Page 5 of Yorix

“Are you really going to apply for a Bride Scholarship?” Marietta asked me, cracking open a crab leg.

“I am.”

“Wow. A girl at work did that, but she didn’t get matched. She was able to quit, though, as they pay for everything while you’re at school, not just tuition and books. She’s studying now in Berlin, can you imagine? They have classes in English too! She said she always wanted to study abroad, and now she is. I couldn’t do it. I’d be too scared of getting matched and having to go live in outer space.”

“Yes, well, Lynn has always loved the stars, hasn’t she?”

“And she was always watching those space shows,” Mama added. “She’ll be fine.”

“I don’t think watching Farscape, Babylon 5, and Battlestar Galactica is the same thing as living on a ship with all those Mylos,” Marietta replied.

“What will you do if you get matched?” George asked me, looking solemn. “Will you really be okay with that? You’re instantly married for all legal intents and purposes if that happens.”

Mama decided to answer for me. “She’s always wanted to find her soul mate, just like me and Daddy have in each other. If she’s matched, it’ll be because they are perfectly suited, two halves of one whole.”

“Boy, she’s suddenly changed her tune,” Sam whispered, and I bit my lower lip to keep from laughing.

“I did say that, didn’t I, Mama?” I finally got out. “So, yeah, I’ll be fine if it happens. A hunky alien warrior mate and to get to live among the stars while studying them? Yeah, buddy!” I laughed.

Mama made a small, satisfied humming noise before saying, “I was looking for a new book to read last night, and did you know there’s a whole lot of alien romance books? Not just ones with Mylos in, either. Like, made up aliens. I bought one where they crash landed on a prison planet!”

We were saved from having to reply by our server returning. “Is everything alright?” she asked. “Can I get you anything else?”