Page 10 of So I Married an Alien
She bashfully turns her head at this, taking a nervous sip of her water.I realize she means me, and so I sit up and extend one of my upper hands to her.
Curious, Amara extends her own hand, and I clasp it in mine, twining our fingers together.Her tan complexion darkens.
“I would be happy to be here when you arrive home tomorrow,” I say.“What should I do while you’re gone?I can cook, as well.”
“You should get settled!Explore, maybe.Get to know the neighborhood a little.”She taps her chin.“Shoot, I forgot to get an extra key made.I’ll leave it with you tomorrow, and you’ll just have to promise not to lock us out.”
My translator hurriedly provides an image of a “key” turning in a lock, and I understand.Far more basic than a scan card.Very rustic.
We talk some more about what activities her neighborhood offers—there’s a convenience store, which I understand sells small necessities and snacks, a restaurant, and another place that I still don’t quite grasp what it does.
“Paycheck advances,” she says.“Predatory.They give you a loan on your future paycheck.A scam, if you ask me, that takes advantage of poor people.”
Her righteous fury surprises me.She seems quite well-off, if the large accommodations are any indication, so what interest does she have in the plight of the poor?She is an interesting woman.
Not long after, the food is ready.She serves a cooked grain that comes out yellow, which she explains is saffron rice, then meat and vegetables from the “tagine” dish.
The food is a revelation.I’ve never tasted anything with so muchcharacter, so much spice and intensity.Each bite is an explosion of flavor, and I find myself absolutely, deliriously ravenous for it.I spoon every last bit from my plate into my mouth, and then look up to find Amara staring at me.
“Do you like it?”she asks, a smile teasing at her lips.“There’s more.”
I give her a hasty nod before helping myself to another portion, which I consume just as quickly, using another one of the utensils—thefork—so that I can eat with three hands at the same time while I hold the plate in my fourth.
Finally, I’m finished, and I can’t eat another bite.But oh, how badly I want to.It was the most delicious meal I’ve ever had in my life.
“Wow, you can really pack it away,” Amara says playfully as she gathers up my plate.I want to assist her in cleaning up, but I can barely move.“Stay there.I’ll take care of it.Then we should get settled.”
Ah, I know what she refers to: my inopportune suggestion about sleeping in the same bed, which clearly took her aback.But I don’t want to make her sleep on that rather small cot in the other room and kick her out of her own living quarters.
“I guess sleeping in the same bed is expected of a husband and wife,” she goes on, her back facing me as she washes the dishes, then loads them into a machine.“Do you, um, feel comfortable with that?Really?”
It’s less a matter of comfort and more of doing what I think will please her.I want these thirty days to end with Amara deciding to keep me so I can get my residency on Earth.
“If you are not ready, then I’ll sleep in the adjoining room,” I assure her.“The other bed doesn’t bother me.”
She pauses, back still turned.Then she slides the plate into the rack and closes the machine with aclick.When she looks at me, her lips are pursed with uncertainty.It’s fascinating how much humans get across with their facial expressions.
“I just don’t know you that well yet,” she says, wringing her hands.“But I do think you are, erm—” She coughs.“Attractive?I mean, I would like to get to that point.Of sleeping together.In the bed.In the future, when we know each other better?”
This is good.She is clearly not at the point of discussing intercourse yet, but she does have an interest in sharing intimate space.
“Then we will wait until the time is right.”I rise from my chair, finally able to move my body again after how much I ate.“I will sleep in the other room for now.”
“But it’s so small?—”
I put my lower arms on my hips and cross the upper pair across my chest.“I will be fine.You have a lovely home, with every creature comfort.”The waste receptacle seemed outdated at best, but at least it was far cleaner than the one I shared with five other adults in the Hole.“I will not be wanting for anything.”
She considers this, then lets out a resigned sigh.
“All right.”She offers me a smile.“You’re a nice guy, Roth’kar.”
The compliment is so sincere that I’m surprised by it.She takes a step closer to me and holds out her hand.
“I feel like we didn’t really meet properly at the spaceport.”Her ring glints on her second-to-last finger.The symbol of our “marriage.”“But I’m really glad that you decided to do this with me.”
I try to smile my best in return and take her hand in mine.She squeezes it, then withdraws.
“Whenever you’re up for a hug, though, let me know.”A mischievous expression crosses her face.“I like hugging.”
