Page 3 of Errik

Months.

The word seemed to echo inside her head.

“Is there anything I can take? Any lifestyle changes?” she asked as desperation filled her voice. “Medication? A better diet? Exercise? Anything that could keep me alive until I could afford the surgery?”

“I wish I could tell you there was,” Dr. Rowan said. “There are medications that can help you manage some of your symptoms and reduce the strain on your heart, and you need to avoid strenuous activity. But none of those things can fix the valve itself. Once the valve becomes this severely narrowed, the only definitive treatment is to replace it.”

“So… there’s nothing I can do,” Holly whispered. Oh, God, was this really happening? Tears burned in her eyes, but she blinked them back. She didn’t want to cry. Not here. Not now. She wanted to wait until she made it back to her RV. Then, once she was alone, she could finally let herself fall apart.

“There’s nothing you can do to repair the valve other than surgery,” Dr. Rowan said. She withdrew a card from her white coat, fished a pen out of her pocket, and scribbled something on the card. “Here. This is the name of the hospital. If you can somehow gather the funds needed—about six thousand galactic credits—and make it there, you’ll have a chance.”

Even though Holly didn’t think either of those scenarios was possible, she accepted the card. “Thank you,” she murmured as a strange, hollow sensation swept through her. She also felt increasingly cold. A bit detached from reality, too. Was she going into shock?

Dr. Rowan started to leave the room, only to pause with her hand on the curtain. She lowered her hand and spun around quickly. “There’s another option,” she whispered. “A very radical option. One I’ve been telling my young female patients about.” She cast a furtive glance over her shoulder before returning her eyes to Holly.

“What option?”

“Have you heard about the Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides program?” the doctor asked. Her face became flushed.

“Yes, but I don’t see how signing up to become an alien’s mail order bride can help me now,” Holly said, her confusion growing. “It’s my understanding that the Vaxxlians need women for companionship and procreation—at least, that’s what the commercials say—but since I’m clearly not healthy, I doubt I would be accepted into the program.”

Dr. Rowan stepped closer. Then she lifted the tablet and her fingers danced over the screen. A few seconds later, she placed the tablet on Holly’s lap. “You’ll be accepted. Trust me. They really need women.”

“But if I’m going to die in a few months…”

“That’s the thing. You won’t die. The Vaxxlians are much more technologically advanced than humans. And I know for a fact that each Vaxxlian warrior is given a dose of healing nanobots to inject into his new mate. A much younger friend of mine signed up for the VAMOB program recently. She told me all about it. Apparently, the nanobots are so powerful they can bring a person back from the brink of death. They can heal any human ailment, including the one you have.”

Stunned, Holly peered at the tablet on her lap. It would seem the doctor had pulled up the mail order bride application on the VAMOB website.

“I know this might seem extreme,” Dr. Rowan said, “but it’ll save your life. Sure, it means you’ll have to mate with an alien warrior and go live on another planet, but you won’t die. You’re only twenty-six, sweetie. You have your whole life ahead of you.”

Holly stared at the top of the screen. “Um, the disclaimer on the application says Vaxxlians mate for life.”

“Yes, that’s true. But my friend has also told me that Vaxxlian warriors treat their mates very well. They’re a bit possessive and overprotective, but they never cheat on their mates, and they always provide for their families. Planet New Vaxx is also a beautiful place. Starzzia, the main settlement there, is clean, safe, and walkable.”

Holly reached for her cup of ice chips, suddenly parched and hot all over as she imagined signing her life over to a complete stranger. An alien warrior from another planet. An alien who would expect to consummate their union and… procreate with her.

“But I don’t even know if I want to have children,” Holly blurted. “And I’ve never had a relationship last more than six months.” Whenever things started to get serious, she always became scared and made excuses to end the relationship.

After eating a few ice chips, she quietly stared at the application, weighing her options.

Shock rippled through her. The Vaxxlians actually possessed healing nanobots. If she signed up for the VAMOB program, she wouldn’t die.

But she would have to mate with an alien, and she would be expected to have his children.

On the other hand, if she didn’t sign up for the VAMOB program, she would be gone in a few months after her heart finally gave out. Would it happen while she was alone in her RV? Would anyone even find her body?

She jerked back slightly, startled by the morbid turn her thoughts had taken. How awful it would be to die alone. With no one around who would care. Would she spend her final moments clutching her chest and gasping for breath?

Before she even realized what she was doing, she’d typed her name on the first line of the application. But then she paused and glanced up at the doctor, needing more reassurance.

“I know this is a big decision, but you don’t seem to have any family left… and the world is kind of collapsing around us. Even if you didn’t need the lifesaving nanobots, it would be wise to sign up for the VAMOB program.” Dr. Rowan paused, and her face softened further. “Do you want to live?” she asked gently.

Holly’s throat became so tight she couldn’t form words. But she nodded in the affirmative. Yes, she wanted to live. Even if it meant she had to marry a stranger.

“Take your time filling out the application.” Dr. Rowan placed a hand on Holly’s shoulder. Then she turned and quietly departed the exam room.

The application wasn’t very long. It asked for her name, age, contact information, pickup location (the clinic’s address would have to do), and hobbies and interests. She finished filling it out in less than a minute.