Page 56 of Secret Twins for the Alien Dad

The next few days are full of more visitors and well-wishers. And even the townspeople who don’t come to visit are sure to drop off more food and baby supplies than we could hope to use.

The town administrator, and my former boss, buys us the latest tech in diaper changing. Trill, the Odex who owns the diner in town, makes us a feast fit for emperors. Even the doctors from the clinic have visited, and not just for checkups. I guess the twins have already left a huge impression on everyone.

Zair really has simply been perfect through all of this. I can’t think of a better partner to have through all of this. To think I was prepared to do this without him, I would’ve been so lost.

He makes sure I follow all of the doctor’s post-birth care directions. Bed rest, incremental walking around the home, healthy diet, the works. If I’m out of bed for too long, he’ll sweep me off my feet and carry me back. Although, he does occasionally let me cheat on that ‘healthy diet’ order. Cripes, I love him.

Also, for all our visitors, he’s made sure not too many have shown up at once. He’s kept me from getting overwhelmed or stressed through this whole process.

He even did it when all of his mercenary crew swung by. They’re a rambunctious crowd, but Zair must have put the fear of God in them about being too loud and waking the babies from a nap. All of them were completely respectful and came in one at a time.

His perfection has also extended with how he cares for the boys. I don’t think I’ve heard him complain once since we’ve been home from the medical clinic. Not even about the stinky diapers.

In the night when one of them cries, Zair leaps right out of bed to handle it. In the day, if I need to rest, he happily takes them out in the hover stroller for a walk around town. He’s eagerly fit into the role of dad.

Two weeks after the twins are born, Zair and I are out with them, walking towards Eva’s. She’s absolutely thrilled to have the whole family over for dinner. The four of us stop for a moment to watch the sun sinking in the horizon.

“How do you like living here?” Zair asks.

“In Mairg? It’s good. Really good.”

“Do you see it as a permanent living situation?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Myra, I cleared your name. You’re no longer a wanted woman. We could move back to Glimner City.” Zair keeps his eyes on the horizon.

“Back to Glimner City?” I honestly hadn’t even thought of that much. But Zair is right, it is an option now.

“If you want to, I mean. There is a lot more work in the city. Plus, it’s a much more exciting place than Mairg. If… if you’ve been missing that.”

“I don’t know…”

“Myra, I’m not saying you need to make a choice right now.” He reaches out and holds my hand. “Or even that I’d prefer to live there. I just wanted to bring it up. In case it was something you’d been thinking about.”

Glimner City has been such a big part of my life. Before Mairg, and after Armstrong, it was the only home I truly knew. For three years, it was where my life was.

“I suppose a part of me has missed the hustle and bustle of Glimner City. It is a very exciting place.” I squeeze his hand. “Something is always going on. There is never a dull moment.”

“Exactly what I was thinking. Mairg doesn’t really compare in that regard.”

“But, I think I’m ready to leave Glimner City in the past.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I miss the hustle and bustle, but I also love the calm here. The certainty that my neighbor will be kind. The knowledge that everyone will come together when help is needed. That’s the world I want to raise them in. The energy I want them to grow up around.”

“So, you want to stay in Mairg?”

“Yeah, I do. Is that okay?”

“Myra.” Zair finally looks away from the horizon and at me. “That’s perfect. Since the twins were born, I’ve realized how much I want to raise them here. I just wasn’t sure what you were thinking.”

“Well.” I squeeze his hand again and wrap his arm around me as we continue our walk. “Looks like we’re even more of a perfect match than I thought.”

The rest of the walk to Eva’s, we spend dreaming together. Dreaming of the life we might end up spending together here in Mairg. The men our boys might grow to become.

Of course, Eva will one day be their teacher at the local school. I know she’ll still be there until the twins are old enough to be in her classroom. I’m already laughing, imagining them coming home, complaining that Eva won’t give them special treatment and they still have homework.

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