“This is non-negotiable, Charlotte. I’ve already informed Borgoz that you’ll be on the next shuttle. If you should decide not to pack and meet that shuttle, I’ll have you thrown out of this house and have your accounts closed. I’m not going to coddle you any longer. You’re twenty-nine, and it’s past time that you start learning to fend for yourself.”
She fought hard to show no emotion as his words sank in. Her father was kicking her out, one way or another, and she would be homeless within the hour. Charlotte had to admit that even life on an alien planet seemed preferable to living in a homeless shelter. She wondered if aliens would be more accepting of her condition, or would she have just as much trouble searching for Mr. Right on another world as she did on Earth?
“I’ll go to the shuttle,” she said in stilted words.
“Good. I’m glad you’re willing to see reason. Go pack. You don’t have much time.”
Charlotte bit her tongue, turned on her heel, and hurried out of her father’s office. She took the elevator to the third floor and nearly ran down the hall toward her bedroom. There was no one for her to say goodbye to. Her snotty, bratty, younger sister wouldn’t care that she was gone. If anything, Charity would probably celebrate. Even the staff was changed out every few years to keep anyone from getting attached to Charlotte. If someone was caught helping her, by morning they were gone. Why her father hadn’t just given her up for adoption, after her mother passed, Charlotte would never understand. The man obviously hated the mere sight of her.
She had no idea what life on Terran would be like, or what type of mate she would attract. She packed her usual shorts and tanks for comfort, some of her favorite pajamas, a swimsuit, and a handful of dresses. Somehow she managed to cram in two pair of shoes and a small make-up case, which also held two bottles of perfume. Her shower products wouldn’t fit, but she supposed she could just use whatever they had on Terran when she got there. It wasn’t like she was overly attached to her shower gel.
A glance at the clock showed she didn’t have much time left. Not knowing where her next meal would come from, she hauled her suitcase downstairs and left it by the front door before rushing to the kitchen to pack a snack for the car. Charlotte crammed some cheese and crackers into a sandwich bag and snagged a soda from the fridge.
When she got back to the front entry, the limo driver was hauling her suitcase out to the waiting car. She followed him down the steps, not even looking back at the place she’d called home all her life. Although she wasn’t entirely certain it had been home ever since her mother had died, more like a place where she slept and ate, existing from one moment to the next but never truly living.
The trip to the Terran station was long and uneventful. She’d switched off her hearing aids after she realized the driver wasn’t going to try to talk to her. The scenery changed as they neared the station, and her heart thrummed in her chest. This was a new chapter in her life and she could make of it what she wanted. It could either be an exciting new beginning or a dreaded ending to a miserable existence. She chose to believe it would be a new beginning. From what she’d read and seen on TV, the Terrans seemed really nice so she had hope that they would be kind to her, kinder than her own family had been all these years.
The car came to a stop and she let herself out, turning her hearing aids back on so she would be able to hear anyone who spoke to her. The driver set her suitcase down beside her, then got back in the car and pulled away. She should have felt sad that he hadn’t even made sure she got inside safely, but really, it was just another day. Charlotte gripped the suitcase, extended the handle, and then began wheeling the luggage through the station. She followed the signs to the launch area and paused at the desk.
“May I help you?” a large Terran asked.
It was her first time seeing one up close, and she had to crane her neck back to see him. She’d never realized how tall they were! As he smiled at her patiently, she realized she was gawking.
“My father is Senator Mayweather. He made arrangements for me to be on the next shuttle to Terran Prime.”
His face was very expressive, and she could tell that her voice surprised him. He took it in stride though and made a few clicks on the tablet in front of him.
“Of course. Miss Charlotte Mayweather?”
She nodded.
“If you’ll leave your luggage here with me, I’ll see that it makes it onto the shuttle safely.” He attached a ticket to it with her name. “We have instructions to give you this to wear in your hair.”
She accepted the blue ribbon from him and eyed it uncertainly. It had been a long time since she’d worn ribbons in her hair, but she shrugged and tied it in a bow on top of her head. On the plus side, it held her hair back from her face. The downside was that she looked like she was twelve. Hell, she wasn’t even sure a twelve year old would be seen like this.
The Terran male gave her instructions for boarding the shuttle and she followed them to the letter. Once she was safely on board and seated near the aisle -- because her father had been too cheap to even get her a window seat -- she closed her eyes and tried to calm her racing heart. She’d never been on an airplane before, much less a space shuttle.
A few other women filed onto the shuttle as well as three Terran males. When the captain boarded, he stopped and addressed everyone, explaining what to expect and how long it would take for them to arrive. Before he ducked into the cockpit, Charlotte raised her hand.
“If there’s no one else sitting in this row, may I move to the window seat?”
He smiled. “Of course. You’ll be able to see us break through the atmosphere, but shortly after, we’ll deploy the masks that will put you to sleep for the rest of the journey. When you wake, we’ll be on Terran Prime.”
“Thank you.”
Charlotte got up and slid over to the window seat before refastening her seatbelt. The takeoff was a little bumpier than she’d expected and she had to try to pop her ears several times, but as they broke through the atmosphere and rocketed up into the stars, she was mesmerized by the beauty before her.
Chapter Three
What felt like minutes later Charlotte opened her eyes to see people standing in the aisle of the shuttle. She removed her mask and stood on unsteady legs, then followed everyone out into the sunlight. She had no idea what day or time it was here on this strange world, or how she was going to recognize the Terran male who was supposed to house her until she could make other arrangements.
As she stepped down onto the tarmac, the suns nearly blinded her. It was noisy, but it just sounded like a constant hum in her ears. Someone touched her arm and she jumped, jerking her gaze in that direction. A large Terran male stood beside her, dressed strangely compared to the other males in the area. His loose clothing was a silvery white that matched the few silver strands in his hair.
She couldn’t hear him over the humming in her ears, not even after she reached up and raised the volume on her hearing aids. He frowned as he studied the devices in her ears and asked her a question again. This time she concentrated on his lips, but she still couldn’t understand. He wasn’t speaking English.
“I can’t understand you,” she said in her sing-songy voice.
He looked surprised at her words, or perhaps her tone, and ushered her into the station where they gathered her luggage. He then took her to another building nearby. A man in a white lab coat came out and she wondered if he was a doctor. The new male smiled at her, setting her fears at ease a little.
“Are you Charlotte Mayweather?” the male asked.
She nodded. “Why can I understand you and not anyone else?”
“I, along with quite a few other males on this planet, have learned your Earth English. However, to make sure you can understand everyone around you, I’m going to implant you with a translator. I’ll also implant you with a sensor that will allow you to make purchases on our world. When you select a mate, he will pay for whatever you buy between now and then. Once your mati
ng is approved, you’ll be added to his accounts everywhere in Terran Prime.”
“Thank you for explaining how everything works. I’ve been a little lost.”
He frowned. “May I ask a personal question?”
She nodded.
“Your voice is different from anyone else I’ve encountered from Earth. Are you from a special region?”
“I’m deaf.” She pointed to her hearing aids. “These allow me to hear a little, but it’s like listening to someone talk under water. I don’t always catch everything. And, while it allows me to hear a little, I can’t always tell how loud I’m speaking.”
“Understood. Perhaps, after you’ve found a mate, they will permit me to run some tests and see if we can restore your hearing.”
“I was born deaf. My mother had preeclampsia when she was pregnant with me, and I was born early. Some of the bones inside my ear didn’t form correctly. A doctor tried to explain it to me once, but I didn’t understand the terms he used.”
The doctor nodded. “Well, we’ll take care of those implants today and if you decide you wish me to run tests later, then that’s what we’ll do.”
She meekly followed the doctor into a back room and stretched out on the table at his direction. He explained the procedure to her before giving her some gas to put her to sleep. When next she woke, her wrist and the back of her ear hurt a little, but otherwise she couldn’t tell she’d had anything done.
Charlotte found the other male pacing in the lobby.
“Can you understand me now?” he asked.
She nodded.
“I have a translator, so I understood everything you told the doctor. You’re not Charity Mayweather, are you?”
“Charity is my younger sister.”
The Terran’s face flushed with anger. “Your father lied to me. He said he was sending Charity here to find a husband, not her deaf older sister.”
She felt shame burn through her as she realized she was about to be cast aside again. Charlotte knew she should be accustomed to it by now but it still hurt, knowing she wasn’t good enough for yet one more man.
“If you send me back to Earth, I’ll be homeless,” she said. “My father said if I didn’t come here and find a husband, I would be thrown out of the house and all my accounts would be closed.”
The Terran muttered something, raked a hand through his waist-length hair, and then faced her with his hands on his hips. “I’m Chief Councilor Borgoz and you’ll be staying in my home. You may not be the sister I was expecting, but I’m not about to leave you stranded here. Especially with your condition.”
“I’m deaf, not stupid.”
The harshness of his face relaxed into an apologetic look. “I didn’t mean to imply that you were stupid, but there are many dangers on a new world for anyone, much less someone who can’t hear. I didn’t mean to make you feel unwanted or as if you were a burden.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time in my life I’ve felt that way.”
His gaze narrowed. “Your father made you feel unwanted?”
“And my sister. Be thankful she didn’t come in my place. She’s a spoiled, selfish brat who always has to get her way or she screams and throws things.” It felt good to be honest about her sister without fear of being punished. Everyone always treated Charity as if she was a princess, and Charlotte was tired of it.
“Right. Well, let’s get you settled. I’m sure you’ll want more things than what you brought with you. Once you’ve had a chance to put your belongings away, I’ll take you shopping for anything you had to leave behind.”
“I don’t need much. As long as you have something to wash with, I’ll be fine. I have enough clothes to last a week before I’ll have to do laundry.”
“An Earth week is seven days, correct?”
She nodded.
“A Terran week is eleven days. You’ll need more clothes. Things are different here on Terran. We don’t have machines in our homes to launder our clothes, and the shop in town that handles it is usually busy. You’ll want as many outfits as possible.”
He crooked his elbow and she curled her hand around it, watching as he hefted her bag as easily if it contained no more than feathers.
Charlotte tried to take in the scenery as they walked through Terran Prime. Borgoz explained that, while he had a vehicle to maneuver through the city, he thought she might like the walk to stretch her legs after such a long shuttle ride.
When they reached his home, her jaw dropped as she stared at the massive structure. She’d lived in a mansion all her life, but Borgoz’s home surpassed that of her father’s by a fourth floor and probably another twenty feet in width. She tried not to stumble over her feet as he led her up the stairs and into his home. Charlotte looked everywhere, not wanting to miss a thing.
Borgoz handed her bag to another male, and they followed him up the stairs to her room. It was twice the size of her bedroom at home with doors that opened onto a balcony overlooking a garden. It was gorgeous, and for the first time in her life she felt lucky. She was glad her father had sent her here, and had hope that her future would be bright and wonderful.
She turned from the fantastic view to find Borgoz studying her. Charlotte couldn’t guess his age. There were no wrinkles on his face, but the silver in his hair told her he was probably forty at the least. But then, she didn’t know how Terrans aged. For all she knew, he was pushing seventy like the vile old man her father had tried to force her to marry.
Borgoz was a handsome man. His purple eyes were dark like a pansy and quite beautiful. Those eyes were taking her in, and she wondered if he found her lacking like everyone else in her life. If she’d known she was coming to a palace, she may have dressed a little nicer for her trip. She tugged on the hem of her tank and wondered if she should change clothes before going shopping with him. He was being kind enough to give her a place to stay, the least she could do was not embarrass him in front of his people.
“I’ll come back in thirty of your Earth minutes to see if you’ve finished unpacking. If you’re hungry, we can stop for a bite to eat while we’re out and then go shopping. Don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need. If you can’t find me, Helio will help you,” he said, indicating the other male.
“Thank you.”
Borgoz gave her a regal nod and then he exited with his servant.
Left alone, she quickly unpacked and changed into a pretty sundress so she would be appropriately attired for an outing with someone so important, then she spent the rest of her time admiring the view. Charlotte hoped she’d get a chance to walk through that garden and admire the petals of the vibrant flowers close up. This world was amazing and full of new and wonderful things. She couldn’t wait to explore as much of it as she was allowed.
Chapter Four
Borgoz could feel his cock rising and hurried out of Charlotte’s room. It had been so long since he’d reacted to a beautiful woman that he’d almost forgotten what it felt like. He was upset with her father for the deception, but he couldn’t hold it against her. She seemed sweet and gentle. Her deafness could pose a slight problem in finding her a suitable match though. Not many would be willing to take on a woman who would need extra care.
You could claim her. He shook the thought away. She may be older than her twenty-two year old sister, but that didn’t make her old enough to want to marry someone like him. She might be impressed with his house, and might have possibly drooled a little over his garden, but what else did he have to offer her? He spent a large amount of time either at work or in his home office, and Charlotte seemed like the type of woman who would want to spend a lot of time with her mate. He hadn’t been around her much just yet, but she had such a sweet disposition. He imagined with her hearing problem she would need extra help. Borgoz knew he’d never be able to give her what she needed, not with his hectic schedule.
“You want her,” Helio said, a smile on his face. “It’s about time you showed interest in someone. I think I speak for all
of the council when I say it is past time for you to take a mate.”
Borgoz frowned at him. “I appreciate your help around the house, Helio, but don’t you dare breathe a word of this to the rest of the council. With any luck, she’ll find a match with one of them. If they think for one moment that I’m interested in her, they won’t even ask her out for a meal, much less consider taking her as a mate.”
“What is so wrong with you taking her for a mate? I saw the way she looked at you. She wasn’t immune to you. There was interest in her eyes.”
Was Helio right? Doesn’t matter. She deserves better than me.
“I know that look. Don’t even think she would be better off with someone else. You know you would treat her kindly, despite her affliction. She speaks funny and most won’t give her a second look because of it.”
“She doesn’t speak funny.” Borgoz scowled at him. “I think her way of speaking is pleasant. It’s different from all the other females who have come here seeking a mate, and different is good. Are you saying our males are so small-minded that it will bother them?”
Helio shrugged. “Most will think she’s defective. They would be worried she would pass the trait to their children, especially if she was born that way. Was she?”
“Yes, she said her mother had some condition while she was pregnant causing Charlotte to be born early and deaf. But perhaps it was the mother’s condition that caused the deafness and not genetics. It’s possible Charlotte could have a healthy pregnancy and deliver a hearing child.”
“Would you be willing to take that chance?” Helio asked. “Because many won’t be.”
Charlotte and the Alien Ambassador Page 2
