Page 46 of Secret Twins for the Alien Dad

When I’m convinced I have washed and massaged her enough, I help her from the tub and turn the electro-dryer on her.

Once we’re settled back on the sofa, I broach a subject that I’m not sure she will like. “I think you should quit your job,” I tell her. “Stay here and I will look after you and the little one.”

“Are you serious?” she says.

“Absolutely,” I tell her, concerned that I’ve offended her. “Your health, and the health of the babies, must come first.”

For a moment, she is silent. “I can’t get used to this idea,” she says eventually. “I was expecting to have to struggle to make ends meet. I thought I would be working until my delivery date, and then going back to work as soon as I could after he arrived. And now you’re telling me you will look after me? That I don’t have to do it all on my own? It’s a little overwhelming, and I don’t know what to say.”

I look at her and realize there are tears pouring down her cheeks. I kiss them away. “I will always look after you,” I tell her. “You and the babies. You are my world, and I’m so happy you’re here with me. You don’t need to worry about anything like that ever again. For as long as I draw breath, I will be here for you.”

My words don’t stem the flow of her tears. In fact, they do the opposite. “Oh, Zair. Thank you so much,” she sobs. “It is so good to be with you, too. I’m so happy that you found me!” It takes me a moment to realize they are tears of joy.

I wrap my arms around her and hold her until the sobbing stops, breathing in the scent of her. I want to be so close to her that I’m inside her, and not in a sexual way. Although, of course, I’d like that, too, but in the way of pure love.

“So it’s agreed?” I ask her when she lies peacefully in my arms. “You’ll quit your job in the morning and stay here with me?”

“I would like nothing more,” she replies with a happy sigh.

That night we share a bed, and for the first time in my life, I sleep next to a naked woman without having sex with her first. I lay awake into the night just watching her, my hand gently placed on her round stomach, feeling the wriggling of my unborn child.

23

MYRA

I’m not used to being waited on hand and foot. Zair’s attentiveness was nice… for a few days. Don’t get me wrong. I love being here with Zair, and I’m excited about our future together.

But all my life, I’ve been on the move – working, running, surviving – so lying around in bed all day feels wrong. Like I’m committing a crime of some kind. And admittedly, his doting is getting a little suffocating.

Some time apart might do us both some good.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” he asks for maybe the tenth time since I suggested that he get my things from Eva’s.

I laugh and roll my eyes. “Zair, you’ll be back in an hour, tops. I’ll be fine.”

He looks me up and down one more time before heading to the door. “Remember, if you need anything –”

“I’ll call you,” I cut him off.

“Okay. See you in a bit, Myra,” he says and shuts the door.

Finally.

I love Zair, but I also need some space sometimes.

Getting out of bed, I head to the nursery. I may be due in about two weeks, but I’ve learned the hard way that babies work on their own schedules. This time, I’m going to be ready.

The hard parts – the two medi-cribs with all kinds of sensors to read the baby’s health and the diaper changing table with cleaning lasers – have already been set up by Zair, so I mostly need to focus on the decorations and putting away the baby clothes.

I hang the mobile overhead and test it out. The wyntuns move in a circle to a gentle lullaby. Soft holographic lights reflect on the ceiling from the mobile, which will entertain the babies when they’re a few months older. Still, I can already imagine the babies falling asleep just to the tune and the gentle motion.

I put the fitted sheets on the bed of the crib, smoothing out the wrinkles, and add a couple plush wyntuns and valtyi near the foot of it. When I lived in Armstrong, I had a baby doll that I would cuddle with until it was little more than tatters. I left it behind, just like I was forced to abandon everything else from my childhood.

This children will never grow up too quickly like I did.

It’s a vow I’ve made to myself several times, but with Zair at my side, it feels like it can be more than just a fragile promise. It’s an inevitability.

I hear the door open while I’m loading the baby clothes into the auto-folder drone and putting them in the little dresser.

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