Page 2 of My Monster, My Choice
How does this man know of Kenny, much less Tera? “My children? How do you know who my children are? Are you here to threaten me?”
“What? No,” he scowls, his brow wrinkling. “I’m here to share with you how to keep them safe. I just didn’t know, uh, I don’t see how you are Tera’smaman.You don’t look old enough.”
That doesn’t clear up much, but I understand his confusion.
“She’s not of my blood. She was six when I married into her family unit.”
He motions me to a couple of chairs and eyeing each other warily, we each pull one out from the table. I sit across from him, watching him grimace as he lowers his body into the chair made for humans. His tentacles splay out uncomfortably, over the arms of the chair. Then he begins.
“I live on the property where Tera does. An annexed land from your government which she can’t normally leave.”
My heart thumps. Is this horrifying creature about to tell me he’s her boyfriend? I don’t like that, not at all, and I’m not sure why.
“She lives in Eden where the very first House of Duty was established.”
That’s where my daughter’s been hidden for six years? A milk farm? The President had told me she would perform with the highest honors. I never expected…a milk farm. The original one, and the oldest.
It’s not what I would call the highest of honors, so I stare in shock, waiting for the joke.
As a benefit to the few men we have left, milk farms were established to keep their seed fresh. It’s to thank them for their service, for protecting women during the third war and losing so many of their lives in the process.
Women basically masturbate a male to completion, encouraging fresh sperm production daily. Our species has a better chance of survivalif horrors like my son aren’t produced.
Except my son isn’t a horror at all. He’s different, all the residents here are, but he’s the greatest gift my husband and first wife could have left me. He is truly an angel, always viewing life as if it’s beautiful.
“We have made Eden a better place to live,” he says. “We shut down the House of Duty and established a school for midwives instead. In the unused portion of the building, the dance troupe now gives lessons. In fact, Tera is second-in-command, and has merged her human style with the dance of my people.”
He smiles slightly and it looks proud and my heart sinks, thinking he’s about to ask me for her hand in marriage. And I cannot do that to my child.
“Tera is a favorite among my clan.”
Here it comes.
“In fact, she is best friends with my brother-in-arms, Captain Relion Liloni. We will all do anything to protect her and unfortunately, her time is nearly up. Her contract as a dancer is about to expire and there is no reason for it to be renewed by your president, given that he isn’t receiving payment for the dance performances any longer. Nor is he receiving payment from the milk farm.”
Why would that be a problem?
“If her time is up, she’ll be released, correct?”
He sighs. “Nothing is ever that simple with your president.”
ThatI’m aware of, since the man was supposed to keep her safe, let me know where she was, and how she was doing. However, I’ve only had a few assurances over the years from him, no proof, no visits, no contact whatsoever. The last time he was here, he’d sneered that we’d never insisted on visitation in her contract, despite his implication during verbal negotiations that it wouldn’t be a problem.
“Tera is determined to make a marriage match to a human. A friend of the president’s.”
I start to shake my head before he even finishes the sentence. “No way. My daughter knows what life will be like for her with a late marriage.” A life like mine had been. “She would never do that.”
“She is determined. Relion says he has never met a more stubborn female.”
For the first time, a smile touches my lips. She always was a stubborn little thing. As a child, she couldn’t understand why everyone didn’t love Kenny the way we did. Why some people acted like Down’s syndrome might be contagious and kept their distance.
Elex is staring at my lips, and I shut down my smile, wondering if he thinks I’m an imposter because there are no similarities between me and my daughter.
But she is mine. I fought tooth and nail to keep her and Kenny when I was left a widow.
“We believe the president will come by to see you,” Elex continues. “He’ll want to make sure you’re present when Tera gets matched. He’ll want you to witness her refusal and know that she’s going to subject herself to the marriage mart.”
I shake my head again. I have no idea where this alien is coming from. “Tera won’t do that. She knows what she’s getting into. Besides, she can’t be matched. If she lives in Eden, she’s not an Earth citizen.” It was in all the news feeds during the return of the third mating that was annulled.