by Robin Roseau
“You’re a little distraught,” she said. “But it won’t last.”
I studied myself a little longer, turning side to side to also look at my hair. I fingered the net. “How long?” I asked.
She turned me to her. “A year and a day is the tradition.”
I thought about it. “Okay.”
“I want to do something else.”
“Oh?”
She told me, and I smiled. “Yes.” When I looked, my colors had shifted again. Much better.
We attended the reception. At one point, Jasmine initiated a conference call to California. I think everyone was warned, because no one was shocked at my appearance. Instead, they yelled, “Congratulations,” and I heard, “Awesome tats.”
There was a second conference with my family. They were a little less positive, but ultimately, they wished me the best and wanted to know when they would meet my wife. I only told them I would let them know.
* * * *
Jasmine pulled Carolina and me to the side. We sat down in chairs, facing each other. “There are a few things our newly mated need to know,” she said. “We have closed your apartment.”
“I had a lease.”
“When someone joins us,” she said, “all leases terminate, unless you choose to continue them. That happens rarely. We made this decision for you.”
I looked at Carolina. “I presume we’ll never live in California. I wondered what to do.”
“We handled it. Taisha, we have all your things here. We can store it for you. What do you want to do?”
Carolina answered for me. “Please store her clothing. She won’t need it on the station, but she may need it when we return.” She looked at me. “I want you to wear the clothing I have for you, and you may never need anything else, but we don’t know for sure.”
At that, I nodded. “I want my laptop, phone, and camera. I also have little things. They were on the bookshelf in the living room. There are a few photos and some silly keepsakes. I also have my doctorate diploma in a frame.”
Jasmine paused then gestured. Andie stepped over. She was holding a wooden case. My visor shut down, and then Jasmine took it away from me but then replaced it. “This is yours,” she said.
“Mine?”
“It’s far more capable than this one,” she said. “This is for use here by our mating candidates. That one can interface with human networks and includes a few more features.” She paused. “Carolina can control it. Everything from your laptop and phone are on this one.”
“I still want my laptop,” I said. “The visor is fabulous, but I like having a keyboard.”
“I’ll have a new computer for you,” Carolina said. “Nor do you need your phone.”
“What about my other things?”
“They’ll go with you,” Jasmine said. “We have your car.”
“Here?”
“No, at the Mountain View Testing Center.”
I looked at Carolina. “Sell it. My furniture is all cheap. There is a chair that was my grandmother’s. Ship it to my mother. Donate the rest to charity or something. Can you hang onto everything else?”
“We can do that,” Jasmine said. “We’ll take care of your various business commitments. You are now on our health plan.” I smiled at that. “You are listed as taking a leave of absence from Hunt Robotics.”
“We’ll figure that out later,” Carolina said.
“I’m paying off significant student loans,” I said. “I’m not living hand-to-mouth, but I’ll run out of cash in six or eight months.”
“Your student loans were paid off the day Carolina claimed you,” Jasmine said.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I told Carolina.
But Jasmine said, “She didn’t. It is standard procedure. We retire all existing debt. For those owning a home, we cover the mortgage payments until we determine what is to happen with the property. Most of the time, we sell it. Sometimes it’s a family home, and then something else happens. You had a number of subscriptions. Those are cancelled, and final payments made.”
“How did you know how to do these things?”
“We have our ways,” she replied. “Taisha, you have no lingering financial obligations on Earth, not a single one.” Then she handed me a card about the size of a driver’s license. I looked at it. It had my photo and indicated it was a driver’s license authorized by the ETs.
“What is this? I bet I don’t need this.”
“It will be in your things,” Jasmine said. She then handed me a new passport. “You are now a dual citizen.”
I started crying and clung to Carolina for a while.
* * * *
We left in the morning.
Home
We spent fourteen months on the station, fourteen wonderful months. I still wore the net for my hair, and my teeth remained capped. I knew what we were waiting for.
I was completely, utterly in love with my mermaid wife, and she with me.
But now, all of us were looking out the windows. Below us was the blue of the Atlantic. We were still a little high, but on final to the African coast. I was excited, but of all of us, I may have been least excited.
I leaned into my wife. She had ordered me to the window, but I told her, “My mermaid, this has always been my home, but I want you to see.” And so, she had taken the window. But I leaned into her, looking as well. I could simply have accessed the shuttle’s cameras via my visor, but seeing from the windows meant more to me.
“The coast,” I heard Chervil say.
We descended further, and then we flashed over the coast, right over the top of Beginnings. Our pilot circled the resort, once in each direction, and then we were back over the water, just off the coastline, heading south.
And then, from the left side, yelling, yelling in at least three alien languages. But I knew what they were saying, or decided I knew.
“Our new home!”
We circled twice, like we had for Beginnings, once for each side, slowing further. And then, we flared, coming in for a landing right on the beach. In the future, air traffic would land at the Hyperloop station, which was actually over the hill, but for our first time, we landed on the beach.
The shuttle stilled; my friends did not. Beside me, Carolina was cycling through colors. I couldn’t read more than overwhelming excitement. I thought my colors were similar, although I wasn’t shifting the way she was.
The ramp descended, and we were blasted with the heat. I heard seatbelts unbuckling, and there was a mad dash to exit the craft. Chervil stayed behind, waiting for most of the others to run ahead, and I took my time as well. Then Oberon, with Danette at his side, stepped past us. She reached out a hand and squeezed my shoulder. Chervil said, “Hurry.” I slipped from the seat, and then Carolina beside me. Arm-in-arm, we descended to the sand.
Our friends were there, some of them looking in this direction, some in that, some turning a slow circle. We’d been here before, and we’d been monitoring the construction, but it was something different to be there in person.
Near the water, in almost the same relative place as Beginnings, was a restaurant with shops attached. On the terrace, a reception was waiting. But striding across the sands were Jasmine and Amaryllis, both there to greet us.
I looked at Carolina. “Go to her,” she said.
And so, I ran. Jasmine saw me coming and waited, opening her tentacles. I ran to her, coming to a stop just as she pulled me into her arms. She wrapped around me, and me around her, and then we held each other for a long, long time.
“I have surprises for you.”
“What surprises?”
“Well, they aren’t surprises if I tell you.”
Then she adjusted, and we walked together to join the others. Amaryllis was already offering her greetings, but Jasmine kept two tentacles around me. And then Carolina was there on my other side, and one of the tentacles adjusted, wrapping around her arm.
Then Jasmine released me, joining Amaryllis, an
d the rest of us clustered around, still looking every direction. But then Amaryllis said simply, “Welcome to Tranquility Village.”
* * * *
We climbed aboard the waiting train, pulled by an electric trolley that looked like an oversized golf cart. There was a small series of roads sized for pedestrians along one side, and enough room for the golf cart trolley and bicycles to pass each other in opposite directions. We began at the area in front of the restaurant and shops, and then we took a tour of the houses, widely spread up in the hills, with more filling in, all of them away from the beach, arranged in an arc of sorts, capped at the end with homes for the Komodo nearest the water.
We drove over the hill and circled the new movie theater complex. It was four screens, but we stopped and took a tour.
It was outstanding, with state-of-the-art systems and beautiful seating. The higher seats were sized for the larger species, but everyone from Chervil to Amaryllis was able to find a comfortable seat with a beautiful view.
We then got back on the trolley train and turned into the forest, taking a loop past several houses, well isolated from each other, and then we turned in to one.
Chervil began chittering and chittering. And Jasmine said, “Yes, Chervil. This is your new home.” He moved to her, and the two hugged for a long, long time. And then she said, “Chervil wishes to provide a tour. He apologizes, but the larger species may be uncomfortable.
We climbed from the trolley, and we went for a walk, first through the grounds, which were stunning, but they quickly gave way to the wild forest, with a trail heading east, deeper under the trees.
It was Andie who held the door for us, but we all waited for Chervil. Jasmine stepped in and gave him his own tour first, and then Andie told us we could enter.
It seemed like a modern home, designed and built by humans, except everything was shorter than I might have expected. As a woman, I actually found it comfortable. I envisioned a typical kitchen from a tall man’s perspective and thought my perspective in Chervil’s home was similar to that man’s in a typical western home.
Otherwise, it was a fairly open floorplan, which I liked, and a very nice home. The view from most of the windows was of the forest, treating the front of the house as away from the drive in. I decided I liked that.
Chervil said, “I would like to ask the human women what they think.”
“Chervil, it’s perfect,” I said.
“Are the proportions too small?”
“They are unusual, but no. I imagine they are the same proportions a human male would find in a typical home. I suspect your future mate will require a few days to grow accustomed, but she’ll appreciate it from the beginning.” Then I gestured. “And that view is lovely, so green. I wonder what sort of animals you’ll see. So many wonderful birds. I don’t know what else.”
He stepped over and hugged me tightly. I held more loosely, stroking his back. Then he stepped away and turned to the Catseye. “Jasmine Brighteyes, no one has ever done something like this for me.”
“We did this for all of us,” Jasmine replied. “We all came so far, and it is long past time we made proper homes here. But you’re welcome.”
“If you invite my help to the center, and it is something I can do, I will help.”
“We appreciate that. I ask that you help with good will. We’ll work that out in the months and years ahead. But we’ll protect you from humans who don’t know they should ask before touching.”
“Thank you,” he said. “Thank you so much.” He moved to her for yet another hug.
Five minutes later, we were back aboard our little train. We circled back down, driving under the Hyperloop tube. We drove back and forth. There were single-family and multi-family homes, as might befit the occupants, and they were all beautiful. Near the Hyperloop station was the dance hall, with its own terrace, and from there, a good view over the roofs of some of the houses to the beach and the water beyond. In the other direction was the movie theater, both a short walk from the hyperloop station.
And then we were back on the beach, and we approached the last of the homes. From the outside, it wasn’t apparent what these were, but they were right on the beach, at the end, with the back near the forest edge. There were four, and they seemed to be arranged oddly, but I knew they weren’t. If we had gone down twenty feet or so, we would encounter the carved grotto.
Carolina tightened on me. I could read and feel her excitement. Then she whispered to me, “I do not want to enter this way. We will have a welcoming ceremony in three days.”
I quickly texted Jasmine.
We ended back at the building that comprised the restaurant and cluster of shops. We climbed out, everyone still excited. We passed into the restaurant and out to the terrace, and it was there I saw my surprises.
There were people waiting, a few extraterrestrials, but most of them human. And near the front, looking lovely as always, Yvette stood with Foxglove.
Felicia was there with Finley and Amanda.
And my parents.
I started crying. I dragged Carolina to my parents. “Mama,” I said. And folded into her arms. She kissed my cheek and held me. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
“We missed you, and when the Catseye called and made this offer, we couldn’t turn her down.”
Then my father took me from Mom. “These colors are so shocking,” he said.
“It took getting used to, but Carolina needs this.”
Finally, I pulled away. I introduced my wife. They eyed her carefully, and then Mom said, “In our house, we hug.”
“I’m good with hugs,” Carolina said.
“Be careful of her hair,” I said. “It’s not hair.”
Mom hugged her, and then Dad, which surprised me. But then he wiped a tear away besides, which really surprised me.
And then Yvette said, “I don’t care if she’s your daughter. My turn.” I laughed as Yvette pulled me into a hug. “I’ve missed you. I can’t believe we meet, and then you diss me for your hot alien wife and a trip to the space station.”
I laughed. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“That’s…” Mom said.
Yvette and I separated. “Mom, this is Yvette D’altrea, and her wife, Foxglove Blue.”
I missed what was said, because Felicia was pulling me into a hug, then Amanda, and a clap on my shoulder from Finley. I thanked them for coming.
Amanda smiled. “Jasmine put us in an event yesterday. How did that go for you, Husband?”
“Hush, you.”
I laughed and introduced Finley to Carolina.
And then Danette was there and said, “I want to introduce my family.”
* * * *
“I only have two words,” Jasmine said. “Welcome home.”
Ceremony
We both undressed on the beach. Carolina had a waterproof bag for our clothing and a breather for me. “There are fins for you,” she said. “But today, I will help you.”
Together, holding hands, we waded into the water then slipped under. She helped me for a minute, then when it was deep enough, I moved into place behind her.
It was only a short swim to about fifteen feet of water when our destination became clear. There was a bulge in the seabed, and then we turned right and swam down into the beginning of a cavern. As we entered, a series of lights turned on, stretching into what had been growing darkness. They weren’t bright, but their blue light would be enough I could make this swim myself, if I desired.
It didn’t seem like a long swim, with Carolina doing all the work. And then ahead of us, it opened wider, and from there, four more exits. I released Carolina and swam from one to the other myself, although she helped me. The third from the right was ours. The exits were tiled, and on the edge, just inside, in blue lights, it said, Carolina and Taisha.
I brushed my fingers over the words, staring for a moment. And then I let Carolina pull us ahead, now beside her, her arm around me.
The distance here
was shorter, not far at all, but similarly lit, and ahead, it was much brighter.
We reached a grotto, not of raw stone, but tiled, with light above. From there, we ascended together.
There, we floated, looking about. Carolina was deeply colored, and I imagined I was as well.
We were in a large room, the foyer of our house. Then Carolina tugged me to the edge, a sloped floor of small tiles, grippy to my feet. We could climb entirely from the water, but then there was a half flight of steps to a large landing, overlooking our little grotto.
We turned, holding hands now. “It’s beautiful,” I whispered.
“I really need to find our bedroom,” she said. I laughed.
There was a door, a tight door, a sort of air lock. We showered off the seawater, and then there was a full-body air dryer. We dried then passed through the second door, into the dry part of the house.
The home was nearly entirely open. The dominant feature for much of the house was the glass ceiling over the grotto. There was an exterior, dry entrance, but for the Komodo, the wet entrance was important for their mental health. “I love it,” I whispered. “Is this good, Carolina?”
“It’s perfect, Taisha. It’s absolutely perfect.”
We explored. In many ways, it could have been a human house, if not for the entrance we used.
And then we found our bedroom. It opened onto a balcony with a view of the cove. We stepped outside and stood, watching the sunset for a minute.
And then we turned, and she drew me to bed.
“Welcome home,” she said somewhat later.
* * * *
Our friends came. Those who could entered via the water, and that was where we greeted them. The others, including my parents, came through the dry door, and Felicia saw to greetings then sent them to Carolina and me. She had arrived early, swimming in, which I thought was sweet.
This was the first time we had guests.
We were both dressed, but barely, only barely, as was the Komodo style when interacting with humans. If my parents didn’t like it, they said nothing. I thought perhaps Jasmine had talked to them about many of the strange things they might see.