And now, sat in the chair in the front room, the little boy stuck fast to our story. It was the truth, mostly. He sat quietly, calmly, as if the whole event was washing over him without incident or effect.
At least, I hoped that was the case.
“Don’t worry about the event tonight,” Traes said. “You and Cleb are much more important.”
“We can still go,” I said. “I know how important it is for your business.”
“It doesn’t feel right,” Traes said. “We shouldn’t leave Cleb here alone after what happened today.”
“We won’t be leaving him alone. He’s surrounded by friends. Trust me. Everything will be fine.”
Traes studied my expression and reached the same conclusion.
“If you’re sure,” he said.
“I’m sure,” I said.
I refused to let his business suffer because of Asshole. I didn’t want that guy to have any negative impact on Traes.
Least of all because of me.
“It’s getting late,” I said. “We should get ready for tonight.”
I took Cleb by the hand and led him up the stairs.
“You did great tonight,” I said. “The commander will be very proud of you.”
He smiled at me but his face was lacking in genuine happiness. Maybe Traes was right. We shouldn’t leave him alone tonight.
“Do you think you’ll be okay by yourself?” I said. “We could stay home and play games and eat delicious food instead.”
Cleb shook his head.
“The commander needs you for the mission,” he said. “I’ll be okay with the others.”
I dropped him off at his room and hurried back to mine. I took a shower and scrubbed myself hard. Maybe if I did it long enough, I could remove the past few hours of my life.
Then, suddenly, without warning, I burst into tears. The hot water was nourishing and washed away many woes, but it could never fully ease my soul. I wept into the water and wrapped my hands around my elbows.
I would allow myself this moment of weakness, this one time to remove the searing anger I felt at seeing Asshole today. It’d been quite a shock. There was always the risk he would show up one day, always the chance he would turn up uninvited and reveal himself to Traes. Or attempt to kidnap me as he had today.
In all those scenarios, I never thought even he would stoop so low as to kidnap a sweet little innocent boy. He had no part in this. It was between me and him.
Now I saw the dark depths to which he would go to reclaim me.
It angered me. I wanted to reach down his throat and tear his heart out. But I’d need the strength of a Titan to do that.
I finished showering and stepped out of the booth. I dried myself with a soft towel. The anger melted from my bones as I stepped into my room, and dressed in my fancy new dress, already tainted with the memory of Asshole.
How had he found me? Had the ticket worker at the station given him my details? Not if she thought he was my abusive boyfriend, she wouldn’t. Then perhaps another worker had done the deed? Maybe he had a friend of his that worked there? Or he knew someone who could hack into the system? It hadn’t taken him much time to find me, so it couldn’t have been difficult.
Once he reached Arcturon Prime, I could imagine vividly how he might have picked up my trail. Once he arrived at the spaceport, he’d have asked around, flashing my photograph at anyone who would look. He might even claim I was his daughter.
Eventually, he would have reached the diner. Waitresses famously had good memories for faces. One glance at my picture and she could have recalled me and what I’d done while I was there. She might even have recalled the job I applied for.
Then the potential road he took grew a little murky. He might have followed me here to this house or camped out in town, waiting for me to show my face.
And I did, stepping into his trap when I came looking for a new dress. Now he would know where I was. He would stop at nothing until he had me.
If I told Traes the truth, how would he react? Would he forgive me? Or would he blame me for what happened to Cleb?
Was it better for me to leave sooner rather than later? To collect my earnings and beat it to the nearest neighboring planet? It would buy me some time, but would it buy me enough?
Traes was a rich and powerful man. Maybe he loved me enough to make my problems go away.
Or maybe I could opt never to leave the house again, to stay there and live like a hermit until Asshole ran out of money and he was forced to return to his shithole home without me.
And even if I did leave and return to Earth, would he follow me there? Did I want to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulders?
So many options, so much to think about.
I wouldn’t come up with the solution now. I would get the event tonight out of the way and then work out the best course of action.
I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked pretty good but I was badly in need of makeup. The events of the day had taken their toll. I moved into the bathroom and applied some face paint. Not too much—just a little eyeliner and powder around the eyes and cheeks as the sales assistant had suggested.
And he was right. The white gold necklace did make the dress pop.
A knock came at the door.
I opened it to find Traes standing with his back half turned to me. His suit was sharp and, I had to say, a little funny. It sported wide shoulder pads that reminded me of the worst fashion insults from the eighties. I guessed it was the latest fashion here in Titanland.
When he turned to me, his
