don’t you get started while I set it up?” he motioned toward her plate then got up from the table.
Each time he told her to eat, it made her feel like a child which wasn’t a dynamic she would tolerate for long. She’d eaten more than half of the savory dish that looked more or less like a quiche by the time Jaron returned.
“All I need is your mother’s number.”
She told him and he entered it into control panel inset in his forearm. The device took wearable tech to an entirely new level. “Let’s see if she accepts the call.”
If she didn’t pick up, Nikki was SOL. Her mother was horrible about checking her voicemail.
“Who is this?” Janice’s tone was sharper than usual. “If you’re selling something, I’m not interested.”
“Mom, it’s me. Don’t hang up.”
“Nikki?” There was a long pause. “This isn’t funny. I can’t believe you people.”
“Mom. This isn’t a prank. It really is your daughter.” Her heart thudded wildly and she took a quick drink of water to combat the dryness in her mouth.
After another tense pause, Janice asked, “What did your father call you as a child?”
“Freckles. I didn’t mind when he called me that, but hated it when Robby and Paul did.” The faces of her brothers materialized in her mind and tears blurred her vision. “It’s me, Mom. I’m alive and okay.”
“Where have you been? Why did it take so long for you to call me?”
“That’s kind of a long story.” She told her the cover story. It wasn’t too far from the truth, but she still felt guilty about the lies. “A bunch of us returned to Earth. Surely, you’ve heard about this.”
“I have, but why are you still there? Did they make you marry one of those aliens?”
“No, Momma.” She told her about the rebellion and that she was with the Sarronti now. “The Sarronti have more sophisticated technology than the Outcasts. That’s why it took me so long to reach out.” She didn’t know if that were true or not, but it worked for the tale she was weaving. “Is Dad there?”
“He’s playing poker with Paul. He’s going to be so angry that he missed you. Oh goodness, what about Haley and Selina? Their parents have offered a reward for information about their kidnapping.”
“They’re in the hospital, but they are expected to fully recover. That’s one of the disadvantages of interacting with other species. They contracted the Sarronti version of the common cold and it made them both incredibly sick.”
“They’re alive. That’s all the Flacks will care about,” Janice pointed out.
“Can you call them for me? These calls are really hard to arrange.”
“Of course, dear. I just hope they’ll believe me.”
It was a valid concern. With nothing but her word about the call, it was likely many would think Janice made the entire thing up or worse. “I’ll make sure Haley and Selina call themselves as soon as they’re feeling better.” Nikki started to ask her mother about Jaron’s claim, that there was an elf somewhere in their family tree. She shook away the impulse, this was enough for now. That required a much longer conversation. “I need to go, Mom. The communications officer is glaring at me again.”
“All right. This is such an answer to prayer. Call again when you can.”
The connection terminated and Nikki’s heart sank. Knowing her mother no longer feared for her life was a relief, but the rest was bittersweet.
“Feel better?” Jaron asked as he slipped back onto his chair.
“I do. Thank you.” Needing to distance herself from the emotions, she finished the quiche-looking dish then picked up her mug pleased to find that the beverage was still warm. “Tell me about Malik’s plan. We got totally sidetracked last night.”
“Not until you finish eating.”
She set down her mug with a sigh. “Okay, I like being pampered as much as the next person, but we need to lay down some ground rules.”
His brows drew together and his lips compressed. “Rules regarding what?”
He seemed genuinely confused, so she softened her tone. “Our interaction. I want input into my clothing from now on. I like dresses, but sometimes jeans and a t-shirt make more sense.”
His pale green gaze shifted to some place beyond her as he mused, “I will have to send to the capital for such garments. The only patterns in the utility printers are for styles worn by Sarronti females.”
That surprised her. “Sarronti females never wear pants?”
“Some do, but dresses and skirts are much more popular.”