“Are you sure I’m not imposing?” Jennifer asked.
“I’m positive. Ever since I heard Siril was taking a mate, I’ve been anxious to meet you. Our mates are close friends. I’m sure we’ll see a lot of each other.”
Charlotte led the way through her home to a dining room. The Chief Councilor sat at the head of the table, a little girl next to him. Charlotte took a seat on his other side and Jennifer awkwardly followed her. She felt a little like she’d entered a king’s domain and she didn’t know the proper etiquette. Borgoz smiled at her warmly and the little girl hardly cast her a glance.
“I know this isn’t how you imagined your first night here,” Borgoz said. “I’m sorry I had to call Siril away, but he’s our best. With some luck, he’ll return by morning.”
“Is it okay that I’m here? He said I could come, but…”
Borgoz waved away her concern. “You’re always welcome here. I’m hoping you and Charlotte will become fast friends. There’s a small handful of women she likes to keep close, and I’m sure you’ll meet them soon enough. You’re not alone, Jennifer.”
“Thank you,” she said softly and took the seat next to Charlotte.
A plate was brought out along with what looked like juice. She ate her meal quietly, listening to Charlotte and Borgoz speak. The little girl cast her curious glances, but mostly kept to herself. When the meal was over, Charlotte stood and held out a hand. Jennifer took it hesitantly and let the other woman lead her away.
“Borgoz will watch Arabella,” Charlotte said. “Is there anything you need?”
“No, I… just didn’t want to be alone.”
“You can stay as long as you’d like, but you might want to return home in a few hours in case your mate returns. I’m sure he’ll be anxious to see you, especially if he faced a hard battle. But you’re welcome here as long as you wish to stay. You could even stay the night if you wanted.”
“No, I’ll return home before bed.”
Charlotte nodded. “Would you like to watch a movie on the Vid-comm? It might help the time pass a little quicker. I could show you how to set them up so you can watch them at home too.”
“We have movies here?” Jennifer asked in surprise.
“They add more all the time. Do you have a preference?”
“Something lighthearted?”
Charlotte nodded and showed her how to program the movie selections, then they settled back to enjoy the show. Jennifer only half paid attention to what was on the screen, still concerned about Siril. She wondered how many nights like this one she would pass as his mate. Not that she would change anything about him. He was a warrior and was only doing his job. She just hadn’t realized how much she’d worry.
“I heard about your daughter,” Charlotte said. “I’m sorry.”
“You just do the best you can as a parent, but I guess sometimes it isn’t enough. Hopefully, one day she’ll appreciate the life I was able to give her. It breaks my heart that she hates me so much when she’s been my entire world, but I can’t live my life for her anymore. I’m thirty-eight and it’s time I did something for myself.”
“I think you’ll be good for Siril. He’s wanted a mate for a long time, but seems to think his looks make him unworthy,” Charlotte said. “I’m glad he found you.”
“Does he get called away like this often?”
“Often enough, but now that he’s mated, I’m sure Borgoz will try to send others when he can. For so long, Siril has taken every mission that came his way, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he started asking for more time off. Now that he has a mate, things will be different.”
Jennifer placed a hand on her belly. “And a baby. I still can’t believe I’m pregnant. I’d thought those days were behind me.”
A wistful expression passed over Charlotte’s face. “I love Arabella, but I wish we could have had more children. When I was pregnant, she had siblings, but they didn’t make it. The doctor said it would be too dangerous for me to have more children, so she’s an only child.”
“I’m sure the two of you spoil her.”
Charlotte nodded. “We do. She’s a pampered princess.”
“I wonder if this one will be another girl or if I’ll have a boy this time?”
“It won’t be long before you can find out.” Charlotte smiled. “You’ll have to think of names. I’ve noticed most of the mates around here choose Earth names for girls and Zelthranite names for boys. But maybe you’ll buck tradition and reverse it.”
“I got to name Lila. This is Siril’s first child, and possibly his only child. Maybe I’ll let him name the baby.”
Charlotte giggled. “There’s no telling what he’d name a baby, but it would be interesting to find out.”
Thoughts of Lila sobered Jennifer. Her daughter… it was painful, knowing she might never see her again. If only Lila hadn’t turned out so rotten. The sweet girl she’d been as a child still had to be in there somewhere, unless it was all a lie all along. It would have been so much fun for both of them to start a new life here. They could have talked and visited whenever they wanted, and Jennifer could have watched her grandchildren grow up. Now she’d likely never even know if she had any. At least, not Lila’s children.
“She’ll come around,” Charlotte said, as if reading her mind. “Once she realizes how hard it is to live on her own, she’ll grow up fast. It won’t take long before she misses you.”
“Do you think they’d ever let her come back here? After the way she’s acted?”
“If she truly changes, I’m sure Borgoz could be persuaded to at least let her come for a visit. As a parent, he knows how hard it would be to be separated from his daughter, and he wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
Jennifer nodded.
“Why don’t we have a real girl’s night?” Charlotte asked. “I have a manicure set and some new polish. We could do each other’s nails while we watch TV and talk. I don’t have popcorn, but I saw some potatoes in the pantry. I could ask the chef to make some French fries for us. The way he seasons them, they’re so good.”
“A girl’s night?” Jennifer asked. She hadn’t one of those in… well, probably eighteen years or more.
“It will be fun and it will keep your mind off Siril and your daughter.”
“All right. And you can tell me more about what it’s like living here. I lived in the same town my entire life, and now I’m suddenly on an alien planet. Siril pointed out some of the shops and restaurants when we first arrived, and I’d like to explore soon.”
“If Siril isn’t back tomorrow, we’ll go to breakfast and enjoy a bit of shopping,” Charlotte said. “I could introduce you to a few more mates if you’d like?”
“That would be really great.”
“Jacie and Haven are younger, especially Haven, but they’re really nice. And trust me, Jacie could use a break. She and Barimere have four children. All of them are six and have more energy than you could ever imagine. Haven’s daughter is only a few months old, so I’m sure she’d like some time out of the house too.”
Jennifer spent the next two hours talking with Charlotte, getting her nails painted, and making tentative plans for the next day. The time passed quickly, and she realized sooner or later, she’d have to go back to that empty house. Making her goodbyes, she went home and hoped she’d be able to sleep. Not knowing if Siril was okay was weighing heavy on her.
She busied herself, unpacking her things, and snooping through Siril’s stuff. After taking a shower and putting on her pajamas, she crawled into bed and closed her eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come. Was Siril missing her as much as she missed him? He’d shown her how to work the Vid-comm and had mentioned they had one on board his ship, but she didn’t want to disturb him if he was planning a battle, or in the middle of a fight. The last thing she wanted to do was distract him and cause him injury or worse.
Her hand smoothed over the empty side of the bed before resting over her belly.
“Your daddy is off
fighting right now, being brave and heroic. But he’s going to come home to us soon. I bet he doesn’t know that he can talk to you already. I know your ears aren’t developed yet and you’re just a little tiny pea-sized thing right now, but I’m going to talk to you every day.”
She couldn’t remember talking to Lila until closer to the end of her pregnancy, and then it was more so she wouldn’t talk to herself. There were things she could do differently this time. With Siril’s support, she could focus on her health more and in preparing for the baby. She wouldn’t be so tired all the time, working ten and twelve hours, trying to save every penny for the weeks she’d have to take off. Everything wouldn’t feel rushed or as scary. She’d have help this time.
Spending time with Charlotte had been great tonight, but now that she was alone, she missed Siril more than ever. Maybe they could get a pet so she wouldn’t be by herself when he went on missions. His job was too important for her to ask him to give it up, even if she would feel better having him by her side every night. She wasn’t that selfish. His people needed him, and she felt she knew Siril enough to know that he needed to feel useful. Being a warrior wasn’t just what he did, it was who he was.
It wasn’t who Siril was that was the problem. It was the fact that now she wasn’t just a hard-working single mom, Jennifer had no idea who she was. She’d thought she had everything figured out, knew exactly how her life would end up. And then life had thrown her a curveball and nothing was how she’d imagined it would be. It wasn’t a bad thing. She loved that she’d found Siril and had so many possibilities in front of her. It was just going to be a little bit of an adjustment.
Having friends would help. She’d had fun with Charlotte tonight, and looked forward to meeting Jacie and Haven. Maybe in time, she’d feel comfortable enough to introduce herself to strangers around town and make even more friends. Being given the gift of this amazing life wasn’t something she would ever take for granted. This home was far grander than anything she’d have ever been able to afford on her own. And Siril treated her so well. He seemed in tune with her every need, and genuinely listened when she spoke. He was amazing and just so…
She sighed. Just so far away.
A beeping sound made her get of bed and follow the noise. The Vid-comm was blinking and she answered it the way Siril had shown her. When his face filled the screen, tears sprang to her eyes. He looked tired, but he smiled when he saw her.
“I know it’s getting late,” he said. “But I couldn’t go another minute without talking to you.”
“I’m glad you called. I was worried I’d bother you if I called you.”
He reached out and touched the screen. “I wish you’d have called. I miss you.”
“I miss you too, but I didn’t want to be a distraction.”
He laughed a little. “I’m afraid you’re a distraction whether you call me or not. You’re not far from my thoughts even when I’m discussing strategies with the crew. We managed to chase the other ship a good distance away from Zelthrane-3, but Borgoz wanted them in another galaxy. If all goes well, I should be home tomorrow night.”
“I spent some time with Charlotte tonight. She’s going to introduce me to her friends tomorrow. She said if you weren’t back yet, we’d go to breakfast and do some shopping. I’ll try not to spend too much.”
“Jennifer, spend whatever you wish. The amount I showed you on Earth is a pittance compared to what’s in my accounts. Even if I were to retire tomorrow, we’d be okay. I’m not paid as well as the council, but damn close.”
“There’s no need for me to spend tons of money if I don’t have to. I thought I might pick a few things for the house, to make it feel more like mine. And since half my wardrobe was useless and was left behind, I might pick up a few new outfits. Maybe something nice for when we go out to dinner or something.”
Siril smiled. “Have fun with your new friends. I’m glad you aren’t hiding in the house alone. I worried you wouldn’t get out and explore while I was gone, and I didn’t have time to introduce you to anyone before I left.”
“It’s a little lonely being here by myself tonight. Charlotte offered to let me stay at their house, but I wanted to be here. It didn’t seem right not to sleep in our bed the first night I’m here.”
“I wish I was there with you. I’ll probably stay in the command center tonight, keep an eye on things. I doubt I’d sleep anyway. I’d be missing you too much.”
“When you get home, you’ll have to show me just how much you missed me.” She smiled. “I can think of several ways we can pass the time when you get back.”
“I love you, Jennifer. I need to go check on the crew, but I’ll call you again tomorrow when we’re getting close to home. If you need anything, go to Borgoz. He’ll be happy to help you while I’m gone.”
She nodded, tears misting her eyes. He reached out and touched the screen one last time before the Vid-comm went dark. Her heart ached as she realized she hadn’t said the words back to him. It was possible he’d go into battle tonight or tomorrow, and she hadn’t told him she loved him. It was tempting to call him back, but he’d said he had things to do.
Curling up in the chair near the garden windows, she stared up at the moons.
At some point, she must have dozed off because hours later, the rising suns woke her. Stretching, she winced, noting her neck was stiff and ached, and her back didn’t feel all that great either. Nothing a nice hot shower wouldn’t cure. She didn’t know what time Charlotte would come for her, but she’d be ready. And no matter how much she missed Siril, she’d smile and laugh and have a good time.
It didn’t take a long time for her to get ready. Just as she was pulling on her favorite boots, the door chimed. Excitement raced through her at the idea of exploring this new world, and meeting new people. With a smile on her face, she greeted Charlotte and invited her inside.
“Jacie and Haven are meeting us at the restaurant,” Charlotte said. “There’s a café in town that serves human food, so I thought we’d go there. Then Abbie, she’s mated to one of the councilmen, said she’d meet us at my favorite store. Borgoz mentioned you only brought one suitcase with you, so I thought you could use some more clothes.”
“Siril called me last night. He told me to have a nice time and not worry about spending too much. I guess some new clothes are in order, maybe a pair or two of shoes, and I’d love to get some things for the house.”
“When he returns, you should have your picture taken! They didn’t have photography here until recently. One of the Zelthranites who settled on Earth requested pictures of the animals we have here. He sent a digital camera on the shuttle and it was sent back to him, so his new human son could see a bit of our world.” She waved a hand. “Anyway, when the mates saw someone with a camera, they all asked about having pictures taken. One thing led to another. Our inventors came up with a way to print off digital pictures without having to send the camera back to Earth, and now there’s a photography shop in town. Not many people have their own cameras, but they have a studio in the back of the shop for portraits, or you can borrow a camera for a day and take your own.”
In some ways this new world was so backward and out of touch with something as simple as family pictures, but their medical advances blew her mind. And she’d seen the car things flying overhead yesterday. It was a little funny that a race so advanced had to borrow some things from humans, like cameras and movies. What had these people done before humans came to live with them? Just worked all the time?
“Come on,” Charlotte said. “We’re going to have a great time today.”
Jennifer made sure the door locked behind her and followed Charlotte to the café. For so early in the morning, there was quite a crowd on the streets. Or maybe they were more walkways, since their vehicles didn’t use roads? Everyone smiled and waved at Charlotte, giving Jennifer curious looks. A few people who must have seen her altercation with Lila yesterday greeted her in passing. It made her feel welcome, and a
part of the community, even though she’d only been here a day.
At the café, two women waited outside. One looked barely older than Lila and the other seemed a bit older. Charlotte made the introductions, and both women hugged her. A buzz of excitement filled her as they entered the café. Music played in the background, a fifties tune that made her smile.
Charlotte led the way to a booth in the back corner that was curved and plenty big enough for all four of them. They slid in and Charlotte showed her how to use the menu and then informed the table she was treating everyone this morning. Jennifer tried to protest, but Jacie snorted.
“Once she decides to do something, just let her,” Jacie said. “Arguing won’t do you any good. From what I’ve heard, she went from this soft-spoken timid woman to being a force to be reckoned with. I think we can thank our Chief Councilor for that.”
Charlotte smiled. “Borgoz has been good for me.”
“I think we all won the lottery by getting Zelthranite males for husbands,” Haven said. “Dryden knew I was meeting you today, so when Amelia was fussy last night, he stayed up to walk with her, and he didn’t hesitate to get up with her first thing this morning.”
Jacie nodded. “Barimere was the same way with ours when they were little. I think he has a soft spot for Jenny though. He’d never admit to having a favorite, but she’s definitely his favorite.”
“Jenny?” Jennifer asked.
Jacie smiled. “It’s not short for Jennifer, even though your names are similar. Jenny is special. She’s different from any other child on this planet because she has Down Syndrome. Not that it’s held her back from joining her two sisters and her brother. They’re all really protective of her, especially Lyndir. He’s only six, but he acts so much older.”
“Does Jenny still have her other protector?” Charlotte asked.
Jacie laughed a little. “It’s so cute. Fyro is twelve, one of the first children born after the bride program was introduced, but he’s decided he’s Jenny’s protector. He watches over her and makes sure no one bothers her. If she’s sitting alone, he’ll entertain her. It’s sweet watching them. We explained to him why she looks different, and how she isn’t quite as developed as other six year olds. He’s been really great.”
Jennifer and the Alien Badass Page 9
