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“All right, Zorak. I’ll agree to a quick coffee, just this once.” She paused. “And only if you swear not to stop by my office.”
“Deal!” I exclaimed.
“See you, Zorak.” And with that, she hung up.
I let out a triumphant whoop and twirled around in my living room.
Chapter 7
Vanessa
Zorak was already waiting for me at the coffee shop. I watched through the glass windows of the storefront as the barista flirted with him but he seemed not to notice. Against my better judgment, his attitude mollified me.
I opened the door, and he lifted his head, sensing, I supposed, that I had entered the room. A broad grin broke out on his face, and he opened his arms welcomingly and gestured at the table laden with the coffee but also bouquets of flowers and a portion of all the edibles the coffee shop offered.
I could tell I would have to set ground rules with him.
“It’s great to see you, Vanessa,” he gushed and waved his arms enthusiastically. “I’ve missed being in your presence.”
“It’s good to see you too, Zorak,” I admitted, already losing a little of the resolve I had when I entered. He was just so charming. “But before we get into anything else, I wanted to speak with you.”
Zorak nodded solemnly, almost anticipating what was coming next. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he looked intently at me. His eyes were wide and his gaze seemed gentle yet firm.
“There is obviously something between us,” I began and the burst of unadulterated joy that radiated from him almost made me scoot back in my seat. “I admit to not taking this as seriously as I should have in the beginning. But if you want things to work out between us, there are certain boundaries that I need you to respect.”
“Understood,” he nodded in agreement. “I am poorly versed in the mannerisms and mating rituals of humans. I have been studying them and will listen to any suggestions you have.”
“Well, let’s start with your tendency toward lavish displays of affection. I appreciate them, I do. Like the late-night dinners you send. I might not have eaten those nights if you had not sent food.”
“This goes both ways, you know?” he asked. “Just like I don’t understand all your traditions, you sometimes don’t understand mine. I feel a deep pull to take care of you. To make sure your needs are met.”
He gestured at all the food and coffee. I wanted to argue with him and continue our discussion but my stomach chose that moment to betray me with a rumble.
He laughed heartily. “See? Your body agrees with me. You need to eat!”
Reluctantly, I gave in and tried a sampling of the foods on the table. The smells were divine, and it was clear that Zorak had gone to great lengths to make sure there was a little bit of everything.
As I ate, I slowly began to relax and forget why I had come here in the first place. We talked about our days and got lost in each other’s stories. His enthusiasm was infectious and soon enough we were both laughing together like old friends.
By the time I was finished, my worries had been forgotten and my stomach was filled with delicious treats. Zorak beamed at me with pride as he watched my enjoyment of his gifts. It felt strangely comforting knowing that there was someone who cared about me enough to ensure that I was well taken care of.
It wasn’t until later in the afternoon, just before a meeting, that I felt the crinkle of paper in my pocket. I withdrew it to find a note from him.
‘Until we meet again, and by all the laws of the Universe, may that be soon.-Zorak’
I smiled and felt the warmth of being cared for sweep through me, followed shortly by an overwhelming burst of affection I surmised came from Zorak. Our psychic link was growing stronger by the hour.
I was deep in the research for an upcoming visa case when a delivery robot spoke my name as it arrived with my regular dinner delivery from Zorak. My stomach rumbled at the smell of the food. My body had gotten used to his dinner deliveries, and I could barely contain my excitement as I opened up the package.
This time, he had sent me a box of what seemed similar to the T’rra food of beef-stuffed empanadas to enjoy, along with a bottle of Orkarian sparkling wine and a handwritten note.
“Dinner?” Mark, my seemingly endless hungry coworker, popped around the corner.
“Again, huh?” Jen from the next cubicle leaned over the partition between us and into my space.
“Come on,” I invited. “There is plenty to go around.”
The empanadas were so delicious, I almost forgot about the important work that I was doing. The rest of my coworkers seemed almost won over – all except for Lyle, who sneered at the food as if it were going to bite his hand if he reached down for a taste.
