Page 23 of Whoops-A-Mate From Outer Space
One of his eyebrows went up. “You do not appear old enough to have elderly parents.”
I sighed. “I was a whoopsie baby.”
“Please explain.”
I slumped forward slightly, elbows on my knees. “My parents met and fell in love later in life. Mom was in her late forties, and Dad was over fifty. They thought their childbearing years were over… then… there I was. A baby when many people their age were celebrating grandkids.”
“Is it difficult to grow up with older parents?”
I snorted. “You could say that. Kids can be brutal, and I got teased about it a lot. Not having crushes as I got older and notdating made it worse. One has nothing to do with the other, but some bullies would claim that I was broken because my parents were so old.”
I paused and sighed. “The harder part, though, was the time lost. Dad was in his seventies when I was in college. My peers were finally starting to connect with their parents—adult-to-adult—while I was helping mine with their prescriptions and filling out Social Security and Medicare forms online.”
“Were there not siblings from prior matings to assist?”
I smiled and shook my head. “No. Both of them used to tell me that they’d grown accustomed to the idea of being single. Then they met and things just sort of happened. Their love was so strong, right to the end. But circumstances meant that when they needed help, it was all on me.”
I leaned back against the counter. “Many people, at least in the US, get a decade or two between school and when they’ll need to care more for their parents. Not me. At the time, I was annoyed that they needed my help with what I thought were easy things. But, looking back, I’m glad I was there. Even now, I have colleagues my age whose parents aren’t as old as mine were when they passed. They still have time together, while I cling to the precious memories of doing mundane things during their twilight years.”
I blew out a long breath. “And now I’m alone.”
“You have no other family?”
I shook my head. “I have a cousin who retired a few years ago. But we were never close because she was so much older. She has a kid about my age, but I’m not sure what’s going on in their life. Mom used to keep me updated, but I’m bad at thewhole Christmas card thing, which is how a lot of family news was spread.”
“Christmas card thing?”
“It’s a winter holiday. Traditionally, it’s religious, but many customs have become more secular over the years. Sending greeting cards of well-wishes is common, and families often include update letters when they don’t talk often.”
“Ah, I believe I understand.”
“What about you? Your parents still kicking?”
“I do not know how often they have a need to kick. But yes, they are both alive.”
“How old are they?” I asked, remembering that he’d told me that he was in his eighties.
“They are both approaching one hundred and twenty years, and they are healthy. I expect them to live for another ten to twenty years.”
I blew out a long breath. “Wow…”
“I am sorry,” he said. “That might not have been what you wanted to hear.”
I shook my head. “No, don’t feel bad for me. Just… cherish that time.”
His face fell. “Always.”
“Shit!” I paused. “Damnit! I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “It was an understandable lapse.”
“Thanks,” I said softly, then paused. “Back to the topic of my sexuality. It must seem like such an alien concept to you.”
He let out a single laugh. “Yes, but our practice of meeting and mating on the same day must be as foreign to you.”
I hummed. “Yes, and no. It’s not something I can see for myself. And even for allosexual people, I can imagine it feeling fast. But meeting and marrying the same day has historical context in terms of arranged marriages.”
“As I understand it, in arranged marriages, people generally did not get to choose their mate. Am I mistaken?”
