“It was indeed,” he called back. “I’m off to speak to the commander. I’ll return shortly.”
“Everything okay?” the flight deck chief asked him, overhearing.
“Yes. I’m just going to let him know my decision regarding the promotion.”
“You taking it then?” the Chief asked.
Kranow gave a meaningful smile in response and continued on through the door. He had things to set in motion, the sooner the better. He hurried down the corridor, not thinking to notify Gundar of his impending arrival until he was in the elevator. Fortunately, the commander was able to see him and instructed him to meet him in his ready room just off the bridge.
When he arrived, Kranow saw from Gundar’s expression that he was expecting Kranow to turn down his promotion, and that he was unhappy about it. Kranow gave his commanding officer a tight smile. “I wanted to talk over a few things with you, sir,” he said, saluting before taking the seat he was pointed to opposite Gundar’s desk. “First, I wished to let you know that I am willing to accept the promotion, along with its requisite training.”
Gundar’s eyes lit up. “Excellent! What else can I help you with? I assume it relates to the promotion?”
Kranow quickly explained his idea. Gundar grinned. “I’m sure Darla would be happy to help you plan this. I agree with you, moving your human ceremony and taking a honeymoon together to give yourselves more bonding time after being apart will only serve to make her feel more treasured. I think the trick will not only finding a place to hold the ceremony and spend your honeymoon, but to keep Darla from accidentally letting Marley know about it. As for the press, well, I can forget to reach out.”
“Will that be okay?” Kranow asked worriedly.
“Seeing as you mated without a ceremony and they were anticipating a ceremony first, right after matching, yes. I’m certain I will hear grumbles later, but nothing I cannot handle.”
Kranow nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
“I’ll speak to Darla tonight. Do you have any further scheduled flights for today?”
“No, sir.”
“Then I suggest you take the rest of the day off. Take Marley out to one of the restaurants and have a romantic meal. You can tell her about your acceptance. Xeranos will inform the crew chief about you having the rest of the day off, and I’ll send your paperwork through so we can get your place in the course secured without delay. The next class starts in three days, so you can expect to leave no later than the day after tomorrow. You left very little time to get things squared away.”
Kranow stood and saluted. “Yes, sir.”
“Dismissed.”
Kranow hurried away. Things were moving fast and he had his own role to play to make sure everything went smoothly.
Chapter Twenty
Marley sniffled. Damn it, I wanted him to take this promotion. So why am I bawling like a baby? At least I managed to hold it in until I got back to our quarters. She reached for the tissue box next to their bed. It was empty, of course. She put it back down and made her way into their bathroom, where she splashed her face with some water before drying it. No more tears leaked through her lids, but her eyes were red and her face splotchy from crying. Fantabulous. Might as well pee while I’m in here.
She sat down and emptied her bladder of that morning’s coffee and juice. She stood up and flushed, pulling up her panties, and moved to wash her hands, all on autopilot. I look a sight right now, but last night, he certainly made me feel beautiful. She gave herself a faint smile, losing herself in the memories of their tender lovemaking. It hadn’t been their first time, but it certainly was not a time she thought she’d ever forget. It had been a celebration of their ever deepening affection for one another, a good-bye, and a promise to return all rolled into one.
“Marley, I wish to extend congratulations,” a voice broke in, startling her. Marley’s hand had flown to her heart and she laughed at herself. It was merely the bathroom’s AI, which ran the set routines in charge of their water preferences, did their laundry, and monitored their health among other things too numerous for her to recall right off the bat.
“Congratulations? Oh, yes! Isn’t his promotion wonderful? I’m so proud of him,” Marley replied.
A pause as Marley waited for it to reply. The bathroom AI wasn’t as socially adept as Xero, nor as complex. It sometimes had to consult Xero’s database to give her a response. “Oh, yes, that is fantastic news! However, I am referring to your test results. Ship’s stores will be delivering your prescribed vitamins. I am scheduling your first check up with medical now.”
Marley blinked. Vitamins? Check up? The blood drained from her face. Test results… “I’m pregnant?” she whispered.
“Yes, indeed! Congratulations, again!” the AI chirped.
Marley gaped at herself in the mirror. Pregnant. She shook herself. Kranow will be over the moon! But should I tell him now or wait? He’s only just left for training! I don’t want to distract him. I can’t be that far along. What if I told him now, only I lost it before he got back? Marley’s mind raced as tried to come to terms with this revelation and her current circumstances. Oh my God! We are going to have a baby! She grinned at herself, deciding to wait until after her appointment to tell Kranow.
She smoothed her hair down and went to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of orange juice in anticipation of the vitamins imminent arrival. As if on cue, the door to their quarters chimed and a midshipman stood at her door. “I was asked to deliver these,” he said. Marley signed his data pad to acknowledge that she’d received them and went back inside. She smiled happily at the small bottle. With everything that happened over the past couple of years, this was something she had failed to imagine. She removed the cap and shook out an oblong tablet. Popping it into her mouth, she grimaced as the tang of iron hit her tongue, hurriedly taking a sip of the orange juice to rid herself of it. One tablet down, another six months of them to go. She replaced the lid and pushed the bottle to the far end of the breakfast bar, next to the wall.
Standing still, she pondered what to do next. She had the day off thanks to Kranow’s departure. She thought briefly about going in to class anyway, then decided against it. It was coming up towards lunchtime. Deciding to celebrate her secret news, she hurried to freshen up her make up and make the next scheduled shuttle. Lunch at Rosa’s, all on her own, followed by a stroll in the park, was simply perfect. Time to herself, to simply be and step into her new role as mother-to-be and waiting wife, before class schedules and planning and other events swept her along once more.
“Oh, hey!” Darla said to her, coming out of the elevator. “Kranow left today, didn’t he? You okay?”
“Yep, and I’m doing all right. Just about to go grab some lunch and go for a walk,” Marley said, hoping just this once that her friend didn’t want to come along.
“I’m just getting some lunch too,” Darla said pulling a face, “before heading back to class. We’re studying this star cluster that’s just been born.”
“That sounds really cool,” Marley told her friend as she got into the elevator. “Sorry, I gotta dash if I’m going to make my shuttle!”
“Oh! Okay, catch you later!” Darla called after her. The doors slid shut and Marley gave a sigh of relief. She just didn’t want to be with people today. Be surrounded by them, yes. Be social with them, no. “Shuttle Bay 4,” she told the elevator, knowing it would deposit her on the deck it was on. The elevator began to hum and she felt an almost imperceptible movement as it began its journey. Moments later she was exiting and beginning the short walk to the shuttle bay. Cannoli, here I come.
Chapter Twenty-One
It had felt strange at first to be sitting at Rosa’s by herself, but Marley quickly took to being able to fully soak in her surroundings and enjoyed people watching. She ate her food, her eyes catching and observing a woman with a young child at one table, then later, a woman wearing a baby in a sling enjoying a stroll through the nearby park, her hand held by
an older toddler. One day, that could be me, she thought in wonder. She took her time to enjoy her meal, finding herself unsure of just how long she might have before morning sickness would invade, leaving her unable to keep even her favorite foods down. A leisurely stroll through the park gave her the time to fully appreciate the lengths gone through to provide play space for the brides and their children. She felt herself thinking of her sister, hoping she could come to see her soon and rejoice over her news in person.
But not before I get to tell Kranow and celebrate with him after his return. She concluded her walk and having imbibed far too much fruit infused water with her lunch, hurried back into Rosa’s unobtrusively to use their restroom before slipping back out to make her way back to the shuttle bay. The excitement had worn her out, and she looked forward to a nap. It was a scene that played itself out repeatedly over the next several days as she began taking an evening shuttle over to eat dinner at Rosas and enjoy a stroll around the park.
She had just returned from dinner one evening when Xero called her name. “Yes, Xero?”
“You have an incoming communication from Kranow,” Xero informed her. She dropped the tablet she was reading her book on and squealed. “Open communication!” she cried out. It had been far too long since she last saw and heard from her warrior, despite it having been only nine days. The larger viewscreen in the living room changed from the Waikiki street scene to her husband’s face. He grinned at her.
“Marley! I hope you have been well.”
“I have! Everything okay there?”
He shrugged. “It’s not bad. I already am adept at most of the things we are doing, so it’s a little boring.”
“Well, you must be doing pretty good then, huh?” she said proudly. He gave her an indulgent smile in response. “I, uh, have something to tell you. A bit of a surprise, really.” She watched his expression morph into one of concern. “Nothing bad, really! Unless you don’t want to be a dad, that is.”
She giggled as the look of comprehension crossed his visage and he gave a whoop. “A father! We are to have a young?” he shouted.
“Yes, though I’m pretty sure the rest of the known universe did not need to know,” she laughed, relieved that he was as happy about it as she’d though he’d be. “I found out the day you left. I’m about three weeks along now and the doctor says we’re fine. I’m taking my vitamins and eating properly and making sure I get plenty of sleep, so you just do your thing there. This little one will still be baking in the oven when you get back, without you missing much of anything.”
“This is indeed very good news.”
Marley laughed. “Well, good, because it’s happening.”
He grinned at her. “You will make a wonderful mother,” he assured her.
Marley smiled back. “I certainly intend to try.”
“You will succeed,” he assured her. “I wish I was there to celebrate with you.”
“There’s plenty of time for that.”
He nodded knowingly. “I am sure your friends are spoiling you. Melissa for certain will be full of advice, yes?”
Marley licked her lips. “I haven’t told them yet. I wanted to tell you first, then my sister.”
Kranow’s eyes crinkled at the corners as his grin got even bigger. “Thank you for telling me first. Only five more weeks, then I will be returning. We shall celebrate then.” He gave her a knowing look. She flushed.
“You going to try to put another one in me? It’s closed for renovations at the moment,” she teased.
“No, no, just thinking of something. It will be a surprise.”
“Oh yeah. What?” But no matter how much she begged, Kranow wouldn’t tell her. She finally conceded a temporary defeat and enjoyed talking to him about the minutiae of her days since he’d left. At last it was time for him to say good-bye, but not before promising to contact her in three days’ time. “I will be counting the days,” she said tearfully, watching his image fade. She swiped at her eyes and decided to contact her sister. Now that Kranow knew, she could spill the beans. Tomorrow would be soon enough to tell her friends onboard. It was Sunday and they were all going to Steven’s for lunch so she could tell most of her friends all at once. Charlotte she would tell Monday, when classes resumed.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lunch with her friends went straight out the window before Marley had even managed to finish eating her breakfast. In fact, she’d only begun using the edge of her spoon to separate the pink flesh of the grapefruit from its skin when an excited Steven appeared at her door, his son and Melissa’s brood in tow.
“It’s time!” he shouted.
“Time for what?” she asked, her lack of coffee making her feel dull so early in the morning.
“Baby time!” he shouted.
“Mama is having the baby,” Jeffrey said helpfully.
“Yeah, she’s gone to the hospital,” Johnny said. “She looked like she wanted to poop but it hurt!”
Marley’s hand flew to her mouth, stifling a giggle at the image the young child had provided.
“I hope it’s a girl,” Maisie said. “Daddy said it was gonna be a boy, though. He said almost all born Mylos are boys.”
“You coming or what?” Steven demanded.
“Hold on. Is she having it right, right now, or just started? I’m not even dressed yet!” Marley said, gesturing to her pajamas. “I was just about to have some breakfast first.”
“Fine!” Steven huffed. Darla appeared over his shoulder.
“Calm down, Steven. We’ve got a little while yet, they said. Let her eat and get dressed.” Steven rolled his eyes.
“Fiiiine. Just don’t take too long. She’s had three kids before so who knows how fast this will go?”
Darla giggled. “It’s not like they will disappear off with the baby, you know. If it’s born before we get there, we’ll still get to see it,” she told him. “You go ahead and eat and then get dressed. Steven, while she’s doing that, why don’t you take the children over to the nursery on your old ship? We can meet you at sickbay right after, ‘kay?”
Steven nodded frantically. “C’mon, you guys, let’s go!”
“But we wanna see the baby,” Maisie replied. Darla and Marley laughed as they watched Steven cajole the children into going along peacefully.
“I hope it’s not as crazy when this one comes along,” Marley said without thinking, dropping a hand to her stomach. She realized what she’d said as soon as the look of shock of Darla’s face registered.
“Oh my God! Are you serious! Wow! How far along?” Darla squealed.
“Come in and let me eat and I’ll tell you all about it,” Marley answered.
“You bet you will!” her friend replied. “I can’t believe it. Wow! Does Kranow know?”
“I told him yesterday,” Marley said as she settled herself onto the stool and began eating. She answered the rest of her friend’s questions between mouthfuls, only escaping once she was finished and in the bathroom for her shower. Lathering up under the warm spray, she sighed in contentment. She had a loving mate, good friends, and soon, a baby to love. She closed her eyes, imagining her baby growing up with Melissa’s, best of friends. Life was good, she decided.
Three hours and seventeen minutes later, Marley got her first peek at Melissa’s new son. Junrig beamed as he held the small bundle.
“Everybody, this is Lapresh,” an exhausted looking Melissa said.
“Look at those little scales,” Steven cooed.
“Those will recede as the birth hormones level out,” Melissa informed them. “His pupils will widen then, too, they said.”
Marley’s arms itched to hold the child. Was this what her own child would look like? Scales and reptilian eyes set in soft baby features? With his little tuft of dark hair on top standing up like a Mohawk, little Lapresh was utterly adorable.
“He’s so cute!” Darla gushed before turning to Marley. “Bet you can’t wait to get to hold yours, huh?”
Al
l eyes turned to regard Marley. She blushed. “This wasn’t how I meant to tell you guys, but yeah, in about five months, Kranow and I will be having one of our own.”
“That is splendid news!” Junrig said, beaming. “Lapresh will have a playmate!”
“I bet Kranow is over the moon!”
“Yeah, he said something about celebrating and a secret.”
Darla startled and looked away.
Interesting. Whatever it is, Darla must know something about it. She resolved to pump her friend for information later.
They each took a turn holding the baby before being shooed from the room by medical staff, with Steven promising Junrig that he’d collect the children from the nursery and feed them dinner as they left.
Kranow (Mate the Stars Book 4) Page 9