Addy hesitated, her reply sounding more like a guess. “Because it was supposed to be?”
Polly raised an eyebrow. “Really, Addy? You, a fate-believer? I’m not buying it.”
Solkan shot Addy a look—one of those intimate, knowing glances that couples share. It was as if they had their own personal story of cosmic destiny.
Polly watched them, a smile tugging at her lips. Maybe there was something to this fate thing after all, especially if it meant crossing galaxies for love.
“Fate and technology might seem like strange bedfellows, but at the Intergalactic Dating Agency, we’ve found it’s a delicate balance. There’s definitely something beyond our gadgets and algorithms at play,” Addy explained.
Erzo’s question cut through the conversation, direct and unnerving. “Do you ever fail in matching mates?”
Polly felt a jolt at his words. Was he doubting their compatibility? Was this all some cosmic mismatch?
Addy’s response was candid. “Nothing in the universe is flawless. Even with the perfect match, it takes effort and commitment. Look at Solkan and me—we still have our battles.”
Solkan chimed in, a hint of tenderness in his voice. “Less frequently now.”
“We’re learning, growing together,” Addy added, a note of affection in her tone.
Solkan turned to her, his expression softening. “Without Addy, I’d be lost.”
Addy laughed lightly. “Quite literally. He’s terrible with directions.”
He nodded solemnly. “Absolutely hopeless.”
Laughter surrounded them, but Polly’s heart raced. Their connection, deeper than stars, demanded they navigate it together. Daunting? Yes. Exhilarating? Absolutely. Could they turn a fated match into a love that spanned galaxies? Erzo’s gaze caught hers, intense and vulnerable. Fear and hope mingled in that look. Her breath hitched. The possibilities were endless, terrifying, beautiful.
16
Stepping out of the restaurant, Polly exhaled contentedly. “That was nice, wasn’t it? Addy and Solkan are great company.”
Erzo agreed with a nod. “It was a good social meal.”
He reflected on the evening with Addy and Solkan, appreciating their genuine connection and deep affection for each other. The couple’s bond had given Erzo something to consider—the possibility of something more than just a transactional union with Polly. Deep down, he wondered, could this be more than just fulfilling a duty? The thought lingered as they walked.
“‘A social meal’—that’s a nice way to put it,” Polly said, her voice light, but her grip on his arm tightened.
Erzo sensed her unease. The corridors were quieter now, the daytime crowd replaced by the emerging night scene. The storefronts transformed, the ambiance shifting to something more alluring and mysterious.
Polly seemed to feel the change, too. Her steps grew closer to Erzo, almost clinging to his side. He placed a reassuring hand on her lower back.
She kept glancing around, eyes wary. “I don’t like this. Those two men over there, by that sign with the orange-haired woman—they’re glowing, aren’t they? What species is that?” Her eyes widened. “Wait, there’s more of them rounding the corner. They seem to be everywhere. Almost see-through.”
Erzo looked where she pointed. He saw the woman, the sign, but no glowing figures. Nothing else.
“Are you sure?”
Despite her forced smile, her eyes failed to hide her authentic emotions. “As sure as the sun rises in the east.”
Erzo didn’t recognize any glowing species. Something was off, and it was clearly unsettling her. “Let’s get you home. You seem tired.”
“Oh, yes, the wine,” Polly yawned, overplaying her tiredness.
Erzo couldn’t help but find her exaggerated acting somewhat endearing despite the situation. She was a terrible actor, but she was charming in her own way. He steered them towards the apartment, his mind racing with questions about what Polly had seen—or thought she had seen.
Erzo hoped her weariness or the wine would be a convincing reason for her claiming to have seen glowing shadow figures. The idea that she might see things that weren’t there unsettled him. It could mean one of two things.
The first possibility was space sickness, a common ailment for newcomers to space and artificial gravity environments. Usually, it was a fleeting condition, a temporary disorientation as one’s body adjusted to the new surroundings.
