Haven and the Alien Mechanic

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  Harvol frowned. “Traxians are having a hard time procreating even when they do find brides. Your baby is going to be a miracle to them, and I think they’ll want to keep you happy. But I won’t lie. The fact you’re unattached could pose a problem. They could pressure you to accept a mating with the father and ask you to move there.”

  “I don’t have a problem living on an alien world,” Haven said, “but I don’t want to marry a stranger. It’s why I haven’t accepted Dryden’s proposal yet. It isn’t because I don’t like him, because I really do, but I’m worried we don’t know one another well enough for that kind of commitment, especially since divorce isn’t a thing here.”

  Tilia reached for her hand. “I would love to have you for a daughter-in-law, and because of that, I’m going to make a suggestion. Over the next few days, why don’t you see what it would be like to live on our world? Get to know the people, get to know us, and maybe get to know Dryden a little better. You may see him in a different light when he isn’t surrounded by all of your Earth things. From what I’ve learned of your Earth, things move quickly there. Our pace is much slower on Zelthrane-3, even though we are far more advanced in technology and medicine.”

  “Zelthrane-3?” Haven asked.

  “It’s the true name of our world,” Harvol said. “When it was decided we would reach out to Earth, we thought calling ourselves Terrans would make us seem less frightening. But we’re Zelthranites, and we’re a proud people. I think Tilia has the right idea. Experience all our world has to offer, spend more time with Dryden, and perhaps you’ll be mated before the Traxians find the father of your child and send him here, or to Earth if you’re no longer on our world.”

  Haven nodded and seemed to accept their suggestions. He’d known that she was worried about the baby’s father, but he hadn’t realized just how scared she really was. Not that there was a lot he could do. He could be her friend and give her support, but unless she agreed to mate with him, he wouldn’t be able to stop the Traxian from making demands Haven might not like. And at the same time, he didn’t want her to accept his offer just as a way of avoiding a mating with the Traxian. He wanted her to want him because she truly cared about him.

  There were times when she looked at him that he wondered if she might have feelings for him. Since the morning he’d pleasured her, they’d shared a handful of kisses and nothing else. It was torture keeping his hands to himself, but in the end it would be worth it. When they finally joined together, he wanted it to be special, to mean something and not just be for a quick release. He could have that with anyone. What he wanted with Haven was so much more.

  “Breakfast was wonderful. Thank you, Father,” he said as he stood. “I need to report for work. Haven, my mother will take excellent care of you. I’ll stop by my parents’ place to pick you up when I’m finished this afternoon.”

  Harvol stood as well. “I need to report for duty. There are some new weapons that need to be tested. I should only be gone a few hours.”

  As Dryden and his father left, he glanced back one time and found Haven watching him. She offered him a smile before turning to face his mother. It was just a smile, something she’d done a hundred times in the last few days, but this one seemed different. Or maybe it was wishful thinking.

  * * *

  Haven took a sip of her drink as she listened to Tilia. The woman was a chatterbox, but Haven was enjoying every minute of it. She didn’t know if Terrans -- no, Zelthranites -- had photo albums, but if they did, she wouldn’t put it past Tilia to drag them out and show her every embarrassing picture of Dryden. The woman was proud of her son, anyone could see that, and she wanted only the best for him. For some reason, she seemed to think that was Haven.

  “When Dryden was little, he would follow his father everywhere. We thought he might choose the same career path as Harvol, but as he grew older he lost interest in the weapons testing and seemed more focused on how things worked. There wasn’t a single device in our house he didn’t take apart and put back together.”

  “I hope he put them back correctly,” Haven said with a smile.

  “Oh, there were a few things that never worked the same again.” Tilia laughed. “I remember when he pulled the food processor from the wall. Harvol and I had gone out with friends and when we came home, the processor was in pieces all over the kitchen floor. Oh, Harvol was so mad. It took Dryden three days to put it back together, but I’d swear the thing worked better afterward.”

  “That’s kind of how we met, because of his ability to fix things. My car broke down and I managed to coast into the parking lot of his repair shop. He was the only one there and offered to take a look at it.”

  “I bet it’s running better than ever,” Tilia said.

  “Actually, I told him not to fix it. There was a lot wrong with it and it would have cost more than the car is worth. I’m not sure what I’ll do for transportation. If Dryden and I don’t get married, I won’t be able to stay with him forever. I’ll need a job and a way to get there.”

  Tilia patted her hand. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about it. My son lights up when you look at him, and I’ve seen the look in your eyes when you’re watching him. You may not want to admit it to yourself for whatever reason, but you have feelings for him. Deeper than you think. I’d even go so far as to say you love him, and I can tell he loves you.”

  “He loves me?” Haven asked softly.

  “Yes, he definitely loves you. I don’t know why the foolish boy hasn’t admitted it to you. Sometimes males just don’t make any sense. When Harvol courted me, I thought he only wanted me because of who my father was. I come from a long line of important warriors. I didn’t think he wanted me for me, and the stubborn man never let on how he felt about me. Not until I told him I couldn’t see him anymore. I could see the near panic in his eyes, and he stumbled over his words before finally admitting that he loved me. We’ve been together ever since.”

  Haven sighed. She’d always loved a good romance, and she wanted the same kind of lasting love that Tilia and Harvol had. Was Tilia right? Could she have that with Dryden? Did she already, and she was just too blind to see it? Part of her was still hesitant about moving too fast. Tilia had made some good points though. She could take the next few days and get to know more about Zelthranites and their way of life, get to know Dryden more, and see where things ended up. She was curious if the Dryden of this world was different from the Dryden she’d gotten to know on Earth.

  He claimed to be common here, poor compared to the riches he had on Earth. Would that change who he was? Or would Dryden remain the same sweet romantic that she’d come to know so far? She could lie to anyone but herself. Haven knew she was falling for him. Tilia seemed to think she was already in love with Dryden, but if she were would she be so hesitant to take that leap?

  “Are you ready for some shopping?” Tilia asked.

  “I don’t want to spend Dryden’s money,” Haven said. “And I don’t have any.”

  Tilia smiled at her warmly. “Today is on Harvol and me. The man hardly spends any of the credits he earns. Even my shopping sprees here and there don’t put a dent in his account. Besides, this is the first time I’ve had a potential daughter-in-law and I want to celebrate.”

  “Maybe one or two things, but I really don’t need anything right now. Dryden just bought me some clothes and shoes. My things were ruined when someone broke into my motel room. He was nice enough to buy me enough clothes to last a week or more, and several pairs of shoes.”

  “A woman needs more than a week’s worth of clothes. We’ll go to that cute shop I was telling you about for expectant mothers. And I won’t take no for an answer.”

  Haven smiled and grudgingly gave in to Tilia. The woman really did seem excited about their shopping trip. Since she hadn’t had any daughters, and Haven was Dryden’s first potential mate, it was no wonder the woman wanted to have some fun. Although, Haven’s own mother hadn’t been interested in spending time with
her, unless it was to project a certain image for society. Haven had learned to hate those outings, but something told her hanging out with Tilia would be fun.

  As they walked through the streets of Terran Prime, she gazed at everything in wonder. Vehicles that looked almost like flying cars passed overhead and Haven wondered where they were going. She hadn’t seen any parked on the streets, and she hadn’t noticed any parking garages either. She pointed to the sky.

  “Where are they going?”

  Tilia shielded her eyes from the suns and looked up. “Most are going to the other Terran cities. Terran Prime is our main hub and by far the largest. Some people live in the outlying cities and come to Terran Prime for work or to visit family. It’s too far to walk to those other cities. Our planet is much smaller than Earth, and our people aren’t as plentiful. Although, now that our younger males have a way to find mates, more and more children are being born every day.”

  “Your generation was the last of the females born?” Haven asked.

  “Yes,” Tilia said. “And with so many males being born, families who normally would have had five or more children stopped at two or three. And then there are couples like myself and Harvol who were only able to have one, or in some cases, weren’t able to have any at all. I think mixing our people with others is a good thing. Even though the newest generation isn’t purely Zelthranite, blending our societies has brought so much to our world. We have shops and restaurants that never would have existed before. The pool near The Towers was added after the agreement with Earth. Parks were added. We opened more clinics. Our world has changed a lot over the last ten years or so, and I think it’s all for the better.”

  They stepped inside a shop filled with maternity clothes, body pillows, nursing bras, and so much more. The outside had been deceiving, making Haven think it was a small place, but the space inside was quite large. She wondered how many pregnant mates were on the planet currently for there to be such a large selection available.

  Tilia helped her pick out several outfits and the shopkeeper started a fitting room for her. By the time Haven was ready to try on clothes, she felt like Tilia had put half the shop in there. It took her an hour to try everything on, and at Tilia’s request, she made a pile of things that fit and looked nice and a pile that were a definite no. When she emerged from the fitting room, she couldn’t even lift the pile of things she’d liked, but there was no way she was letting Tilia buy all of them.

  “There are too many,” Haven said.

  Tilia flipped through the items Haven had liked and started pulling several out. She didn’t stop until she’d selected ten outfits. The shop clerk carried the items to the register with Tilia following in his wake. Haven didn’t understand the currency of Zelthrane-3, so she had no idea if her purchases were extravagant or not.

  “Please have everything sent to Dryden’s home,” Tilia told the male as she swiped her wrist over a pad by the register.

  “Of course. If there’s anything else I can help you with, please let me know. I should receive new items in a few days.”

  Tilia thanked him and ushered Haven out of the shop. They went two doors down before she stopped again, this time at a baby store.

  “Tilia, I can’t buy baby furniture. I don’t have a way to get it home.”

  “Indulge me,” Tilia said. “I won’t purchase anything, but I would like to ask them to hold it for a few days. If you haven’t decided to become Dryden’s mate by the time you leave our world, then I won’t purchase the items. But if you decide you love him and can’t live without him, I’ll buy the things to have at my home for when the baby comes to visit.”

  “We haven’t really discussed where we’ll live if we were to get married.”

  “I know Dryden has a business on Earth, and he’s wealthier there than here. I would understand it if he chose to make his permanent home there, but he still has responsibilities on our world, and you could visit once a month with the baby.”

  Haven sighed, knowing this wasn’t an argument she would win. Tilia was determined that Haven would have her happily-ever-after with Dryden. She helped the woman pick out a bed and changing table, then they couldn’t help but fall in love with some of the bedding choices. She had to admit that shopping for the baby was fun, even if she wasn’t actually buying anything. The baby clothes were adorable, but since Haven didn’t know if she was having a boy or a girl, she couldn’t really pick anything out.

  Tilia clucked her tongue at her and picked up a onesie that was white with yellow ducks printed on it. Haven had to admit it was adorable, and it would easily work for a girl or a boy. She let Tilia buy the outfit, then practically dragged the woman from the store before she could buy anything else.

  “Are you getting tired?” Tilia asked. “Are you hurting?”

  “My back and feet are a little sore,” Haven admitted. “I’m not used to doing much walking, but it seems to be your main mode of transportation here.”

  “We believe in staying fit and healthy, so we walk everywhere we go around town. Well, as long as we’re close enough to the shops. The homes on the outer edge of town are a different story. Harvol and I live nearby though, so we’re lucky. Are you ready to see our home?”

  Haven nodded, wincing a little as the muscles in her back pulled again. She wondered if Dryden would be so nice as to rub her back like he had several nights ago. His hands had been like magic, and it was the most relaxed she’d been in a long time. She didn’t want to be selfish and ask for his help, though, especially after he’d had a hard day of work. Maybe if she rested for a little while the pain would go away.

  Tilia led her back the way they’d come, and past the pool. There was a residential area tucked back off the road. The homes were large and beautiful, and different from anything Haven had seen before. Tilia approached one made of chocolate-colored stones with copper accents. She swiped her wrist over a panel beside the door and it opened.

  “Welcome to my home,” Tilia said. “Let me give you a quick tour and then you can stretch out in one of the bedrooms and rest if you’d like.”

  “I don’t want to be a bad guest and take a nap.”

  Tilia waved off her concern. “You’re an expectant mother. You need more rest than I do. I can keep myself busy while you take a nap, and when you wake up, I’ll fix something for us to eat for lunch. Have you had food from our world before?”

  “Before we got on the shuttle we ate at the food court inside the Terran Station. I tried some then. It was good, even though I couldn’t identify any of it.”

  Tilia smiled. “I’ll make something special for us.”

  She led Haven through the house, pointing out the family room, kitchen, dining room, and the six bedrooms which each had their own bathroom. There was also a sun room on the back of the house that overlooked a small garden, and a bonus room that was completely empty.

  “This was Dryden’s playroom,” Tilia said. “As he got older, the toys changed to books, and then things he wanted to take apart and put back together. When he grew up and moved out, I emptied out the room and it’s just sat here. Waiting.”

  “Waiting for what?” Haven asked.

  “Grandchildren. I’ll make it a playroom again when I get my first grandchild. I’m hoping Dryden will be luckier than Harvol and I were and will have many children. He’s always wanted a big family. Even though he never complained, I know he wished he had siblings.”

  Haven rubbed her stomach. “What if this baby is all I’m able to have? What if something goes wrong?”

  “Then Dryden will love the baby you give him and will be content with the one. I’ve found that the universe doesn’t always give us what we want, but it does give us what we need. It brought you to Dryden when you needed someone in the worst way. And maybe he needed you just as much.” Tilia took her hand. “Dwelling on what could go wrong, or what might happen, isn’t going to change anything. Life gives us unexpected surprises along the way, and we grow and learn from them. But
the secret is to find the happy moments along the way and hold on tight to them.”

  Haven’s eyes misted. “I wish my mother had been more like you.”

  Tilia led Haven to one of the bedrooms and urged her to take off her shoes and lie down. “What’s your mother like?”

  Haven stared up at the ceiling a moment. “She’s hard. Cold. She never does anything unless it will benefit her in some way. The only times she took me to the park was so she could brag to the other mothers. She didn’t take me shopping unless it was to flaunt her money. I don’t remember ever getting a hug from her, except for the few times in public, when she was trying to convince everyone she was a great mother.”

  “That sounds like a lonely childhood.”

  “It was. I was an only child so I didn’t have siblings to play with. I wasn’t allowed to have friends unless the connection would benefit my parents in some way. When the money went away, all of my so-called friends did too. Once I couldn’t buy them things, or go to the country club with them, they lost interest.”

  Tilia looked out the window before focusing on Haven once more. “May I say something you might not want to hear?”

  Haven nodded.

  “You’ve spent your entire life surrounded by people who wanted something from you. Perfection. Money. Connections. Dryden is very different from the people you’re used to dealing with. None of those things mean anything to him. The only thing Dryden wants from you is love and a chance at happiness. And I think that scares you. Not because you don’t want the same things, but because you’ve never had them. I think you’re afraid to fail.”

  Haven swallowed hard and blinked the tears back. Tilia wasn’t wrong. She was afraid. Terrified, in fact. Dryden was everything she’d ever wanted, the Prince Charming she’d dreamed about since she was a little girl. But her life had taught her that fairy tales didn’t exist, and happily-ever-after was just for the movies.