by Amanda Hamm
“Well, yesterday he said, ‘Do you think you could tell if your water broke while you were in the water?’”
“Eww!”
“I know, it’s like a double eww. Eww the thought of it happening there and eww that he’s apparently considered my… fluids. Shawn thinks I should invite him to the birth to freak him out for a change, but I think he’d say ‘yes.’”
“That would be bad.”
“It would be bad and it would be more eww. Mostly it would be just plain weird.”
“There does seem to be something about you that attracts weirdoes.”
Jenna couldn’t resist the jab. “That explains you anyway.”
Meredith poked her friend and they sat in happy silence for a moment before Meredith got the impression that Jenna was about to ask if there was something to eat. She had always had a fantastic appetite, considering all the calories she burned at work, and now that she was eating for two she seemed to be hungry more or less all the time. Meredith was going to offer a snack when a cry filled the room and the baby monitor on the counter lit up to enhance the urgency.
“I guess your little one is up.”
“Yeah,” Meredith smiled. “She’ll probably want something to eat, too.”
Jenna understood the “too” and Meredith truly couldn’t be happier with all the mouths to feed.
Dear Jane Letters
Dear Jane Letters is a light-hearted look into the life of Raina Lane, author of a local advice column titled Dear Jane. Raina has a close family who loves and entertains her at every encounter. She lives with her best friend, Vicki, who is about to get married and is anxious to see Raina paired up as well. She looks for romance between Raina and just about anyone with whom they come into contact, including a blind date and the old friend who has recently reentered Raina's life. Despite her roommate's constant vigilance, when Raina does find love, it still catches her by surprise.
Zero Station: A Science Fiction Novella
Humans have known for years that they are not alone in the universe. Those in power have chosen not to seek further contacts because of a tragic history, but sometimes contact cannot be avoided.
When an unidentified ship crashes in Antarctica, a team is assembled to communicate with the new arrivals. First agonizing silence, then a confusing plea for help. Who or what caused the ship to crash? Will scars from the past interfere with the mission? And will the team understand the danger in time?
Zero Station is a gripping tale of first contact, uniquely told from both the human side and the alien.
