Page 46 of HaL

“I am upset simply because I hate falseness, and I trusted her more than anyone else. My mind says it changes nothing, but I wonder what else she has kept from me, and whether she would have ever told me the truth if not for you. But I am also going to have words with Father; he never once revealed her secret, so I was lied to on both sides.”

“Ughh, it sucks ass, I get it! But being mad at either of them is not going to change one second. Give yourself a few days to roll it over in your mind before you say anything. She said my arm was healed, but that I still needed to be careful, so we won’t have to run right out to see her in the morning. But remember, even though she screwed up, she is still your mom, and I’m sure she is beating herself up right now. I would do anything to see and talk to my parents again, but that doesn’t mean you should push your feelings away. You have every right to be pissed. But don’t let that ruin a good thing and say what you need to … but remember tomorrow is not promised, and you don’t want any of that to be the last memories.

So, were you the first to find this place?”

“I was, or I thought I was the first to discover this cavern. Because I had never seen anything like it before, I had the water tested, and it was rich in healing minerals. I have spent many a darkness in the cooler end, watching the stars. I enjoy the initial plunge into this warmer section, but soon I will have to start moving toward the other end and the cooler water. I will still remain with you though.”

“Even though I don’t know a ton about you, except that you smell good and are extremely comfortable to snuggle against, you’re already one of my favorite people in the world.”

“What would you like to know, little Roja? But you should know it is hard to concentrate with your mammary glands floating in the water.”

“Breasts sweetness … tits, boobs anything but mammary glands … you make me sound like a breeding heifer! Hmmm, now, quit distracting me, what’s your favorite color?”

“Red.”

“Why do I already sense a pattern here?”

“What is your favorite food?”

“Bread.”

“Bread, no way?!”

“It is true I would have said stag steaks at one time, but since we started trading for flour, it has become bread.”

“Okay, glad I asked that one … favorite thing to do when you are not working, like a hobby.”

“I enjoy racing across the snow dunes in my personal speeder.”

“That sounds fun. Do you guys have snowball fights, or maybe ski?”

“Oh yes, but I would not recommend that you to engage with any of us since your hands are way too small to make snowballs big enough to damage one of us.”

“Hell, that’s not supposed to be a full-contact sport. It’s snowballs, for heaven’s sake, but I will remember that. Note to self: no snowball fights with abominable snowmen.”

I make little air quotes in the sky, and he shakes his head, fighting a smile, but there is no missing his eyes constantly drifting down my body that is clearly on display in this water.

“It is very difficult to sit here with you like this Roja, knowing you are without coverings.”

I feel his hand flex against my side.

“Your skin is so soft and delicate under my fingertips that I worry I will inadvertently hurt you.”

“I’m tougher than you think, HaL. Have you ever been here with a girl?”

“No, our kind do not invite others into our private sanctuaries.”

“You guys gotta work on that. I’m beginning to think that the reason why your race is diminishing is due to your own laws and beliefs. Did you not want to be a father yourself?”

“I would love to have a dozen little ones running around someday, but until you came into my life, that was not something I allowed myself to even think about. But you are right, if my race is going to advance and continue to grow, then we need to be willing to rethink some of the things we have been taught for most of our lives. Hopefully, you will be able to help me show them things can be different and change some of those beliefs along the way.”

“You know, little ones don’t really get delivered by a stork.”

“I am not sure what that is.”

“Kind of folklore or maybe just a cartoon on Earth. When I was little, I was convinced that all babies were delivered by a huge-ass bird. Now that I say that out loud, it does sound silly. But I think it was a way for parents to avoid talking about the birds and the bees until their kids were old enough.”

“Each of your words is losing me more my little Roja, and I am beginning to think you are doing some of this on purpose. Or maybe I need to start researching your kind more?”