Chapter Ten

 

Kromin had never seen Black Hole Brews so empty. Even on a weeknight like tonight, the place was usually full. But the ration situation meant that the mood around town right now was somber, and most people didn’t feel like going out to have a good time. Not only that, but the bar was not allowed to serve beer on tap. You could only get the bottled stuff tonight, and everyone knew that the bottled stuff wasn’t nearly as good as the stuff on tap here. The price of food had also gone up quite a bit. If you wanted to eat at the pub, you better be prepared to pay out a pretty penny. Kromin didn’t mind paying extra for food. He’d been working as a doctor for years, and had saved most of his salary since there hadn’t been much to spend it on after he bought a house. That meant that his robust bank account could handle the extra credits he had to spend to get dinner tonight. He insisted on treating Anya, too, even though she tried to pay for her own dinner.

“What, is this a date?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

He gave her a growl in response. “I’m not taking my woman out and letting her pay. I don’t know how you humans do things, but here in Zocrone a man takes care of his woman.”

Anya grinned at him. “So I’m your woman now, huh?”

He leaned across the tablet so that his face was only inches from her own. “I claimed you, didn’t I?”

“By banging me? Is that how things work here in Zocrone?” She was talking to him in a sing-songy voice, and he knew she was just teasing him and trying to get a rise out of him. But sludge it, it was working. She was making all his jealous, possessive, alpha instincts kick in.

He grabbed her wrist and held tightly to her hands, smirking in her face as she kept grinning back at him. “Yes, that’s how things work. You got a problem with being claimed? You want to try to get away?”

She only grinned wider. “Nope. No problem.”

Kromin sat back, shaking his head at her and taking a sip from his beer. “You’re just trying to drive me crazy on purpose.”

She didn’t even try to deny it. “Is it working?”

Kromin found her foot under the table with his foot, and rubbed against it. They’d both kicked off their shoes earlier when they did a few rounds on the dance floor, and had never bothered to put them back on. There were some bars in Zocrone where you’d get kicked out for going barefoot, but this wasn’t one of them. Kromin was glad for that. He loved the feeling of Anya’s bare skin against his, even if it was only their feet.

“You always drive me crazy. You know that.” Then he winked at her. “Sometimes, when you drive me crazy, it’s even in a good way.” She gave him a good, solid kick under the table, and he howled, pretending that she had really hurt him. She wasn’t fooled, and rolled her eyes.

“When do I drive you crazy in a bad way?” she asked. “When I force you to get your sludging hospital organized?”

Kromin gave her a sheepish smile. “I don’t think it’s fair of me to be mad at you for that, even though it did drive me crazy to do all that organizational work. I know it was necessary.”

Anya grinned at him triumphantly and took a long swig from her beer. It had been a week since they’d gotten back from the mines, and Anya had been riding him hard about getting the hospital in order. They had no patients right now, so they’d spent all their time cleaning up the supply room and making a list of supplies that needed to be ordered on an ongoing basis. They’d also made a list of people they wanted to hire as hospital support staff. They would be looking for at least two more doctors, so that hopefully all four doctors could get a good rotating schedule going on. There would also be support staff. Receptionists and general assistants should be easy enough to find on Zocrone. Nurses, however, were another story. There were no nurses on Zocrone as far as Kromin knew, just like there were no doctors. Anyone who wanted to go to university for any sort of specialized career had to leave the planet, and not many people were interested in doing that. Not when there were plenty of good careers to be had here. Almost everyone in Zocrone worked in the mines, worked in the military, or owned some sort of retail shop or restaurant.

Kromin wanted to get some Zocronian doctors and nurses in the pipeline, but it would take years to convince some locals to go get training, and then actually complete that training. In the meantime, Kromin would have to look at outside planets to find doctors and nurses who might be willing to immigrate to Zocrone. Not long ago, that would have been impossible due to Zocrone’s strict rules against immigration. But now that outsiders were allowed, Kromin was sure they could find a few good doctors and nurses willing to move here. Of course, these sludging storms were going to have to let up before anyone from the outside would be able to get into the city.

Kromin looked up at the ceiling, as though he’d somehow be able to see through it and see outside. Of course, that was impossible, but it didn’t matter. He didn’t need to actually see outside the city dome to know that it was still storming. It had been storming nonstop since Kromin and Anya got back from the mines. That brief respite had been the only break in the storm’s intensity in weeks, and the forecast for the next several weeks didn’t look good. Kromin was glad there had been no medical emergencies for the last few days. He hoped with all his heart things stayed quiet, because if they did he might actually come out of this without suffering any ill effects from the hospital being under-stocked. They were already out of skinsealer. He’d used the last of it on a little boy who came in four days ago with a huge gash on his forehead from falling off a tree. The boy’s mother had been traumatized, and Kromin couldn’t really blame her. There had been a lot of blood. But after cleaning up the wound and applying skinsealer, the boy had been fine. He’d also been defiant, telling his mother that he didn’t care if he hurt himself: he was never going to quit climbing trees. Kromin had had a hard time not laughing. The kid reminded him a lot of himself at that age. He’d climbed to the highest trees in the city dome with Daxar, Jarmuk, and Toryx when they were all kids. He’d never been as strong or skilled as the other three, though, and frequently Kromin was the one who ended up with a broken arm or bloody face. Not that the other three didn’t have their share of falls, too. Kromin just always got the worst of it. No wonder Daxar, Jarmuk, and Toryx all worked in the mines, while Kromin headed up the hospital. Kromin tried to act tough, but the truth was that he was probably too much of a klutz to work safely in a Zekkardite mine, and everyone knew it.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Anya said, bringing him back to the present.

“Huh? What’s a penny?”

Anya looked confused for a moment, then laughed. “Oh, it’s just a type of coin one of the countries on Earth used to use back in the day. Back when people still used actual physical money. Penny for your thoughts is just an expression that technically means I’d pay you a penny if you told me what you were thinking.”

“Do you have a penny?”

Anya looked at him like he was crazy. “No. Of course not. No one has pennies anymore, except maybe a few of the Earth museums.”

Kromin grinned at her and crossed his arms. “Well, then, I’m not telling you my thoughts.”

Anya groaned and rolled her eyes. “A credit for your thoughts?”

Kromin laughed. “I’m not thinking anything exciting. Just about the logistics of getting the hospital staff hired, mostly.” Kromin wasn’t about to tell her that he’d actually been thinking about his klutzy side when she broke in to ask him what he was thinking. The less she learned about that klutzy side, the better. Daxar, Jarmuk, and Toryx would be sure to gleefully fill her in on details, anyway, once they realized she and Kromin were dating.

“Stop thinking about the hospital right now.”

Kromin raised a surprised eyebrow in her direction. “I never thought I’d hear you say that to me. You’ve been on my case since the day we met to think more about the hospital.”

“Yeah, well, you have thought about it. Now it’s time to think about us.”

Kromin took a slow sip of his beer and leaned across the small table so he could lower his voice as he spoke. “What should I be thinking about us?”

Anya shifted nervously in her seat. Kromin had learned enough of Anya’s quirky little habits by now to know that when she shifted like that, she was trying to work up the courage to say something she really didn’t want to say.

“What is it, Anya? Just spit it out. Unless you’re breaking up with me because in that case keep your mouth shut. I don’t want to hear it.” Kromin winked at her, hoping to put her at ease. He was pretty sure she wasn’t breaking up with him, which was the only reason he felt comfortable joking like that. They’d been making love every chance they got, both at the hospital, at his house, and at her apartment. And their most recent romp, which had been at the hospital just before they came to the pub, had been their best one yet, if her screams of delight had been any indication. She had definitely not sounded like a woman who was planning to get rid of him anytime soon.

“I’m not breaking up with you. But that’s just the thing, Kromin. We still haven’t talked about where this relationship is going, or what our status is.” She looked around hurriedly, as though nervous someone might be listening in. But the bar was empty except for the two of them and a man sitting on the complete opposite side of the room, nursing a beer on his own while reading something on his e-assistant.

Kromin frowned. Had he missed some signal from her that he was supposed to make some announcement about his plans for her? At the beginning he’d told her they could talk about the future, because he knew enough to know that girls always wanted to do that. But she’d seemed more interested in banging than talking, and he’d been okay with that. He’d figured she would bring it up again if she wanted to talk, but something in her eyes right now told him that he should have known enough to bring it up sooner of his own accord.

“Anya, I’m always happy to talk to you. I didn’t realize you wanted to talk about us, but I can tell you that as far as I’m concerned, at least, this relationship is a permanent thing. I have no plans to get rid of you. In fact, I have plans to keep you forever. Eventually I’d like to convince you to move into my house and maybe even to marry me. I know it’s probably ridiculously early to say that sort of thing, but I know in my heart how I feel about you.”

Anya’s wary expression had softened somewhat. “You really feel that way?”

“Absolutely. Don’t you feel the same?”

“Well, I, yes. But…”

Kromin felt his heart clench up with worry. He hadn’t thought there was anything even remotely wrong between them, but Anya was clearly dancing around some issue. “But what?” he prompted, even though he was terrified to hear the answer.

“But is this going to last? Are we too different?”

“Different? Why, because you’re human and I’m Zocronian?”

“Well, that’s one part of it. But there’s also the fact that we had such crazy different views about the hospital. You’re fine with listening to me now, that everything is new and exciting. But what about in a year? Five years? Ten years? Are you sure you’re not going to regret letting me have such a big say in things, and inviting me into so much of your life?”

Kromin leaned in toward her as closely as he could. Their noses were almost touching, and they were so close that he easily could have leaned one more inch and kissed her. But he didn’t. Not yet. He had something to say first.

“I will never regret inviting you into my life. Never. I was an idiot, running things like an idiot, until you came along. You stood up to me in a way that no one else ever had. You’re not afraid to get in my face and tell me when I’m wrong, but you don’t do it in a spiteful or mean way. You do it because you care about me.”

Anya shifted in her seat again, but she continued to meet his gaze. Good. He didn’t like it when she looked away while he talked, but she was getting better about not breaking eye contact just because she felt uncomfortable. He liked that about her. She wasn’t afraid to grow and learn. And she’d made him realize that he needed to grow and learn as well.

“You’ve made me a better man,” Kromin said, reaching out to cup the side of her face with one of his hands. He loved the way her pale human skin looked against his blue Zocronian skin. When he was this close to her, it was easy to feel like she was the only one in the room. Tonight, that was almost true. Almost. But it didn’t even matter that there were technically two other people there. She was all he saw. “I know this probably sounds crazy, because we haven’t been together that long, but I love you, Anya. I mean it. I love you, with everything in me. If you’re asking how long I want to be with you, the answer is forever.”

Anya’s eyes had filled with tears. Kromin wasn’t entirely sure, but he thought that was a good thing. Humans could be so hard to read, but he knew that sometimes they cried when they were really happy, and if the smile on Anya’s face was any indication, she was really happy with what he’d just said.

“I love you, too,” she said. “I’ve been afraid to say anything, because I didn’t want you to think that I was a total freak. But since our time together in the mines, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. I just worried that because we sort of started off as enemies that you might never be able to get past that and love me back.”

“We started out as enemies because I was an idiot and didn’t want anyone touching my precious little hospital. Now that I’ve gotten over that, it’s easy for me to see that you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Oh, come on. You’re just sweet talking me now.”

“No, I’m not. And I’ll prove it.”

Kromin got out of his chair and went to kneel beside Anya’s chair. When he got down on one knee, her eyes widened. “You’re not doing what I think you’re doing, are you?”

“That depends. Do you think I’m about to ask you to marry me? Because that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

She clapped her hands over her mouth. “Kromin!” she said, her voice muffled a bit by her hands. “We’ve only been dating, if you can call it dating, for about a week.”

“I don’t care. You asked me what our status is, and what I want for us? I want our status to be engaged, and then married. I want our status to be together, forever. I mean that. You changed me from a whiny, entitled doctor to a true man. A man who isn’t afraid to face down problems. A man who is finally doing his true best to be the doctor Zocrone needs. A man who knows that sometimes your enemies turn out to be right, and when someone has the right of something, you should listen to them.”

“Kromin…”

“Wait, I’m not done yet. Not only have you made me a better person, but you yourself are sludging amazing. You’re beautiful, smart, and fun. You care about people, truly care. You work hard and you make the best of every situation. Any man would be lucky to have you. I’m still not sure how I got lucky enough that you chose me, but I’m grateful. And if you’re willing to let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life taking care of you, and showing you just how grateful I am. Anya, will you marry me? I don’t have a ring at the moment, but I’ll get you the most beautiful one you’ve ever seen, I promise. Right now, all I have is my heart, and I’m offering it to you completely, if you want it.”

Kromin held his breath as he looked up at Anya’s shocked eyes and waited for her reply. She didn’t say anything for several long moments, and the wait became torturous. He forced himself to keep his mouth shut, telling himself to give her time to process everything. Finally, the fact that he was serious about the question seemed to hit her, and she smiled.

“Yes.”

“Yes?” he asked, his heart leaping in his chest. Had she really just agreed to be his forever?

“Yes,” she repeated. “This is crazy, but what the hell. What in my life hasn’t been crazy? And I know in my heart that you and I are meant for each other.”

Kromin whooped, then stood up and swung her around in his arms. He was vaguely aware of the bartender and the bar’s one other customer clapping in the background, but he couldn’t be bothered to look or care about that right now. The world around him had disappeared, and all he could see was Anya.

She had tears running down her face. Human emotions still baffled him, but he was pretty sure those tears meant she was happy. That was definitely what they meant, if the smile on her face was any indication. Kromin himself had never felt a joy like this. He’d had a relatively happy life overall, but nothing—nothing—had ever compared to this. The most beautiful woman in the Seven Galaxies had just agreed to marry him. Life didn’t get any better.

“Let’s order a celebratory drink,” he said. He was going to order the best drink that the bar was allowed to serve under the rationing rules, and he didn’t care how expensive it was. This was a moment to celebrate.

But just as he stepped back from Anya and turned toward the bartender, the front door swung open and a Zocronian man ran in with a frantic expression on his face.

“Doc Kromin!” the man yelled when he spotted Kromin. “Am I ever glad to see you! There’s been an emergency and we need your help.”

Kromin turned to look at the man. “An emergency? What happened?”

“A man was attacked by a monkey, badly. He’s lost a lot of blood and isn’t doing well. You have to come down to the hospital, quickly.”

Kromin cursed under his breath. He’d been hoping to have a celebratory drink here, and then take Anya home to celebrate properly with a good romp in his bed. But duty called, so all of that would have to wait.

“You want to come?” Kromin asked Anya. “Or you want to wait here?”

“Oh, I’m definitely coming,” Anya said. “Who knows how bad it is, or whether you might need some assistance. I’m not going to sit around here twiddling my thumbs when I could be doing something useful.”

Kromin nodded. He had expected this answer. “Alright then.” He turned back to the man who had brought the message. “Let’s go.”

The man led them out into the streets, where darkness had already fallen. Things here by the bar were much quieter than they usually were, but a certain tension hung in the air that bothered Kromin. Something felt off in the city, and he had a foreboding feeling that it was going to be a long, long night.

At least he knew that no matter what the night brought, Anya would be by his side. Having her company made things more bearable, and besides, he wanted her close by so that he could protect her. If there was going to be trouble, protecting her was his first priority.

She was his, and nothing was going to harm her as long as he still had breath in his body.