is a terran with a terran husband would be easier from Zorlox. I counted the minutes until my time on Earth came to an end. The faster the better.

CHAPTER 5

Moxy

I couldn’t speak to Jefferson after Do’Thortn left. Kenna’s face said it all and she was confused and upset. We went home and put her to bed, giving her happy faces, making her little stressed body relax enough to sleep.

The moment we entered the den on the other side of the home and out of Kenna’s earshot, I turned to Jefferson with an angry face.

His hand came up immediately and he shook his head. “I don’t care what you do in your spare time, Moxy. Maybe a heads up on where you plan to bring your alien lovers so I don’t subject our daughter to your shenanigans.” His voice was even and calm and quiet.

“Do’Thortn is not my lover. I’m not having shenanigans.”

“It looked very cozy to me, Moxy. Not that I really care who you sleep with or what you do. Just stating facts. We agreed not to expose our daughter to this.”

I sat on the chair, my face burning with the anger that wanted to yell, but for Kenna’s sake, I kept my voice low and calm. “He and I are not lovers. He wanted to experience dancing.”

He sat on the recliner and relaxed. “I really don’t care if you are or aren’t. But we agreed not to expose Kenna to it.”

“It’s not that. And I didn’t know you’d bring her to a steakhouse and bar for dinner.” I sucked in a deep breath. This conversation was ridiculous.

“I think keeping Kenna out of it is too much. What are we teaching her by doing this, Moxy?”

“We’re giving her a calm upbringing. She can handle her parents splitting better when she’s older.”

“Until then, we pretend and make her think her world is peachy. It’s a bad lesson, I think. We had fifteen years to get it right and the only right thing that emerged from our marriage is Kenna.”

“I agree. If I could go back in time, I’d do things differently. Kenna would come about regardless. You and I were broken from the beginning. A career move, a political power couple. We’re anything but. A sham. A lie. A big fat lie. And you’re right. We need a clean break for Kenna’s sake. Show we can get along amicably apart. No more pretending.”

“That’s the best thing you’ve said this evening.” His eyes bored into me like accusing arrows piercing into my heart.

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