Page 122 of Commander’s Mate
“Then why would I wear them?”
“Love.”
He made a doubtful sound.
I smiled.
Maybe that was what a future looked like.
Not one dramatic choice.
A thousand small ones.
What to eat.
What to wear.
Whose family traditions survived.
Which planet had better coffee.
Who burned lunch.
I had spent so much time afraid of choosing between worlds that I had forgotten life happened inside the choice.
Zared kissed the top of my head.
“After I stopped laughing about the red coat, Zared left the room.
I thought I had offended him.
Then he came back carrying a small projection tile.
He set it on the table.
“Since you have insulted my clothing, you should see it.”
The image opened.
Zared stood younger, though not by much, beside three people in formal clothes.
The red coat was magnificent.
I pointed.
“Oh, that is absolutely dramatic.”
He ignored me.
I stopped teasing when I saw the woman beside him.
Same yellow hair.
Same eyes.
Smaller.
Smiling.
