Night Whispers 2 : The Deception

going nova. Brighter than bright at graduation and then just winking out. You do know they want to suspend my commission … What is it you’re saying to me? What are you telling me? That it isn’t like you said? He wasn’t toying with me after all? That he wanted me — to be his wife?”

“No, baby.”

“What made you think I couldn’t do both? Wasn’t that for me to decide? Just who was treating who like property? It’s my life! My choice!” Hugging herself, she walked toward the deck’s edge. “I could have been his wife. Oh, God, you took that away from me. We could have had some real time —” A sob escaped and she quickly squelched it.

Joseph came up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders as she gazed vacantly toward the ocean and the looming darkness. “You need someone who can love you. You’re human, not Vulcan,” he was adamant. “As much as you’ll love him.”

“Who are you to judge that?” she said, drawing in a ragged breath, shrugging away from him. “He loved me in his own way. I can’t explain it.”

“Someone who knows how an unintended mindmeld can mess with your head, that’s who!”

“What?”

Joseph nodded, “It was long before I met your mother. Back when I was a Marine and stationed on Vulcan. But just like you, I believed I loved her.

Through the mindmeld she made me think so — and