Page 56 of What Makes an Alien a Dad?

“Thanks.” He cleared his throat, shifting on his hooves uneasily, obviously unused to responding to compliments on his appearance.

I smoothed my hands down my green-apple gown decorated with pink and purple flowers along the off-shoulder neckline. The same flowers were scattered along the hemline. A golden cord served as a belt right under my breasts since with my ever-expanding middle, that was now the thinnest part of my torso.

The summer colors of my outfit made me feel happy. But I feared that next to the tall and elegant Kear, I might look like a round flower bed.

“Let’s hope a bird doesn’t mistake me for a bush and try to make a nest on my head.” I quipped.

Kear’s violet eyes opened wide, drawing me in.

“Maya, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” He said it so earnestly, it was impossible not to believe him.

Still I asked, “Even in this state?” I gestured with both hands down at my belly.

“In any state,” he replied with unwavering confidence. “You really have no idea how beautiful you are. And it’s not just the looks... Frankly, I have no idea either what exactly makes you so beautiful to me. But you take my breath away when I look at you. You remind me of a flower that may need some time to open up but is the most amazing to behold once it happens.”

His words echoed through my mind as something I’d heard before, though I couldn’t remember where. His eyes trapped me, making it hard to focus.

I smiled, glancing aside.

He tapped my chin with his finger. “This smile is too tiny. It doesn’t show your dimples.”

“My dimples?” Didn’t Walter say something about that in one of his letters? This whole conversation was now giving me a strong feeling of déjà vu.

“Well, shall we?” Kear took me under my arm, leading me toward the landing platform with his aircraft. “Let’s make the most of this evening. I hope to hear your laugh tonight, for those dimples to show up.”

* * *

THE VENUE OF THE ASSEMBLY was a huge terrace on top of a tall building of an academic institution.

Kear parked his aircraft by attaching it to the edge of the terrace, then helped me off it. He led me along a large open space already set with tables and chairs for the dinner after the formal part with speeches.

We descended a set of wide stairs toward the sunken stage surrounded by cascading rows of seating in the style of an amphitheater. People mingled around, some sitting down, others standing and strolling in between. The dark evening sky glistened through the glass dome above us. The moment we appeared, conversations stopped and all attention turned to us.

The stage remained empty for now.

“Is that where you’re going to do your presentation?” I asked Kear quietly.

He nodded but had no chance to reply. A man rushed to us from an upper row.

“Madam Maya Gupta!”

“Egus,” Kear grumped under his breath.

Professor Egus beamed, grabbing my hand in both of his.

“It’s so, so nice to see you again. I can’t believe Thormus actually let you out of the dungeon in his clinic.”

Kear scoffed. “There is no dungeon in my clinic.”

“Well,” I gave both a pacifying smile. “It did feel rather restrictive at the hospital in the beginning. But I did get out quite a bit after that. The main reason I stay in nowadays is this one.” I gently petted my belly.

As if sensing my touch, the baby kicked, and I gasped softly.

“Are you alright?” Kear gripped my elbow, his thick eyebrows immediately moving into a frown of concern.

“Oh, it’s fine.” I laughed. “We just woke up my little tenant, that’s all.”

“The fetus is moving, then?” Professor Egus’s eyes followed my hand with an undisguised curiosity. “Is it active?”

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