Page 27 of Pulled By the Tail
“Yeah, well, that and five dollars will buy me a drink.”
Chapter 6
Talen
Talen,
Can you pick up an order for me from the general store while you’re in town today? And you should get some proper winter gear for the female. I don’t know what the weather is like on Earth but I’m amazed humans have survived this long. They don’t seem to have any common sense when it comes to snow.
-Bright
Talen found a lawyer with an open appointment shortly before noon. Fortunately, the meeting was brief but, unfortunately, it did nothing to resolve the tension sitting heavily in his gut and he understood exactly why that lawyer had an open schedule.
Quil, Georgia, and himself had crowded around the lawyer’s desk. Fiona briefly protested at not being involved, worried Quil would run off with another woman. Honestly, given his track record, she had every reason to worry. She waited in the lobby, turning up the volume on a talk show playing on the view screen.
The lawyer read over the contract. “I’m afraid I’m not qualified to have an opinion on a Terran legal document.”
“It is a simple matter. That name is not specific. It needs to be annulled,” Talen said.
“But it is signed by both parties.” The lawyer, a Corravian male, sat back in his chair.
“So, I’m married to Quil?” Georgia asked.
“Like the good male said, the name is not specific.”
“What does that even mean?” she muttered.
“I’m afraid I’m not qualified to have an opinion,” the lawyer said smoothly.
Talen despised lawyers.
Georgia twisted her fingers into the ends of her hair. “Basically, I’m fucked, and no one even bought me dinner first.”
His ears flicked forward. He knew she spoke in frustration and was not literal, but he felt the need to clarify, “No one has fucked the human female.”
“Not true. Quil screwed me over pretty hard yesterday.” Her gaze caught his. The irritation was evident, but he saw nothing of the tired defeat he witnessed last night. This female had fire. Had they met in any other circumstances, he would be drawn to her.
“If the union has been consummated—”
“No one has fucked anyone,” Talen snapped at the lawyer.
“That was a figure of speech. A human idiom. My apologies,” Georgia said. “Can you at least advise me on my options? The man who signed this contract married another woman, using his full legal name.”
Quil sat calmly, as if he and his actions were not being discussed.
“You could contest the second marriage, possibly have it dissolved,” the lawyer said.
She waved her hand dismissively. “I have no desire to be married to Quil after what he did. I want to be not married. How can we make that happen?”
“Just for my own clarification, you are Tranquility Achaval,” the lawyer said, facing Talen.
“No. I am Quil. That’s my brother,” Quil said, finally involving himself in the conversation.
“You want to marry the brother instead of Quil?” the lawyer asked Georgia.
“I don’t want to be married to anyone. I want this to go away,” she said.
“Not being married will jeopardize your citizenship application and you’ll have to contact a lawyer on Earth. I’m not—”
