Coming toward him wasn’t his paternal. Instead, it was Agot, a petite humanoid with orange skin and freckles at her hairline, and she carried her new little one.
Struggling, more like.
She had the child, but also seemed to be transporting half a residence with her as she walked.
“Do you need help, Agot?” he asked.
She smiled. It was a sweet smile. Her mate, Driqan, was a lucky one. He and Phares had been promoted from mining together into the support tech. Driqan remained one of the proudest parentals he had met.
“It wouldn’t hurt,” she said as the little one struggled in her arms.
“Down! Down!”
“No, Tee, Mommy has—”
“Down!”
“I will assist,” he said. Despite his headache, he unburdened her of the additional bags so she could better grip the child. The bags barely weighed anything to him, but they must have inhibited her because as he took each bag, she seemed to stand taller.
“Thank you.” Tee wrapped his arms around her but continued to stare at Phares over her shoulder. Little eyes that had wisdom in them.
Or maybe they just saw past the fronts that so many put up.
Including Phares.
“What are you doing down here tonight?” Agot asked. “I thought you would be celebrating with the others.”
Phares shook his head, though that simple gesture made his head throb more. “No. I was just—” his voice cracked as he spoke.
She paused and turned, looking square at him. “You’re hurt from the accident today.”
He shook his head, which only made the throbbing worse.
He closed his eyes. Best that he didn’t see her disapproval.
“Phares,” she chided.
He sighed. “I know. It’s nothing. I’m being childish.”
“That is not what I thought,” Agot snapped. “I was about to ask you why you are just now going to get help.”
“I don’t need anything,” he said, adjusting the bags. “You need more help than I.”
She shifted Tee from one side to the other. “I can manage. The question is, can you?”
“I have all my life,” he said.
And immediately wished he hadn’t spoken those words.
“I see,” she said, and continued down the corridor. When they came to a junction, she paused. “I have to go this way,” she said, pointing to the right. “Tee’s appointment is this way.”
It happened to be the way to the doctor. “I go that way too,” Phares said.
She nodded again.
They hadn’t gotten much further when he heard a far too familiar laugh.
His whole body froze.
