Dryden kissed her softly. “Of course, I want you to go.”
“Then let’s catch that shuttle.”
Dryden led the way, stopping to leave her bag with someone, before showing her to the docking station. She climbed the steps to the platform and then entered the shuttle, Dryden right behind her. There were a handful of potential brides in the front row and a smattering of people in the other seats. Dryden helped her into a seat near the window and then he claimed the one next to her. He helped her buckle the harness before fastening his own.
A few more people drifted in and claimed the seats around them. Dryden shook hands with another Terran on the flight and they talked for a few moments. Haven stared out the window and tried to settle her nerves. She’d been on airplanes before, but she’d never taken a shuttle to another planet. Her stomach rolled a bit and she fought back the nausea. Dryden seemed to sense her unease and reached over to take her hand.
“You’ll be asleep for most of the journey,” he told her. “When you wake up, we’ll be on my world.”
She nodded and gave him a reassuring smile. The last thing Haven wanted was for him to worry about her. Dryden continued to talk quietly with the other Terran and Haven closed her eyes. She opened them when she heard the shuttle hatch being locked into place.
“Is it time?” she asked.
“Everything’s going to be fine, Haven. Xonos wouldn’t have allowed you to come on this trip if he thought it would harm you or the baby.”
She nodded and tightened her grip on his hand.
A voice filtered through the shuttle. “Good morning, everyone. I’m Captain Kijaro and I’ll be taking you to Terran today. The beginning of our flight might be a little bumpy but within a few minutes we’ll break through the atmosphere and everything will smooth out. As we leave Earth behind, masks will pop down. I want you to place them over your mouth and nose and breathe deeply. The gas that will be administered will put you to sleep until we reach my home world. You’ll be awakened when we get there.”
Dryden leaned over and kissed her cheek before tightening both of their harnesses. A loud rumble filled the cabin and Haven’s stomach dropped as the shuttle lifted into the air. The captain had been right; it was a bumpy ride for a few minutes. As the ground got further away, and then the planet began to get smaller, everything evened out and her nerves settled a little. The view out of her window was spectacular and she was a little in awe.
The masks dropped down in front of them and Dryden helped Haven put hers on before donning his own. The tang of the gas filled her nose and her body began to feel heavy. Her gaze fastened on a shrinking Earth until everything went black. The next time Haven opened her eyes, the shuttle was still and people were departing. Dryden was already awake and out of his harness.
“We’re on Terran?” she asked, her voice still thick with sleep.
Dryden nodded. “How do you feel? Should we stop and see the doctor at the clinic before I take you to my home?”
“I’m fine. Still a little groggy, but I’ll be okay. I’m anxious to see where you live.”
He bit his lip and looked away a moment. “My home isn’t as large as you might be expecting. On my world, I’m not very wealthy. I’m worth far more on Earth than here.”
“Dryden, I don’t care how much money you have or how big your house is. Have you not gotten to know me at all in the last few days? Do I seem like the type of person who cares about those kinds of things?” she asked.
“No,” he said softly. “I just don’t want to disappoint you. I know you come from a wealthy background and I live in a small apartment on my world.”
“Just take me home. To your home. I don’t care where it is or how big it is.”
“As you wish.”
Haven couldn’t help but smile. “You like The Princess Bride too?”
“I tend to like movies with a happily-ever-after.”
Dryden held out his hand to her, helping her to her feet.
“I guess we should get my bag,” she said.
“I’ve already had it sent ahead. They’ll leave it outside my place. No one will bother it. We don’t have theft on my world. We actually live in a society of very little crime. It’s been a long time since anything bad happened here that was caused by my people.”
The suns were bright as Haven exited the shuttle. She saw a large group of Terrans gathered nearby and a few aliens who were black with white markings. They were striking, if a bit unsettling.
“Who are they?” she asked.
“Large groups form whenever new brides come to my world. The black-and-white warriors are Bentares. Some of them have formed a warrior bond with our Terran warriors. Any woman accepting one of them will have to accept both. They’ve had a hard time finding brides though. Most people think taking them on is fun, but not something they want to do long-term.”
“That’s rather sad.”
They made their way through the streets of Terran Prime and Haven took in all the sights and sounds. There were human women walking around, a few who were obviously pregnant. The Terran males they passed watched her in curiosity and she inched a little closer to Dryden, remembering his words about unmated women on his world. The last thing she wanted was to be followed by men wanting to claim her as a mate.
They neared two tall buildings that were made of some sort of glass, passing a pool area where Terrans, women, and children splashed and had a good time. From what she’d seen of his world so far, she liked it. They approached one of the buildings and he entered a code to go inside. The lobby was different from anything she’d seen before and she stared in wide-eyed fascination. An elevator took them up to the tenth floor and she followed Dryden down the hall. He stopped outside a door and entered another code, pushing the door open. He picked up her bag and set it inside the door.
“Welcome to my humble abode,” he said, motioning for her to step inside.
The apartment opened to a small living area with a padded bench along one wall with pillows tossed along the back. There was a small table, and a large Vid-Comm screen opposite. A small kitchen was to the left, full of gadgets she didn’t recognize. Dryden pushed open the closed door next to the kitchen and she followed him into a bedroom. No, the bedroom, as in there was only one.
“If you don’t want to share the bed, I can sleep in the living room,” he told her.
“We can share.” Her cheeks flushed. “It’s not like you haven’t seen me naked.”
“The bathroom is through there,” he said, pointing to another door. “It’s small.”
Haven looked around. “I like your place, but I’m curious. How are you supposed to raise a family here?”
“Once I’m mated, I’ll be given a raise in salary. It won’t be much, but it will allow me to purchase a small home. We could never have a large family, not unless we moved in with my parents. Despite the fact I’m an only child, they have six bedrooms in their home. They’d always wanted a large family, and even when they realized more kids weren’t coming, they kept the house.”
“You wouldn’t mind living with your parents?” she asked.
“No. It’s not looked down on in my society. We’re very family-oriented.”
“When do I get to meet them?” she asked, feeling both nervous and excited about meeting Dryden’s parents.
“Why don’t you get freshened up, and we’ll meet them for breakfast.”
“Breakfast?” she asked, looking out the window. “But we had breakfast before we came here.”
“It’s nighttime on Earth now, which means it’s daytime here. The shuttle ride took about eight hours.”
“Then breakfast sounds nice.”
He nodded. “There’s a human-owned restaurant in town that serves Earth cuisine. Why don’t we eat there? My family likes going there from time to time, and after that trip you probably aren’t ready for more Terran food.”
“I could really go for an omelet or something.”
“I’ll conta
ct my parents while you do whatever it is women do after long trips.”
She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I won’t be long.”
He backed out of the bedroom, pulling the door shut behind him.
Haven turned on the light in the bathroom and stared at her reflection. Her hair was a little messy and her clothes were wrinkled. She went to retrieve her bag and then ducked back inside the bathroom to clean herself up a bit. If she was going to meet Dryden’s parents, she wanted to look her best. Despite the new development with her baby, she still was seriously considering marriage to Dryden. He was kind, smart, funny… and she’d never met anyone so inclined to romance before.
When she was ready, she stepped back into the living room and fidgeted until Dryden looked up at her.
“Ready?” he asked.
“I think so. I’m a little nervous.”
Dryden came over to her, taking her hands in his. “Don’t be. My parents are going to love you.”
She nodded and followed him out of the apartment. The entire way to the restaurant her stomach was tied in knots. Just because he assured her that his parents would like her didn’t mean they really would. What if they hated her on sight? She didn’t remember ever being so scared before. Taking a deep breath, she let Dryden lead her into the restaurant and she steeled herself to meet her possible future in-laws.
Chapter Six
Dryden smiled when he saw his parents. He hadn’t had a chance to visit with them on his last trip home, and he noticed the sheen of tears in his mother’s eyes. They really had been the best parents, and still were. He felt Haven’s hand tremble in his and wished he could reassure her. He had no doubt that his parents were going to love her, and would probably ask about their mating. They’d always wanted grandchildren, and the fact Haven was pregnant would just be a bonus to his parents even if the baby was half-Traxian. He just wished he’d gotten a chance to speak with them more before meeting with them today. They would no doubt jump to conclusions.
“Mom. Dad. I’d like you to meet Haven,” he said, tugging her forward. “Haven, these are my parents. My mom, Tilia, and my dad, Harvol.”
Haven clung to him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”
His mother smiled widely and rushed forward to hug Haven. When she stepped back, her gaze dropped to Haven’s stomach and her smile widened even more.
“You’re expecting!” Tilia said excitedly.
“Mom. Calm down.”
“Why didn’t you tell us you were seeing someone?” his mother asked.
“The baby isn’t Dryden’s,” Haven said. “I was pregnant when I met him.”
Tilia’s smile dimmed a little. “But the two of you are together now, right? That’s why you’re here?”
“Mom, Haven wanted to come see our world and I offered to bring her with me. I’m here for work.”
Tilia deflated even more. Harvol wrapped an arm around her waist and motioned to the table where they’d been sitting.
“We should sit and eat,” Harvol said.
“Mom, I know you want to see me settled, and it will happen in time. I care about Haven, but she has a lot going on in her life right now. I told her she can have as long as she needs.”
Haven looked at his parents uncertainly. “I don’t want you to think that I don’t like your son. I think he’s really great. But the baby I’m carrying is a Traxian’s. Your council is trying to locate the father and I don’t know what’s going to happen when they find him. I was already at a low point when I met Dryden, and it doesn’t seem very fair to drag him into my mess.”
Tilia’s gaze softened. “If I know my son, he would gladly take on any burdens you bring with you to a mating. But it’s sweet of you to worry.”
Haven slid into the booth and Dryden claimed the seat next to her, with his parents sitting across from them. A digital menu was on the table and everyone was able to place their own order. When the total was presented, his father swiped his arm across the machine, paying for their meal.
“How did you do that?” Haven asked.
“Everyone on Terran has an implant. It’s how we pay for things and how most buildings are accessed. In the last few months, The Towers were given access codes so potential brides wouldn’t have to get implants if they decided not to live here,” Harvol said.
“Potential brides stay in the apartment buildings?” she asked.
“They’re given suites without kitchens as temporary housing. It’s encouraged that they spend their mealtimes with potential mates,” Harvol said. “Those who find a mate are given an implant and anything they purchase is paid for with credits their mate earns. Or mates plural in the case of some of the warrior pairs.”
“Does the implant hurt?” she asked.
“The doctor would put you to sleep long enough to make an incision with a laser, insert the implant, then seal the opening. It doesn’t take long and there’s a slight ache the first day after the implant goes in, but there’s no real pain involved,” Tilia answered.
“Mom, I wondered if you might take Haven around and show her Terran Prime while I’m at work today. I have to work on a shuttle today and one of our battleships the next two days. I told her it would be best if she weren’t alone outside of my apartment,” Dryden said.
Tilia smiled brightly. “I would love to show her around. Maybe we can do a little shopping too. With all the human brides joining us, quite a few Earth-like stores have opened around town. One carries clothes for pregnant women.”
He was glad that his mother was so accepting of Haven, but then, he’d known that she would be. His father had never been much of a talker, but even he opened up around Haven. She fit in so well with them. He wondered how she felt about his parents. Since he had to work after their meal, he wouldn’t get a chance to ask her until later in the day. He hated that he had to essentially abandon her with strangers, but he knew his parents would take good care of her. No doubt his mother would take her to his childhood home after their shopping was finished.
Their food arrived and he looked at Haven’s plate in curiosity. The omelet he recognized, and the pancakes, but he had no idea what the white stuff was on her plate. It looked very unappetizing, all lumpy with something yellow and watery covering it. Haven took a bite and closed her eyes as she hummed in appreciation.
“What is that?” Dryden asked.
“Grits,” Haven said. “Want to try?”
She scooped some up and offered it to him. Dryden leaned forward and accepted the bite, surprised by the buttery flavor. At least he now knew what the yellow stuff was. He still didn’t have a clue what a grit was, even if they were tasty.
“They’re good.”
Haven smiled and went back to eating her meal. He could tell his parents wanted to ask questions about her, but weren’t certain if they should. He tried to draw his dad into a conversation, but both his parents were too enthralled with Haven. Dryden couldn’t really blame them.
“Haven, I know a lot of women on Earth work. Do you have a job?” his mother asked.
“No. I was a full-time student at the college, but when I found out about the baby, I withdrew from my classes.” She bit her lip. “My parents had some financial problems and had to go away. When Dryden found me, I was running out of money and was about out of hope.”
“Away?” Harvol asked. “Where did they go?”
Haven’s face lost some of its color and she stared at her plate. Dryden reached over and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He knew his parents wouldn’t blame her for her parents’ problems.
“Haven’s father was put in jail for not paying taxes, and her mother was sent to a rehab place because she had a drinking problem. She’s alone in the world.”
“Taxes?” Harvol asked. “I don’t understand. They didn’t pay tax on items they purchased?”
“On Earth, you have to give the government a percentage of your earnings. Haven’s parents didn’t file their tax returns and kept all of the mo
ney, so the government took their home and belongings, and put her father in jail. If her mother had not gone to rehab, she probably would have been jailed too.”
Harvol nodded. “Now I understand. I’m very sorry you had to go through that, Haven. It must have been scary. You seem young, and I’m assuming you lived with your parents.”
“Yes, I did. And I’m twenty. I know there’s a bit of an age difference between Dryden and me, but I’ve had to grow up fast in the last few months.”
Tilia smiled. “I think you and Dryden make a striking couple. We haven’t seen too many human females here with your color hair. It’s such a beautiful color, like the sunset.”
Haven’s cheeks flushed. “Thank you.”
“You know, since Dryden is going to be busy the next few days, you should come to our house in the morning. I can make breakfast for all of us, then we can spend time together while Dryden and his father go to work,” Tilia said. “I know we’re strangers and you may not feel comfortable around us, but I’d really like to get to know you better.”
“I’d like that,” Haven said softly, a smile curving her lips.
Dryden wondered how long it had been since someone tried to mother her. If what she said was true, and her mother was an alcoholic, he doubted there had been a lot of bonding going on between them. And from what he’d learned about her father from the newspaper, the man was all business all the time. Haven might have had every financial need met, but he wondered if her emotional needs had ever been met by her family, or by anyone else.
As she spoke with his parents, he observed her. She seemed genuinely happy to have met them, and even appeared excited about spending time with his mother. When his parents asked about the baby, she grew quiet and he worried they might have upset her. But she bit her lip, took a breath, and opened up more with them than she had with Dryden.
“I’m scared,” Haven confessed. “I was scared before, when I thought the baby might be human, but knowing it’s half Traxian worries me. Not because I’ll love the baby any less, but when the father is located, I don’t know how he’ll react or what he’ll want from me. I don’t want to lose my baby, and I don’t want to be forced into a mating with the father either.”
Haven and the Alien Mechanic Page 6
