Page 10 of Doran

It’s for the best, I told myself, already missing them. It’s just for a few weeks at most. The news showed those big 3D printer machines they use to build.

To my heart, it might as well be years.

6

SARAH

“Why can’t we go with you, Mommy?” Lucy asked, her chin wobbling and her eyes wet with tears.

I fought back my own tears as my mother replied for me, “Now, you heard her say why already, Lucy. She needs to have a house for you all to live in, and it’s not been built yet.”

“It will be ready within two weeks,” Xeranos said, causing her to flinch before darting her eyes around to find who spoke.

“That’s Xeranos, Grandma,” Caleb giggled. “He’s like Siri, only realer.”

“If by realer, you mean I am a fully sentient AI and not merely a smart assistant type program, you are correct. My younger brother Bob is as well. You’ll meet him at New Haven.”

“Bob? Does that stand for something?” Mom asked.

“No, it’s just Bob,” Kharok replied. “He chose his name himself.”

I felt a flash of embarrassment as my mother not so subtly ignored him.

“Zehr Annos, are you the program making all of these matches?”

“I run the program, that is,” came the response.

“Hmm.”

I knew that ‘hmm’. It meant she didn’t think much of that and would stew over it later. Between that and her rude behavior towards Kharok, this was not going well. Still, if our home was going to be ready in two weeks, she had two weeks to get over it before she and

Dad brought the kids. Maybe once she saw how adorable Walnut Grove was, she’d be nicer about everything. Then again, if she wasn’t, she’d be light years away, and I’d only have to deal with her via the occasional video call, because if she was going to be an ass, the only open invitation to visit would be given to Grammie.

“I’m sorry, Sarah, but the shuttle has another pickup after this and Merrilee’s mate is incoming, so you need to go now,” Krychek said, with a rueful smile.

“Can’t give your contracted humans a chance to slip away,” Mom said sarcastically.

Sorry, I mouthed to him as his face smoothed over into an impassive mask. An understanding flash in his eyes, accompanied by a tiny dip of his head, let me know he understood and sympathized.

“Two weeks is no time at all, Mama,” Emma said. “That gives me time to have a going away party with my friends. I can have a sleepover at your house, can’t I?” she asked, looking at my mother.

“Of course you can,” she cooed. “I’m sure all of your little friends would be inconsolable if they didn’t get to have a proper goodbye. We’ll make it an all day thing, and Caleb and Lucy can invite all their friends too. First I’ll take you to the skating rink, then we’ll go for pizza, then the movies, and come back so you can play video games before bed and what have you.”

“We don’t own a game system,” I pointed out.

“I’m sure one of her friends can bring one of theirs,” came the haughty reply.

I held out Sweetie’s leash. “Oh, no. I am not looking after that dog and the children. Besides, you’re going to a wild frontier filled with alien creatures. A woman all alone should have protection, like a dog.”

Caleb giggled again. “Sweetie isn’t a guard dog, Grandma. She’s a cocker spaniel.”

“And Mommy will have our new Daddy to keep her safe. He’s a big dragon man like him,” Lucy added, pointing at Kharok. Looking at me, she bit her lower lip, her worried eyes tearing at my heartstrings. “Do you think he’ll love us? Our old Daddy doesn’t.”

“He certainly does!” my mother exclaimed. “He simply is a very busy man and your mother -”

“Has to get on her shuttle,” I finished for her, shooting her a warning look. “Come on, one more kiss and hug.”

My children each kissed my cheek and gave me a tight hug. Then Kharok showed them the way to the door, saying, “If you wait a few minutes, you’ll be able to watch the shuttle take off.”