Fox
After a few minutes a waitress comes to our end of the table. “Grüß Gott,” she says and I know immediately she’s the one for me. She’s smiling and has blonde hair braided attractively around her head. Her blue eyes are bright and inviting and her apron is tied on the left side meaning she’s single.
“Can I get you a drink or food?” she repeats herself in another human language that my translator kicks on for.
Axl orders us beer and food in German. If she thought we were strange for not answering her the first time, she doesn’t mention it. After she’s left, Axl assures me it’s what’s typical for Oktoberfest assuming my hesitation in answering her was because I didn’t know what to order.
I correct him by telling him, “She’s the one.” I meet his slender green eyes and can tell he’s not convinced. “The first thing she said was ‘may the goddess greet you.’”
He tilts his head. “The man said that to us when we checked into the Holiday Inn. I think it’s just what they say here. I don’t think you should take it as a sign from the goddesses.”
Before I can reply, my blonde angel returns with our beer. As she puts them on the table and says, “It’s rare to see someone with such long red hair.”
I smile and reply in German, “I assume this is a good thing?”
We hold eye contact. Her eyes as memorizing as looking up at the sky on a sunny day.
“Yes, it’s a good thing,” she says after a few seconds. Then she excuses herself and walks away.
“She’s definitely the one,” I say confidently to Axl. “Did you see the way she looked at me? And commented on my hair?”
“That’s not your real hair color.”
“I chose it. That makes it partially mine.”
“You can’t just decide to marry the first human woman who talks to you on Earth.” Axl looks for her in the crowd. “And the goddesses probably don’t have a waitress in mind for you.”
“Why not? There are no classes where humans are concerned,” I remind him. “We will sit here until this tent closes so I can watch her.”
“Lev recommended not to study human women like this, I think…” Axl begins but I shush him with a gesture.
“This is my time,” I say and I don’t dare to hope too soon, but my heart is beating so fast I can’t help it. I do believe everything has led up to this moment with the waitress with the blonde hair. I don’t even know her name but when we made eye contact, something felt very right about our meeting here and now in Heaven.
***
Helga
“Who was the red-haired man you were talking to?”
“His name is Johan Fox.”
“Strange surname. Is he German?”
“He said he’s from up north. Maybe his dad was English or Scottish. He seems very nice.”
“No offense, Hel, but I don’t trust your radar. But he did like you well enough to stay all day and night.”
“It wasn’t for me. Our tent is the best at Oktoberfest, everyone knows that.”
“It was for you. I kept my eye on him and he was always looking at you and a few times I saw you looking at him too.”
“Maybe I need an Oktoberfest rebound,” I say only half sarcastically. “He gave me his handle. He’s in the military with the European space agency. Perhaps he’s looking for an Oktoberfest fling too?”
“He might be perfect for a rebound. He’s definitely too handsome to be smart,” Ella laughs.
“Hey, handsome men can be intelligent too. Come on now.”
“You come on now. Did you see the muscles on his and his friend’s legs and arms? They spend a lot of time in the gym.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that. He may not be a rocket scientist, but it if he’s a good man it doesn’t matter.”
“I just don’t want to see you hurt, and I was thinking maybe if you dated a colleague rather than a man from…”
“You think I’m afraid to date someone intellectually equal?” I’m almost offended.
“I think I see a pattern,” Ella says diplomatically. “Whether you consciously or subconsciously like men who haven’t’ been to university I don’t know.”
“You’ve not been to university. Do you think we wouldn’t be friends if you’d gone?”
“No of course not Hel. That’s not what I’m saying and you know it. I’m just suggesting maybe have a fling with a man who’s totally different. Someone who knows what a human rights lawyer actually does.”
“I’ll consider it,” I say as I go into the bathroom to be alone for a few minutes and decompress. I know she’s got a point but it still hurts to hear the truth.
After dinner with Ella I open my app to see if Johan Fox has messaged me. Sure enough, he has. I open his message.
Helga, it was a pleasure to meet you today. I’d like to get to know you better.
He’s very formal, I think. Maybe he’s nervous.
Johan it was nice to meet you. Where are you from?
He’s online now and typing but it’s taking forever.
***
Fox
“She’s just asked me where I’m from.”
“Say Hamburg,” Axl says with his IC out and a map of Germany displayed on the screen.
“Don’t say the Empire.” A few seconds later he jumps up and looks at my human device. “Fox! Don’t write that!”
“Lev said to be honest. He’s the expert. And as you know the chances that she believes me are slim to none.”
“And the chance she never speaks to you again if you write that are sky high.”
***
Helga
“What’s so funny?” Ella asks.
I hold up my phone as she comes over and she reads the exchange.
Call me Fox. I’m from a distant planet across the galaxy. I work on a space station here protecting humans.
“Protecting humans from what? Ourselves? God knows we need that,” Ella comments.
I shrug and type in the question.
From other aliens who would do humans harm.
I read out his answer to Ella who replies, “Sounds like the perfect rebound for you. He’s nothing like any man you’ve ever dated before, he probably plays video games too.”
I smile but don’t take Ella’s comment too seriously. Although it’s true I’ve never be interested in a man who is in to science fiction or fantasy. I type:
What do you really do?
I’m not kidding. I work on a space station, a base actually, protecting humanity.
I realize then maybe he can’t tell me what he really does because it’s classified. And before I can ask him a question he asks me.
I noticed that your apron was tied to indicate you’re single. Are you looking for a husband?
I laugh. This all must be a joke. Maybe he’s really drunk. He did drink a lot of beer and all our beer is over 6%. However, he’s German and he didn’t seem drunk any of the times I spoke to him. I type back,
Are you looking for a wife?
Yes. I specifically came to Oktoberfest to find a good German wife.
I don’t know why but this sends shivers of nervous expectation through me while I wait impatiently as he types more.
***
Fox
Axl is leaning over my shoulder and trying to give me tips on what to write. “No. Human women don’t want you to mention fate. They think it means you’re an untrustworthy man.”
“What do I write then? ‘The goddesses guided me to you?’”
Axl taps his finger on the table. “What about ‘I’d make a good husband and can provide modern living in a close-knit diverse community with little crime and excellent health care.’”
“What is wrong with you? There’s nothing romantic about anything you just said.”
“That’s how Georgiana describes the base to her friends and family.”
I almost reply but then decide to just leave that for another time and focus on my own romance at the moment. “I have to type something because it’s been too long.” I type,
I normally don’t have opportunities to talk to human women, but even still, there was something very special about you when we met today. I feel as if we were supposed to meet today.
“Wait stop, Fox. Delete the word human.”
“No,” I say, “I want to speak as authentically as I can.” Axl tries to wrestle the phone away from me, but I manage to hit send.
***
Helga
“Listen to this, I normally don’t talk to human women…”
***
End of Excerpt.
My Oktoberfest Alien releases October 2, 2024
KU, ebook, and audio
Pre-order 0.99
Blurb
Fox
I have seven weeks to meet and marry a human woman. If I don’t, I will lose my position as Commander of the Alliance Force. Since I took command, my attempts to meet eligible women have been disastrous. Lev, our resident anthropologist, has suggested I attend Oktoberfest in Munich. His rationale is that I like beer and the comradery of dancing and singing and will be surrounded by women who also enjoy the same activities. I always advise my officers to mingle with humans at their festivals. The better we understand humanity and are emotionally connected to the people of Earth, the better we can defend their planet. Perhaps taking my own advice will help me find a wife before it’s too late.
*Standalone
*Two POV
*HEA
Comments