Page 42 of Joven's Bride
Epilogue
Carly eased the runabout wheeler into the parking place beside the landing pad minutes after theSentry Hawklanded. In the back seat were three-year-old twins Averil and Lacey and one baby dragon. Three more runabouts were parked in a row beside hers. Each of the other women driving them were mated to members of Joven’s crew. Two had babies riding in the back.
A shiver of excitement echoed through Carly as the hatchway of the starship opened. Joven had only been gone for ten rotations, yet each one seemed an eternity for Carly. The four and a half sun orbits, they had been together hadn’t dampened their passion for each other in the least.
Carly got out of the vehicle as the first of the crew came down the exit ramps, waiting patiently for Joven who came down last carrying his duffle. He paused at the hatchway scanning the line of runabouts for his family until his gaze landed on Carly. The last ten rotations had been one of the rare stretches that Joven took a patrol. One of his crew member’s bride had arrived only a few days before his patrol was scheduled to leave.
But now he was home! Joven jogged across the tarmac and swept Carly into his arms, hugging her tightly. “I’ve missed you,” he murmured and kissed her lightly. “I want you so much.”
“Me, too. The kids asked for you every day. Even, Kinter missed you,” Carly said, smiling up at him. Then she sighed as Joven released her. It would be hours before they could be alone.
“Have you seen Issa?” He released her and draped his arm around her shoulders to walk back to the runabout. He let Carly take the driver’s seat while he took the front passenger seat. Both kids in the backseat started purring along with one baby dragon.
“She found a mate. She brought him too the house to introduce him. I hoped they might adopt Kinter, but I think they are still on their honeymoon.”
“They will make babies soon enough,” Joven said.
“We sure did… And we are again.” She calculated she had gotten pregnant the night of the party.
“What? When?”
“Oh, about 250 rotations. Hezzi confirmed it two rotations ago. Twins, again.” Carly smiled with a twinkle in her eyes as she backed the runabout from the line and turned toward their home.
“Ah,meomee,that’s wonderful,” Joven said glancing at the little ones in the back seat. “We will need a bigger runabout.”
“And a nanny droid,” Carly said. “Or we will never have any time alone.”
“Yes, we will order it, we can program it for dragons too,” Joven said.
Five minutes later Carly pulled the runabout into its parking space near the front entrance of their home. The original classroom was now a dragon nursery.
“Do you think we can add a playroom and it can double as their school room?” she asked.
“As you wishmeomee,” Joven said, getting out of the car. He opened the back door and let their children out while Carly collected the little dragon.
Joven picked up his children, one in each arm and waited for Carly to come around the car and join him. A large shadow moving across the ground made them look up. It was a dragon. As it circled back to land, they could see it was Issa and her mate wasn’t far behind.
“Well, look at that. She brought her mate back to meet you, since you were gone when she came by before.”
After they landed, the big male hung back while Issa walked over to Joven and rubbed her ridged head against his leg purring. Carly chuckled as she watched.
“I think she wants to make sure she had Dad’s approval of her chosen mate,” Carly said. “I think these dragons are a lot smarter than people think.”
“Yes, Issa you have a fine mate,” Joven told her.
The male was a dark emerald color and was half larger that Issa who was close to 80 kilos. She was a lighter green with flecks of gold in her scales and golden eyes. As dragons go, they made a beautiful pair.
Carly’s plan to introduce Issa into the local flock had worked. She had proven it could be done even with dragons raised by humanoids.
After Joven gave his approval, Issa walked over to Carly and sat up almost like a dog and held out her arms toward Kinter. “You want to take Kinter?”
Issa responded, “Throop, throop.” She reached for the baby dragon.
Carly handed it to Issa, who then cuddled him to her chest. Kinter nuzzled her neck and made contented cooing noises. “Okay, Issa. Take good care of him.”
The dragon dipped her head affirmatively then hopped away and leaped into the air flapping her wings carrying her adopted son with her.
“Wait till I tell Dr. Meksaj this.” Carly watched for a few moments as the dragons flew toward the mountain.
