Chapter 137 CHAPTER 137
Surprisingly enough, we'd settled in the small town without much hassle and Zade never brought up the matter of leaving again.
We just integrated with the locals, ignored their questioning gaze and just developed a working dynamic.
A farmer gave me a job picking apples that he sends off to the big towns and more often than not, Gwendolyn, the only girl bold enough to come close to me despite my icy exterior, keeps asking me to take off my hoodie.
Not that everywhere is hot, but I'm always wearing three, and a turtleneck, during farm work.
I always laugh and make small jokes and go about my work.
Then I go home and Zade usually has made dinner and when we're done eating, we entangle ourselves in each other and forget about everything.
It's worked for two weeks but something tells me the elephant in the room is getting bigger than the room and we'll have to address it soon.
Today I'm picking apples from the west gate farm when I see another rock, as strange as the ones back in Utah in Rowland’s backyard and like always, I pull it out and throw it in my basket.
I saw three more before the end of my shift and as usual, I dumped them in the well that is used to water the farm.
The farmer is a nice, middle-aged man with a hunched-over form.
“Good work today Tiana,” he waved at me, “you can take those home.”
“Thank you so much sir, I'll bake an apple pie once I get the chance.”
“Haha, that means never. You are gonna make all these other workers of mine jealous with the amount of shifts you pick.”
“They shouldn't worry too much, I'll leave soon.”
“And I'm going to miss you sorely.”
I carried the free basket of apples and strawberries he had gifted me as he does almost every day and went home.
The house smelled really good, and I smiled at the small kitchen opposite the toilet where Zade was baking.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him tight.
“Hello Tiana,” he grinned.
“It's Alira to you.”
“Hm, I don't know, I kinda like this new identity. Alira doesn't hug me as much.”
“I didn't know you liked hugs!”
“Fine, I'll forgive you but only if you tell me how this tastes. Be honest!”
“Yes sir,” I smirked and pulled back, watching as he laid out a plate for me.
He gave me a fork and I lifted cake to my mouth.
“Hmm,” I moaned out loud, literally transformed to ecstasy.
The TV in the hotel room has literally become a cooking guide for him, one of the many human experiences he's excited to get into, gaming being a close second.
“It's good?”
“It's fucking delicious babe, how are you getting this good?”
“If something makes my woman smile like that, then I must get really good at it. How was work today?”
“Uh, stressful but hey, Abel gave us more apples and strawberries.”
“Sometimes I fear the man will take you away from me.”
“Don't worry, I only want men with long tails,” I wink and head to the bathroom.
When I got out, he'd set the table with spaghetti, the cake and fruit and was bringing out water.
This worked, why would life want to rip it away from me?
So I swallowed my guilt about hiding information from him. He's happy, I'm happy and soon, once I get whatever tracker Baldwin put in my body out, we'll travel to another continent and all of this will be a thing of the past.
I'm sure this whole stone business is relative to this part of town.
We'll go to Asia, he'll be overwhelmed and I can have him for longer.
It's why I work so hard, saving up for the trip.
“Bon appetit,” he said in the most sensual French accent possible and joined me on the couch.
“How many languages now?”
“Let me see, Spanish, Dutch, Swahili and now French. I think my brain can take in a few more.”
“You're doing amazing baby,” I kissed his lips tenderly and pulled back the second it got too deep.
If we go further, the food will become an afterthought and I don't want to wake up hungry at midnight again.
“My beautiful wife,” he muttered.
“Did we get married in my sleep?”
“Married? I thought as long as we're tied forever, it means you're my wife,” he said, going to find the remote to change the channel to the information channel he's always on.
“No baby, for us to be husband and wife, we'll have to do a wedding, sign some papers and all that. But we're not earthlings so I don't think it's possible. Besides, we're already together in the way that matters.”
“Hm. I want to be yours in every way possible though. Would it be bad to do it though?”
“No, it won't,” I smiled, feeding him a forkful of pasta.
That made him drop the remote and we began feeding each other.
“Wait, this looks important,” he stopped halfway and picked up the remote and increased the volume.
Shattering the illusion I'd fought hard to maintain.
"The phenomenon has spread across six western states in the past week," the anchor read, her professional composure barely hiding her confusion. "Scientists remain divided on the cause but one researcher has come forward with a controversial theory."
And there he was.
Baldwin. Clean-shaven, wearing a suit I'd never seen on him, the scars on his face somehow making him look distinguished instead of deranged under the studio lighting. They'd put his name on the screen with a title underneath — Dr Baldwin Mercer, Interdimensional Research Specialist.
He made up a whole title for himself. I'd be impressed if I wasn't terrified.
"What we're seeing is consistent with a membrane breach between parallel dimensions," he said in a voice so calm and measured that I wanted to throw the remote through the screen. "The mineral compositions of these formations don't match anything in Earth's geological record. They're not from here."
"And you believe they're from where exactly, Doctor Mercer?" The anchor asked.
"Another world. One that operates under different physical laws, different energy sources. I've been studying this phenomenon for some time and I believe the breach is not only real but accelerating."
"That's a bold claim."
"The rocks are now in six states, Linda. I'd say the evidence is making the claim for me."
The news continued on but everything blurred and faded away to me.
The food in my mouth turned cold and I was scared to turn to Zade until I heard his voice.
“Well, it was nice while it lasted. Holiday’s over.”