Page 26 of Farborn

I must be careful. Rash action can lead to lifelong regret, if one is not cautious.

I must know more about Davies and spend extensive time with him before giving in to physical urges.

If he is someone worthy of me reconsidering how I live my life, he will not mind me being cautious.

If he does mind, then I suppose he is not worthy.

* * * *

It is unsurprising that I sleep well that night.

Whatissurprising to me is how eager I feel upon awaking the next morning, and how my first thought is not of my morning routine, as is usual for me.

My first thought is of Davies.

Yet another new experience for me.

If I ever awaken thinking of someone else, it is usually my family, because I miss phem. Or, as I recently experienced, because someone—such as La’loorn—annoyed or vexed me at work, and I know I will be dealing with them today.

There is definitely no annoyance in my thoughts regarding Davies. I am eagerly anticipating our dinner tonight.

When I arrive at work, Fullstein is in the master control room and studies me with a dark scowl on his face.

“What is wrong?” I ask him.

“I could askyouthat, boss.”

“What do you mean?”

“What happened toyou?” he asks.

Confusion fills my thoughts. “I do not understand.”

He motions at me. “You look…happy.”

“I do?”

“Yes. I’ve never seen you look like this before. Did getting rid of La’loorn really make that much of a difference in your mood? Because if so, let’skeephim gone. Permanently.”

I think about Davies, our dinner last night, and our appointment to eat dinner tonight. “I had a pleasant meal and conversation last night.”

“Oooh?” Fullstein turns from the controls, grinning now. “Do tell.”

His obvious interest confuses me. “There is nothing to tell. I had a pleasant dinner last night.”

“Yousaidthat. You also saidconversation. I wantdetails. You’ve never looked like this the morning after having dinner.”

“Thosearethe details. And we talked as we took a walk along the observational hub path.”

“We? See,there’sa detail. You also didn’t mention a walk the first time around. You had adate, is what you’re saying?” The Onyx looks all too happy, for some reason.

“I do not understand.”

“Did you get laid?”

ThatI understand. “No. I do not engage in random or casual sexual encounters. We had several hours of pleasant conversation during and after dinner. Is this a proper conversation for us to have at work?”

Fullstein grins again and ignores my last comment. “So, who were they? Or were they a she? Or a he?”