“Uh-oh.” Zak’s deep tone of remorse did not stop her once she was riled.
“You both scared the hell out of me.” She swiveled to confront Raja. “Where have you been all this time?”
Raja’s smile fell. “I—uhh—it was my first time on your planet. I was looking around.”
“Underwater?” Aimee shrilled. “There is much more to visit on our planet above-water. And how did you hold your breath so long?”
Raja frowned. “It would appear that we have adapted to far less oxygen on the Horus. I’m sure even you were able to spend more time underwater than you used to.”
Aimee jolted. She hadn’t considered that. Instinct had drawn her to the surface.
“What other tricks are you going to surprise me with?” she challenged. “Are you going to fly next?”
“Don’t be absurd. We can’t fly. We can’t do anything different than you. We’re all mecaws—humans.”
“You just spent seven minutes underwater.”
“I’m sure over time that we’ll acclimate to your atmosphere.” Zak pointed out. “Now—” he glanced around, “—tell me. Did you really swim all the way out to the middle of this lake to meet up with the Horus the last time?”
Now it was Aimee’s turn to frown. “No. No, I did not swim out into the middle of a lake to meet the Horus,” she quoted. “This was not here before,” she added, perplexed.
For the first time Aimee took a moment to assess the shoreline. Granted, it had been five years, but she felt certain that the dense trees to her right belonged to the forest of dread, whereas the clearing towards the south was more indicative of her neighbor’s property, the Kings.
It wouldn’t be wise to have three alien-clothed individuals crawl up on the King’s shore. The woods afforded refuge until she could calculate their next step.
Aimee cocked her head to the right. “Follow me.”
Of course they didn’t swim alongside her. They dove underwater like frolicking dolphins, their lithe figures shimmering beneath the surface.
This is going to be interesting.
* * *
Concealed in the dense flora of the forest, Aimee took a moment to gauge her companions. Raja’s sparkling silver uniform resembled a sheath of emeralds as it reflected off the leaves. Zak—she drew in a quick breath—Zak looked just like what he was—a warrior. Donned in the leather pants and vest from Ziratak, an outfit he felt most comfortable in, he still took her breath away. Glancing down at her own sodden ensemble of an opalescent, clingy shirt and sparkling blue pants, she scratched her wet hair and grimaced.
“Well, since Halloween is several months away, we’re going to have to do something about our appearance.”
Hall-o-ween, Raja mouthed.
Zak shrugged.
“I can see that neither of you are going to be any help,” Aimee teased. “Fortunately, I had planned for such a debacle.”
Mostly.
In that last week on Earth, when she had composed her letter to her parents and terminated her lease on the apartment, she had prepared and stowed a waterproof satchel of supplies on the property in the event of her return. At the time her motivation had been precautionary—in case Zak decided that he didn’t want her in his life.
The fact that his arm hooked over her shoulder, tucking her against his body for a quick kiss on the top of her head dispelled any of those old qualms. She looked up into those amber eyes and saw nothing but love there. They were one now. The notion still amazed her. She squeezed him tight—never wanting to let go.
“Ummm—” Raja cleared her throat. “Maybe it wasn’t so wise of me to come to Earth.”
Aimee jerked her head back, but did not release the man at her side.
“Nonsense. You are going to learn so much on this planet. But at the rate this body of water is expanding, we’ll need a submarine when it comes time for you to meet up with the Horus in five years.”
“Five years. A whole ren. I might have acted impetuously,” Raja edgily eyed the canopy of trees.
“Impetuous,” Zak echoed. “You? My translator relayed the definition of impetuous...and it references Aimee’s name.”
Aimee swatted his arm. “It does not, and I am not impetuous. Just—determined. And I am determined to see to it that you both enjoy Earth.”
Grudgingly she extracted herself from Zak’s embrace and started off in the direction that would lead home. Home. Her heart pounded at the thought, but was the source excitement or anxiety?
Forced by the lake’s perimeter to circle to the east, Aimee guided them towards the boundary of her parent’s yard. As the trees thinned she could see the framework of the two-story Cape Cod house in the distance. It was still Tar Heel blue. They had not painted it again.
Five years and the ramshackle skeleton of her father’s old garage still stood wilted on the far end of the property. Back in the days when he was a mechanic maestro, Aimee’s mother had complained about the smell of exhaust too close to the house. Granted, she was as smitten with cars as he, but not by their aroma in her backyard. She had forced him to build this garage, but soon the demands of the day job consumed any free time, and the garage was left to neglect.
Eyeing the house a hundred yards away, Aimee detected no signs of activity. She feared the impact of her parents discovering them like this. There had to be a way to speak to them first and soften the blow.
“This is nice,” Raja commented as she stomped through the knee-high grass.
Trudging alongside her in the weeds, Aimee realized that the lawn was uncut all the way up to the back porch. Were her parents on vacation? Had they moved?
“It’s much coarser than the blades in the mountains of Ziratak,” Zak observed as he raked his fingers through the greenery. He glanced up towards the sky. “And you have one sun here. That’s nice.”
“The only plant-life I’ve ever seen has been in the atrium on the Horus.” Raja mused, and then thrust her hand over her mouth, screeching, “What is that?”
“What?” Aimee divided her attention between Raja and the back door of her parent’s house which was undoubtedly about to fly open at Raja’s scream.
“It’s a robin,” Aimee replied mildly. “It’s not going to hurt you.”
Curious, Raja stooped for a closer look, and the orange-bellied fowl hopped two steps to the left.
“Ack,” Raja jerked back. “It’s got funny eyes.”
The host of peculiar wildlife that stalked the atrium on the Horus came to mind, but Aimee refrained from mentioning it. “Wait until you see the stray cats.”
“Stray cats,” Raja repeated. “Do they have eyes like that—that shift so rapidly?”
Concerned that her parents would emerge at any moment, Aimee rushed everyone into the garage. Their appearance in these alien clothes would only exacerbate the shock to the Pattersons. She needed to move fast to address that.
Wood splintered and hinges creaked as the door closed behind them. Light was limited, forcing Aimee to rely on her hands to explore. An empty can fell over at her touch, sending a seismic quake through her limbs.
“What are you doing?” Zak asked.
“I’m looking for something.”
“With your hands?”
“Yes, with my hands. There are no lights in here and I have to keep the door closed so no one notices us.”
“I can see with my eyes. What is it you’re looking for?”
Aimee smacked at a mosquito that sought to feast on her neck. It was stifling inside this garage and she was with a man who reveled in dark environments. When they had returned from Ziratak Raja had used every resource aboard the Horus to fix Zak’s affliction to sunlight—and she had made great strides, but he still excelled in the dark.
“A metal barrel—canister—drum.” She fed him words.
“I get it. I get it.” His deep chuckle rumbled.
Enough clamor ensued that she wasn’t so certain of his enhanced eyesight.
“Okay,” he a
nnounced. “I see a barrel—canister—drum.”
Aimee swatted the air, hoping to make contact with his shoulder. “Open it. If you stick your hand in it, it should be empty.”
The muffled clang of the lid sounded. “Ouch!”
“Zak! What?”
“Stray cat,” he chuckled.
“Dammit, now is not the time for your warped humor.”
“You need to relax, Aim—” he paused, “—what am I looking for in here?”
“It’s a false bottom. There should be a lip in the rim that you can pull up, and hopefully there is a waterproof bag underneath.”
The grating sound of rusted metal ensued. Raja stood stiffly beside her as Aimee’s eyes slowly acclimated to the dark.
“Here you go.” Zak handed her the plastic bag she used to use for kayaking. Inside were a few sets of clothes—enough for her and Raja to be dry. Fortunately, they were close in size, but, what to do about Zak? Inside that sack was also an envelope of cash, as well as a key to a locker with more important essentials that she would later retrieve. Right now the priorities were to change and locate some clothes for Zak.
“Turn around,” Aimee instructed him. “Raja and I need to change.”
“We do?” Raja accepted the small pile with a look of unease. “Is this uniform necessary on Earth? Does it track my vitals?”
“No.” It will cover our asses. “And these may not fit, but it will get us by until we find something more appropriate.”
How in God’s name was she going to gauge Zak’s size? Ummm, perfect? Six feet tall. Broad, muscular shoulders. Narrow waist.
It still staggered her to see him standing here in her world. Would he regret coming? Had it been selfish of her to ask him to?
“I see that mind going.” Zak dipped and whispered against her ear, eliciting a chill in the stifling garage. “Everything is going to be fine, Aimee. Stop worrying.”
The sound of a motor pulling up the driveway refuted that assurance.
Chapter Two
No. No. No.
Aimee’s head snapped back from the slit in the wood.
It was her father. And, although her heart soared at the sight of him, she knew that this was not the venue for a reunion. She needed to minimize the impact of her guests.
Thrusting her hands into her hair, she started to chant, “What do I do? What do I do?”
“Is that your father?”
Aimee could feel the brush of Zak’s chest against her back as he looked over her shoulder.
“Yes.”
“Seems like a pleasant man. What is the transportation vehicle?”
“A pickup,” she replied automatically.
“Do you—”
“Hush.” Cutting him off, she stooped again to observe her father approaching the garage.
With the blue baseball cap tugged down tight over his head, Aimee couldn’t see much of his face, but the hairline revealed brown hair heavily infused with gray. His stride was the typical, out of my way, I have places to go pace. Age showed in the shoulders hunched forward under his Carolina Panthers t-shirt. What was he doing coming this way? In the last five years that she was home, he never once went into this garage.
“We could hide in back,” Raja offered.
“No,” Aimee rushed. This was her husband and her best friend. She was not going to make them hide.
But perhaps she could delay the encounter—even if it was for a few seconds.
The tread of boots on gravel grew near.
Aimee cleared her throat. Loudly. It was a warning to the man outside—to prepare him.
“Who’s there?” came the harsh inquiry.
Daddy. Time had become intangible in space. She was in her early thirties now, and yet the sound of her father’s voice made her eyes well up like a child.
She turned and whispered, “I am going out there. Give me one minute—”
Zak cupped the back of her neck and gently drew her closer to kiss the crown of damp hair. “Take all the time you need.”
Leaning into that refuge, she touched his chest. “I can’t take too long. You will both melt in here.”
“We could sneak back out to the lake,” Raja suggested with a note of anxiety. “I like the lake.”
“Who’s there?” Aimee’s father repeated.
Squaring her shoulders, Aimee withdrew from Zak’s hold and pulled open the door to a chorus of rusty squeaks.
The scent of honeysuckle clashed with the tang of decaying motor oil. She stepped into the sun and drew the door shut behind her.
Thomas Patterson wore jeans and a cotton short-sleeved shirt. Under the brim of that FORD baseball cap she could not get a clear view of his eyes. One thing she noted was that he had not stumbled at the sight of her. Instead, he stood stoic—not speaking—not moving, until she grew uncomfortable under the scrutiny.
“Hi Dad.”
Perhaps there was just the faintest of quivers in his shoulders. His throat bobbed. But, still no words.
“Daddy?”
At that he shuddered and stepped forward. “I—we—thought you would be here.”
“What?” Aimee jolted. “Why?”
Bemused, he cleared his throat.
“It has been exactly five years since you disappeared. It was exactly five years before that when you reappeared in our yard. And today—your Mom and I—we—” he swallowed, “—we hoped—”
“I’m here, Dad.”
A tan hand swept across his face, and finally he lifted his head enough that she could perceive the pain in his piercing blue eyes. “Come here.” He waved her closer.
It was all she needed. She jumped forward and was wrapped in a familiar hug that reaped with memories of Christmas, tree-climbing, scabby-knees and tag-along-with-Dad work days.
“Oh baby,” he choked. “Where have you been?”
Aimee clung to her father’s shirt and wept. “I’m so sorry, Dad. I’m so sorry for everything I have put you and Mom through. It’s time. It’s time to tell you both the truth.”
Her father set her back so that he could look into her eyes. Whatever he was searching for, he seemed to have found it, because he nodded and whispered, “good.”
“Is Mom inside?”
“No,” he glanced over his shoulder at the house. “Actually, we don’t live here anymore, Aim. I came here today because I thought there was a chance you would be here. I told Jen to stay home. I didn’t want to see her get her hopes up—”
Aimee felt wretched. All she could do now was try to make amends with the truth.
“You’re all wet,” her father remarked. “What happened?”
“The pond grew.”
A quick frown flashed beneath the rim of the hat. “And what are you wearing?”
Her father’s arm was around her shoulders as he guided her towards the pickup.
“Dad, wait.” She resisted.
“Don’t do it, Aimee.” Pain pinched the corners of his lips. “Don’t tell me you’re leaving.”
“No—” Zak. I need Zak. “Dad—I’m not here alone.”
Tom’s arm fell off her shoulders. He glanced behind her at the garage door.
“I have brought friends home with me. I’ve brought—” the man I am bonded with for all eternity.
“Where are they?”
She reached forward and squeezed his hands, pumping them as she whispered, “They are friends. Please—they—”
To her surprise, her father chuckled. It swept some of the age from his face. “After all this time you’re still embarrassed to bring your friends home. Your mother and I are not ogres. We’re not deformed.”
Were circumstances different she might have found humor in this exchange. Instead, she retreated to the side door of the garage and opened it a crack. Zak grinned at her and murmured, “Here I thought all along that they were deformed.”
It was hard to stifle a laugh. What sobered her were the troubled green eyes staring out from the dark.
�
��Are you sure it’s safe to come out?” Raja asked.
“Of course I am.”
Heck, Zak and Raja were mecaws. Humans. They looked just like her. How shocking could this confrontation be? Bolstering her confidence, she tiptoed back and dredged up an encouraging smile.
Zak was the first to emerge with his hand shading his eyes. Aimee latched onto his arm. It wasn’t as if she was nervous about her own father, but holding Zak removed all insecurities.
“It’s going to be fine,” he pledged. “Stop looking so worried.”
Raja lingered in the doorway.
“I seriously don’t bite.” Tom Patterson stepped forward with his hand extended.
Raja stared at the proffered palm and then her eyes jerked up towards his face with unabashed curiosity.
Squinting, Zak also assessed the tendered limb. In a confident display, he returned the salutation with a bold pump of the hand.
“Where did you—” Aimee started.
“JOH taught me,” Zak explained.
“JOH? He has no hands.”
Aimee realized that her father was staring at her.
“Ummm, Dad—this is Zak. And this—” she swept her arm out to coax Raja from the shadows, “—is Raja.”
“Raja,” her father repeated. “What a beautiful name.”
In Earth years, they were in their early thirties, even though it didn’t feel like it. Her father was in his sixties, and obviously taken aback by Raja’s looks. The blonde hair had now dried into a glossy cascade, and the wide eyes veiled with gold lashes looked straight out of a cover ad. But geez, Dad, Aimee thought, pull yourself together. How embarrassing.
“Zack.” Tom Patterson pumped Zak’s grip, and volleyed a curious glimpse between Aimee and Zak.
“How far away do you live now?” It felt awkward asking, but Aimee didn’t want to conduct this conversation here—not like this.
“About five miles,” her father said. We’re closer to 85. It’s an easier commute to work. We’ve been trying to sell the house, but with the economy the way it is—”
Beyond : Series Bundle (9781311505637) Page 44
