And he's going to marry our daughter. Our only child."
Ralph glanced at his wife, a wry grin on his face. "Honey, they've already done everything but say the words."
"I know, but..." Dolores toyed with the folds of her skirt. "Ralph, she's pregnant. I've never been in favor of abortion, you know that, but don't you think we should have discussed it with her? I mean, there's no telling what the baby will look like..."
"I know. I thought of it, too. But,Dee , she looks so damn happy, I just couldn't say anything to ruin it. Besides, she's too far along for an abortion, and even if she wanted one, she couldn't very well waltz into her doctor's office and tell him she's carrying an alien baby."
"Ralph, be serious. What if... what if it's dangerous for Lainey? What if..." She couldn't say the words aloud.
Ralph reached over and took her hand in his. "She'll be fine, hon, I'm sure of it. She's a strong, healthy girl."
"I know, but... but we don't know what effect having this alien's child could have. What if it's..." She took a deep breath. "Fatal?"
"Don't even think that!"
"I can't help it, Ralph. I'm afraid."
"I know." He squeezed her hand. "I am, too. But you want to hear something funny? Of all the guys she's dated, he's the first one I've ever liked, and that includes that loser she married."
"You want to know something?"Dee asked, grinning at him. "I feel the same way. I just wish..."
They looked at each other and smiled. "... he wasn't blue," they said simultaneously.
"She's happy." Ralph said, pulling off the freeway, "really happy for the first time in her life."
"I know."Dee wiped a tear from her eye. "Imagine, an alien for a son-in-law, and I can't even tell the girls at the beauty parlor."
Micah couldn't sleep that night. Lying in bed, he stared into the darkness. He could feel Lainey curled up close beside him, her body warm and soft against his. Gently, he placed his hand on her belly and felt a little thrill of exhilaration as his child stirred beneath his hand.
A child. Before knowing Lainey, he had never given any thought to having offspring beyond the physical act of joining; would never have agreed to join withAdana on Xanthia if joining had not been required of all healthy males. But now...
A surge of love, of protectiveness such as he'd never known, swelled within his heart as he felt the child kick again. His child, a child born of his love for Lainey. A child he would be able to touch, to hold in his arms. He would watch it grow, watch it learn to walk, to talk. He would be there to soothe its hurts, quiet its fears, share in its laughter, its accomplishments.
He remembered sitting in the restaurant with Lainey, watching a woman bounce a baby on her lap while a man looked on, smiling with pride. A family. A wave of excitement swept through Micah as he realized that he was about to have a family of his own, and that it would encompass not only Lainey and the baby, but Lainey's parents, as well.
Beside him, he felt Lainey stir. He knew the moment she came awake.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"No. The baby's kicking a lot, that's all. It woke me up."
Micah drew her into his arms, massaging her back with one hand. "I love you, Lainey," he murmured. "I don't think I realized how much until now."
"I love you, too."
"I know." His throat felt thick; tears burned his eyes. "I know."
In all his life, no one had ever loved him. He'd had friends on Xanthia, people who had admired him, friends who had respected him, but no one had ever loved him.
Lainey brushed her hand across Micah's cheek. She drew back, startled at the dampness she felt there. "Are you crying?"
He squirmed uncomfortably, then nodded, afraid to speak for fear he would completely lose control.
"It's all right," Lainey whispered. "I won't think less of you if you cry."
"I will."
"Why?"
"It isn't... men don't..."
Lainey shook her head. Men! They seemed to be the same no matter what their planet of origin. "Cry if you feel the need," she urged softly. "You'll feel better for it, I promise."
Heaven knew he had enough to cry about, Lainey thought as she wrapped her arms around him. He'd left his home, left everything he knew, to be with her. She tried to imagine what it would be like to leave her home and