KHALL
Khall was downing a cup of coffee in the pilots’ lounge when he heard Farrsah exclaim.
By the time he looked up, she was halfway to him. Which was impressive, given that she had been flirting with an off-duty pilot he happened to know she was crushing on.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Look,” she said excitedly, swiping at her bracelet with one hand while the other three wiggled and high-fived each other.
He bent to study the hologram image floating over her wrist.
It looked like a dance class, and…
“April,” he murmured.
“Keep watching,” she told him.
The music playing in the feed was classical, nothing that would ever be played in a club. And April was dancing as beautifully as any star of the Ulfgardian Ballet.
There was nothing suggestive or inappropriate in her movements. He could see the love she felt for her art and the freedom of her soul as her limbs stretched and leaped. It almost hurt to watch.
This was what she had left home to do. Whatever happened afterward was due to bad luck and bad actors. But April’s love for dance was as pure as her heart, and shone more brightly than her golden hair, for all to see.
The camera panned to show her students. He recognized people from the building. It was incredible to see so many stiff and formal neighbors moving in harmony together, trying their best to capture some fraction of April’s gift. They all looked amazing. Even the least physically talented were radiant with delight. April had a real gift as a teacher.
And then there was a close-up on two girls. His girls.
Minerva danced a little shyly, but with feeling.
And Bo danced like there was no tomorrow, her little body swaying and flying with the music, an expression of delirious abandon on her face.
“I was wrong,” he said to himself.
“What?” Farrsah asked.
“Can your boyfriend take my run with you?” he asked her, not taking his eyes from the feed.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” she replied automatically.
“And a thousand credits says you can’t make him your boyfriend by the end of the run,” he said, with a wicked grin.
“Oh, you are on,” she cackled. “You’re going to upgrade my vacation with that.”
“Talk to him,” Khall said. “I have to get out of here.”
“You’re in love with her, aren’t you?” Farrsah asked quietly.
“She’s very young, and she’s the nanny,” he replied. “Does that make me ridiculous?”
“Kind of,” Farrsah said, shrugging her four shoulders. “But you were already famous for posing naked with a helm over your junk. So, if we’re being honest, you didn’t have far to go.”
He couldn’t help laughing at that.
“If she makes you happy, then go for it,” Farrsah said kindly. “But lock that down asap. She’s going viral with this feed, and you might be standing in line if you wait too long.”
He saluted his best friend and took off down the corridor, pulling up his comms on the way.
On the other end, April’s comms only rang and rang. Obviously, she couldn’t pick up while she was dancing. He’d been so anxious to apologize that he hadn’t really stopped to think.
Suddenly, he heard a beep telling him to leave a message.
“April,” he said stupidly, wishing he had thought through what he was going to say before calling. “You were right. About… everything. I’m so sorry. I’ve been a complete idiot. I’ve got someone to cover my flight, and I’m coming home now to apologize to you again. I don’t deserve it, but I hope you’ll give me a chance to make things right.”
He ended the call before he could make an even bigger ass of himself. He figured he could save that part for when he saw her in person.
Instead, he swiped off his comms and sprinted for the exit so he could get back home to his girls. Every instant away from the three of them felt like a weight on his heart.