Page 4 of Kranow (Brides of the Mylos #4)
“ Look for a match, really? ” she asked Maya, staring at her with a dumbfounded expression, the chai tea in her hand forgotten. “ Don ’ t you think I should concentrate on making amends, continuing therapy, and making up for lost time with you? ” She glanced at the baby playing on the floor by their feet. After her emotional breakthrough and demonstrating her apology was sincere, Torval and Maya had brought Kentel home. Marley adored the solemn faced little boy and cherished every moment she now had with him.
Maya sighed. “ Look, I ’ ll level with you. As you know, Torval works for the Council, and your relationship as a member of his extended family has not gone unnoticed. ”
I bet it hasn ’ t. Oh, God, did I cause him problems at work? They haven ’ t had anyone over while I ’ ve been here either. Are their friends giving them the cold shoulder because of me? Marley absently sipped her tea as her mind ran through the scenarios of just how she might have ruined her sister and Torval ’ s lives.
“ Stop that. I can see you ’ re going on a guilt trip. Just listen, okay? His boss came to him and said your apology and offer to make amends has caught the interest of certain parties, who ’ d like to see better relations between Earth ’ s general population and the Mylos. He said that the suggestion was made that if a person was truly not against Mylos-human pairings and now feeling fully supportive of the program and women who choose to register, then, well, perhaps that person might put on a show of good faith. ”
“ And register. ” Marley set her cup down.
“ Yeah. Look, I know I was matched, but the odds are astronomical, right? ” Marley appreciated that Maya didn ’ t come outright and say that her odds were even slimmer thanks to needing a Mylos who would overlook her previous transgressions. “ And you could apply via the scholarship program, so you ’ d get something out of it too. You ’ re a qualified teacher already. You could go on and get a Master ’ s in education, or go for a second Bachelor ’ s. ” Maya finished the dregs within her own cup, then set hers down as well.
“ Okay, let ’ s see if I do this, the Mylos Council knows, but how will it get out so everyone else does as well? ”
Maya chewed her lip. “ They ’ d have to do a press release or something, I guess. ”
“ Yeah, but that wouldn ’ t make quite the splash that my previous stuff did. Surely they ’ d want it to go viral, right? So as many people as possible see the story of the Human Right woman who has turned over a new leaf. ”
“ Yeah, I guess. But, Marley, don ’ t even think about doing it just to impress anyone else. There ’ re other ways to show your change of heart. ”
“ Like what? ”
“ Write a blog maybe, sharing your journey? ”
Marley snorted. “ My journey? Damn, you sound all New Age. ”
Maya flushed. “ Shut up. You know what I mean! ”
Marley laughed harder. “ Okay, okay, yes, I do. But, I think if someone has mentioned this ‘ suggestion ’ to your hubby ’ s boss and encouraged him to share it with Torval, then it ’ s probably more of an instruction than a helpful suggestion. And you know what? They ’ re right. So are you. I mean, the odds are astronomical to begin with, but factor in someone having to be willing to mate with a rehabilitating would be kidnapper and former hate group member, and I ’ m sure the odds get even longer. ” Marley sighed, then tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “ Tell Torval to let his boss know that I might be interested in applying for the Bride Scholarship program, but I need more information on how they plan for news of my application to get around sufficiently. ”
Maya looked anxious. “ Are you sure? I don ’ t want you to feel railroaded. ”
“ I ’ m sure. It won ’ t hurt to ask, right? If I don ’ t like the answer, I can say no, and we ’ ll think of something else. Maybe do a Vlog sort of deal or something. I ’ m sure between you and me, we ’ ll come up with something that makes both sides happy. ”
Maya looked pensive, but nodded her head in agreement. She stood up. “ I ’ ll send him a private message via his kunnarskyn. How about I do that while you go make us some lunch? I need to put Kentel down for his nap first, but I ’ ll do it right after. ”
“ Sure. ” Marley stood the bent down to pick up their cups. “ I ’ ll wash these up then get started. Just sandwiches? ”
Maya flashed her a grateful smile. “ Sounds good. I picked up some Mikrian flatbread at the market yesterday morning while you were having your session. I think some tuna and egg salad would go great in them. Maybe some split pea and ham soup to go with it? ”
“ Okie dokie. I can do that. ”
Maya picked Kentel up from his play mat where he was rolling a wheeled animal of some sort. He kept the toy clutched tightly in his hand, but didn ’ t protest. “ You just need to replicate the tuna and egg salad and the soup. You remember how to use it, right? ”
“ Yes. ” Marley rolled her eyes. “ It ’ s all very Star Trek. I tell your house AI what to replicate and take it out of the replicator once it ’ s done the molecular magic show trick and made it. ”
Maya nodded. “ Yeah, it ’ s not rocket science, is it? Sorry if I sounded like I thought you were a dummy. ”
“ All is forgiven, now go, because Kentel is making that face, the one that says something nasty is about to perfume the air, Maya hurried from the room, desperate to contain the toxic scent of her offspring ’ s bowel movements. Melissa shook her head. How something that cute can make a stench that bad, I don ’ t know. She chuckled to herself as she walked into the kitchen. After pouring the remainder of her now cold tea down the drain, she placed both cups into the Mylos equivalent of a dishwasher. Marley wasn ’ t exactly sure how it worked. Torval had explained that it reduced the left behind foodstuffs down to their basic molecules, which then were stored in the buffer and reused by the replicator. That much she could follow. It was the how of it that left her feeling dazed.
“ Tethis, ” she said, speaking the house AI ’ s wake word as she placed an empty bowl inside the replicator unit.
“ Yes, Marley? ” Tethis replied.
“ I need filling for two flat bread pocket sandwiches. Tuna and egg salad, please, Maya ’ s recipe. Please make it for me. ”
“ Replicating now. ” Marley watched in fascination as the bowl began to glow as light came from the food tube just before the sandwich filling came through. “ Portion creation complete. ” Marley eyed the bowl. It looked right, both in composition and in quantity. She removed the bowl and took it to the counter to begin making the sandwiches. Sensing the bowl had been removed, Tethis spoke again. “ Cleaning cycle commencing. ” Marley thought this was one of the coolest things about the unit, its self-cleaning feature.
“ Tethis, when you ’ re done, can you replicate two mugs filled with split pea and ham soup? ”
“ Certainly. ”
Yep, easy peasy. Told Maya I could do it. Marley grinned to herself as she plated up the sandwiches and took them to the table. She ’ d just grabbed the mugs of soup and two spoons when Maya reappeared. “ How ’ s that for timing? ” she grinned at her twin as she spoke. Maya gave her a small, tight smile.
“ This looks great, ” Maya said, taking a seat. Melissa eased herself into the other chair. “ So why the look? Was Torval mad that we were bothering him at work? ”
Maya shook her head. “ No, not at all. No, in fact he messaged me back almost straightaway. I ’ m not sure you ’ ll like the answer, though. I don ’ t know what to think of it, that ’ s for sure. ”
Marley put her spoon down. “ Why? What did they say? ”
Maya licked her lips and slid her eyes away. “ They, uh, said that if you decide to apply, that they could arrange for you to do it here. ”
“ That ’ s good, right? ”
Maya swallowed, “ And that it would be broadcast s part of a joint talk show special? ”
“ Say what now? ”
“ They ’ d have Jackie O ’ Hannigan and Charteesie both air some footage of you talking about what led you to join the Human Right and all that, discuss your progress in therapy a little bit, then sit with you as you sit in the local Council chamber ’ s offices and applied. It ’ d be a live simulcast. ”
Jackie O ’ Hannigan? Of Here ’ s Jackie? Oh my God. That certainly would make a splash back home. “ Um, who is Charteesie? ”
“ If Oprah and Ellen got together and spawned a TV chat show host, and she turned out to be a Telluvian, that ’ d be Charteesie. ”
“ Oh, so she ’ s a popular talk show host on this planet. ”
“ Um, no. She ’ s huge. Like, her show is watched throughout the entire Mylos sphere of influence. ”
Oh shit. Marley shivered. That ’ s a helluva lot of people all up in my business. Her shoulders slumped for a moment. Though to be fair, I got all up in theirs, too, kinda. She picked up her sandwich. “ I ’ ll think about it, ” she said before taking a bite.