Page 23 of Alien Wants A Wife

Did you know, Chloe, that there’s a word in Mandarin that literally means ‘leftover women’, and it’s used to describe unmarried women over the age of about twenty-seven. Shèngnu. Well, I don’t want to be a leftover woman anymore. I want to find my person. I want to find love.

COMMENTATOR CHLOE:

Do you think vulnerability is a strength?

CITY SINGLE HARLEE:

Sheesh, I really hope so. Because I feel incredibly vulnerable, opening up about myself and my life in front of thousands of viewers.

COMMENTATOR CHLOE:

Billions.

CITY SINGLE HARLEE:

I’m sorry. What?

City Single Harlee does a double take, staring at Commentator Chloe.

COMMENTATOR CHLOE:

Billions of viewers watch LOVE GALAXY. There are going to be billions of people who see this interview.

CITY SINGLE HARLEE:

Oh…

City Single Harlee looks directly into the camera, eyes wide.

CITY SINGLE HARLEE:

Oh!

City Single Harlee swallows.

CITY SINGLE HARLEE:

Right. Well… I suppose I should introduce myself p-properly then, to thebillionsof p-people watching. Hi, everyone. I’m Harlee Jun. I’m a Human from the p-planet Earth, from the Milky Way Galaxy, and I’m doing all of this with the express hope of finding the love of my life.

COMMENTATOR CHLOE:

Your Mate.

CITY SINGLE HARLEE:

Sorry? Oh, right. My Mate. Yes, I’m searching for my Mate.

City Single Harlee turns back to Commentator Chloe.

CITY SINGLE HARLEE:

*whispers* Did that sound genuine enough, or should we do a retake? I think I could do better.

Roan

“Harlee.” I pause in the ship’s central passageway in front of the open door through which Harlee is exiting a brightly-lit room. Behind her, I catch sight of LOVE GALAXY wallpaper. Then John Smith is standing before me.

It is a tight fit; the ship was not designed to have so many people lingering.