Chapter 3 - Some women actually ARE from Venus

I probably wasn't as frightened as I should have been when I woke up the following morning, rolled over, and saw that my girlfriend wasn't exactly human. There's an old saying though, about men and women, Mars and Venus. I figure that sometimes women actually are from Venus, and there's not much point in getting upset over it. Harley thought differently, though. When she awoke, she smiled, reaching a hand out to touch mine. The smile lasted until the tips of her blue fingers entered her vision, then she leaped out of bed with a cry, frightened.

"Hey, wait!" I jumped to my own feet, reaching out to tell her it was alright, that I wasn't afraid, or upset, or anything. I mean, it explained a hell of a lot, what with that strange glow she occasionally seemed to give off. Better an alien than radioactive, especially for someone who I just spent the night with. She didn't wait for my explanation, though; she fled to the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

"It's okay!" I leaned close to the door as I spoke so that she could hear me, for once not caring about what passing neighbors might think about my choice of pajamas. "I don't mind, really. It's a little bit strange, but really, who isn't? Just come on out, so I can talk to you."
After a long stretch of silence, her reply finally came, her voice trembling. "I can't go out there, everyone will see me."
Couldn't fault her there. All that blue skin and the futuristic jumpsuit was way more damning than any pair of valentine's boxers. "Alright," I conceded, then moved to my counter-offer. "Open the door then, so I can come in?"

She didn't reply, but after a moment the latch clicked open and I opened the door just far enough to slip inside, joining her in the very-small bathroom. I opened my mouth to speak, but she spoke first. "You're not upset, that I didn't tell you?"
"No, of course not. I understand keeping secrets to preserve image, you know that. What I don't understand is why you thought that was the best way for me to find out, if you were afraid of how I'd react. You were asleep, I could have done anything." Not that I would have. I'd never hit a woman.

"You weren't supposed to find out that way. I would have told you, eventually, but not like that! The quint-sensory hologram must turn off when I go to sleep, but I never knew. I'm supposed to keep it a secret, by order of the Interplanetary Council. You don't think anyone saw, do you?" Her flood of words finally stopped for long enough for me to get a word in edgewise.
"I doubt it, nobody usually comes up here so early in the morning. Now come on, come out of the bathroom. It'll be alright." I smiled and, after a moment, she smiled in reply, with a small nod.
"I'll be out in a minute, I have to re-configure the hologram before I can activate it."

Her estimate was a little low - likely closer to five or six minutes - but eventually she emerged into the morning sun. "There's the confident Harley who took me out to get my first job," I encouraged her, earning another hesitant smile.
"That's not my real name, you know."

"Oh?" I asked, stepping closer. "What is your real name, then?"
She took my hands in her own and held them gently as she shook her head. "You can't pronounce it."
"Try me." She did, and she was right. There was no way I would ever be able to pronounce that.

"That's a pretty name. I'll just call you Harley for short, alright?"
"Sounds like a plan," she replied, returning my smirk. I reached up and stroked her cheek with the back of my fingers. Quint-sensory hologram, she'd said. That must mean it works on all five of my senses, fooling touch as much as it misled my eyes. That was some crazy tech. How much further advanced were these aliens than us, anyway?

"It's probably best if I go back to my place, now," she said as the last of my fingers passed down over the edge of her jaw.
"Forever? Or just until I get my bed indoors?"
"The latter." She smiled, reaching to pull me into a hug. "And don't think I won't visit."

"Of course," I said, returning the embrace. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

***

Things went on much as they had been. I worked, saving up money to pay for more construction, and Harley visited most days to tend the garden, top off my refrigerator, and deliver various curiosities she'd found around town.

Eventually, I'd earned enough to put up another set of walls, and she moved in for real.

Having a live-in girlfriend wasn't enough, though. I knew she wouldn't like it, but when I was out at the bar after work, and a cute girl flirted with me, it would just be rude not to flirt back. And then, if I didn't keep up with other things, I'd just be a tease, right? Nobody likes a tease. And besides, what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

Until she found out, that is. I came back late one night and bid my date of the evening a steamy goodbye, not knowing Harley was behind me. As she said my name my heart froze. I turned, fearing the worst.

But she was smiling. "Had a fun night?"
"Y-y-yes," I stammered in confusion.
"She's pretty." This had to be a trap. Was I supposed to disagree, or be honest? My confusion must have been obvious on my face, because she laughed quietly before speaking again. "There's no need to look so worried. I don't mind."
"You don't mind?" I echoed, not quite comprehending the conversation.
"Cultural differences, remember? Dating many individuals at once is perfectly normal for my species."
Holy hell. Did I hit the jackpot, or what?

We spoke for a long time that night. Her only concern was that I'd felt the need to keep my adventures hidden from her. As long as I was honest from now on, there wouldn't be an issue as long as I stopped if we ever made a true commitment to one another. I don't see myself getting married anytime soon - if ever - so that's easy enough. We concluded the discussion with a hug.

As we held each other, she whispered in my ear. "You don't even have to worry about any misunderstandings on her part, either."
"Why's that?" I replied.
"She's an alien, too."
Good god. Are all women from Venus?

~~~*^*~~~

And here comes the dialogue. Had to get the characters in my head a little before I could write them actually speaking. It's a thing.

Yes, that other sim lady was an alien, too. So many aliens in this neighborhood. I usually never run into them!