Page 17 of Zimon's Bride
Zimon’s lips found mine in a deep passionate kiss that sealed our declarations of love. When the kiss ended, we were again staring into each other’s eyes as we continued to climb the summit of carnal delight together. I felt so close to him, almost as if I was part of him, and I held nothing back as I met each thrust of him into me. It never occurred to me not to give him everything because he was everything to me.
We made love again afterward then Zimon fell into an exhausted sleep. Only then did I finally get my cup of coffee, but I didn’t mind.
Hours later, when I returned from my class and after Zimon had slept some, he was ready to go again. We were making up for lost time, and we deserved it.
The next day, we returned to my house to finish sorting and packing the things I planned to take to Narova. I had already made peace with the fact I would leave more behind than I could take. I wasn’t even taking all my clothes because the styles differed. My paralegal business suits would be out of place in their casual business environment.
In fact, it was unlikely that I would work in the legal field again. I had interviewed virtually for a teaching position as an Earth culture and history instructor where I could work from home via interactive holographic broadcast. A couple weeks later, they hired me. I was excited and anxious about the new job and our move.
We had been back to the house a few times, and I had done a few walkthroughs, making a list of the things I wanted to take. Each time I crossed off some items because of the weight limit of what I could transport.
We had moved those things into one room and were going through them again before we started packing. We nearly finished, and there was a knock at the door. I went to the front door with Zimon following close behind.
My family was standing on the porch when I opened the door. For a moment, I stood there staring at them, mouth open, unable to speak.
“May we come in, Honey?”
I nodded and stepped aside, holding the door open for them.
As soon as everyone was inside, Mom came and hugged me. “Abby, sweetheart, we couldn’t let you leave without coming to say goodbye. After we saw you on TV in that interview, Dad and I knew we were wrong. We may not agree with your decision to marry an alien, but you are our daughter, and we love you.”
Even as I hugged her, I started to cry. “I’m still not going to change my mind. I love Zimon.”
“We know, dear.” Mom rubbed my back as she spoke, still holding me. “And he loves you. He’s the one who called us.”
It was all I could do not to cry even harder. I swallowed my sobs and wiped the tears away, gently pulling from my mother’s embrace. I glanced over it at Zimon and smiled at him. “Of course, he did.” We hadn’t talked much, but he knew I was hurt by the wedge my choice had driven between us.
“Do you need some help? Cal and Julie brought takeout, and I thought we could help you pack.”
“Thanks, Mom, Dad, that would be great. I’m only allowed to take two pallets 4 feet high with me, so I will have a lot of stuff left over. If there’s anything you want, go ahead and take it. We are only packing the stuff here in the middle of this floor. The house is sold, and the appliances are staying with it. Anything else we’ll be donated to charity.”
It was a good reunion, and Zimon was wonderful to think of it. We got things done and had a good time in the process. They also got a chance to get to know Zimon and see some of what I saw in him. I was glad they came so I could continue my life without this painful rift between my family and me. We parted instead with promises to keep in touch.
Chapter Fourteen
Abby
We were boarding the Be‘Kal Zephyr three days later,a small passenger freighter that would take us to Narova. It was a privately owned ship underCaptain ZekeBe‘Kal, whose wife Jenna, an Earth woman, served as passenger liaison and hostess. She was responsible for assigning cabins and checking in the passengers as they came. Once the ship was underway, she also acted as passenger services supervisor.
The cabins were small but comfortable and clean. Each one was equipped with a small food processor which served snacks and drinks. Three meals a day were provided in the communal dining hall or mess.
One night Captain Zeke and Jenna regaled us with how they met. Captain Zeke had been coerced into a rescue mission to a Drayid auction where Jenna and four other women had been about to be sold into slavery. Before they escaped, he was chagrined to realize that Jenna was hismeomee. It was already too late, just like my friend Kiley. Neither one had plans to marry soon, but once exposed to Zeke’s pheromones, they had no choice. They had been together for a few years when we met them, and they seemed very happy.
I could see how it could be a great upheaval in one’s life to suddenly be bound to a stranger because of pheromones. At least Zimon and I had made the choice to be together. Except for the kidnapping, the last few months with Zimon had been some of the best of my life.
In my studies, I learned that the Narovian culture was not so different from Earth's. However, unlike Earth, Narova was unified with provinces instead of countries. The feline culture was more ancient than the human culture of Narova, with different beliefs and practices.
After my intense studies of the culture and the language, I felt confident that I could assimilate and become a productive member of the Narovian Society. The trip to Narova took about three weeks and was like a vacation for us. Fortunately, we were shuttled directly to Zimon’s Village when we arrived on Narova.
My pallets were loaded onto a robot tram which delivered them to our home shortly after we arrived. I already knew what to expect when we went into the house. Our home comprised two rose-beige domes with circular blue-green windows. The domes sat under some beautiful mushroom-shaped magenta trees with puffs of yellow-orange flowers growing around them and some taller pink flowers.
I thought it was beautiful when I saw it on the hologram tour. And I was glad to see the puffs of green growing on the house. The décor inside reflected the unusual combinations of colors that were on the outside. When I first saw them, I wasn’t sure I would like to live with them on a daily basis. But I referred back to them on the new tablet Zimon got me, so I got used to seeing them. And I got used to the idea that this was home.
When we arrived on Narova, we had only four days to prepare for our wedding because that was when the stars aligned properly for our joining. I need not have worried because Zimon’s mother had everything under control. In the feline culture, it was customary for the husband’s family to prepare for the wedding feast and ceremony.
The day before the ceremony, we had a feast similar to the holographic dinner we had when I first met Zimon’s family. We had a ritual meal of specially prepared meat and vegetables. We fed each other the food in a specific order. There must’ve been a hundred of Zimon’s extended family members attending. I was lucky that I remembered the names of his immediate family, but I figured I would eventually learn the rest.
Zimon and I performed a ritual dance when the meal ended, reminding me of a tango. We had practiced the complicated dance every day on the ship because we knew we would not have time when we arrived on Narova.
