She looked at him now, across the boardroom they had booked out for the occasion in a circle of his friends from ITS. There were so many guests that they had had to split up in order to receive all the congratulations and well-wishes. Lois had only escaped under the pretence of getting Taz a snack.
She was proud of Zir. Maybe it was the love talking, but she didn’t know how she hadn’t seen it before. He cut a fine figure, standing tall and straight. Nine months ago, she had learned how intelligent, and strong, and affectionate he was, how kind and generous. She couldn’t believe she had almost missed it, that she had almost let him get away. Imagining her life without him now was pretty grim.
She walked over to him, touching his back to let him know she was there and breaking into the circle. He looked at her, his eyes going soft as he brushed a knuckle over Taz’s cheek.
“Congratulations, Zir,” said Tol, coming up on his other side. “You did it.”
“Yes,” Zir agreed. Lois hid a smile as she thought she detected a bristly tone to his voice. It seemed like he still wasn’t over his possessiveness of her when it came to Tol. He’d calm down eventually. She supposed she couldn’t blame him, when she had been friends with Tol so easily, and resisted Zir’s attentions for so long. She would just have to be such a devoted mate from now on that he would have no choice but to feel totally secure.
“Lois!” she turned to see Susan coming in for a hug. Lois hugged her back with one arm, keeping the other wrapped around Taz, who still gave a quiet squawk at what he presumably felt was a rude imposition on him. When she pulled away from Susan, she saw Aaron was behind her friend, grinning as he held hands with an attractive young man Lois hadn’t met before.
“I’m sooo glad you pulled your head out of your ass in the end,” Susan said, squeezing Lois’ arm like a proud parent.
Lois rolled her eyes but she couldn’t exactly deny it. “Thanks for being there,” she replied.
Aaron wanted a hug next, saying “You really make him happy, you know? He’s been like a different guy since you two got together.”
Lois tried not to blush. “It’s mutual,” she murmured.
“We bought you a present,” Susan said, laughing. “We used the money that was in the ‘Will-they-won’t-they’ pool.”
“The what?” Lois asked, but no one answered as Aaron jogged out of the room. He held the door open for Lee, who struggled in with his arms around a giant teddy bear wearing a DETI hoody.
“Oh my god, he looks just like my little one!” Lois laughed, reaching out for the bear. She couldn’t take it though because she was carrying Taz.
“Give him to me,” Zir offered, presumably asking for Taz, but Lee handed him the giant bear instead. It almost eclipsed him, except for his clawed hands disappearing into the plush belly of the bear, and his unamused green face sitting behind the bear’s shoulder. “Thank you, Lee,” he said drily.
“I need a picture of this,” Lois announced, quickly digging out her Gadgit and snapping a photo, which she then immediately set as her background. She felt Taz shift his weight, then jump the short distance onto the bear, crawling curiously over it. Lois took another photo to have both her boys in it, and updated her background again with it.
They were all giggling as Lois attempted to sort them out, figuring out how to get the bear off Zir while Taz tried impatiently to get one of his new parents to carry him again. Lois noticed Zir had frozen, looking over her shoulder at the door, his pupils focused and staying that way. Wondering what could hold his complete attention in a room full of people like that, Lois looked behind her, and saw a Volin male she didn’t recognise holding the door open as if he wasn’t sure if he was coming in or not.
She looked back at Zir, and realised who it must be. She wrapped her arms around the bear and Taz both, then hefted them away from Zir. “Go on,” she said quietly, and he glanced at her before heading over to the male.
“Who’s that?” Susan whispered as Lois put the bear on the floor, helping Taz back onto her hip.
“Someone Zir knows,” Lois hedged.
She knew it must be Zir’s brother, who Zir had agreed to track down in the last couple of months. Lois had supported him, and helped him fill out the forms. When Zir had heard that his brother, who went by Xin on Earth, had not only survived but emigrated to Earth shortly after Zir, and was even living on the east coast of the US, Zir had collapsed onto his sofa and stayed sitting there for the rest of the night.
Since then they had only exchanged the most basic of information, such as where they lived and what they did, but Zir had told Xin that he had mated a human woman and it seemed Xin had decided that was motivation enough to visit unannounced.
Lois tried not to worry, but this was Zir’s only family. If he didn’t approve of her, she didn’t know what she would do. She fussed with Taz and smiled at her guests instead, trying to make sure no one went outside to disturb Zir and his brother.
The door opened again a few minutes later and Zir came back in alone. Lois watched him cross the room to her, nervously bouncing Taz on her hip until his tiny hand gave her an annoyed tap.
“Lois,” he squeaked. “Do not do that.” His English was still heavily accented, but she swore he sounded more like Zir every day and it was always enough to cheer her up. She’d teach him proper manners sooner or later, but for now she wanted to keep him as her baby.
Zir reached her side and took her arm. “Come,” he said.
She couldn’t tell if he was happy or not as she followed him out, her chest tight with nerves. In the corridor outside, the male who must be Xin was leaning against the wall. She tried to see a family resemblance to Zir, but she struggled.
“Lois, this is my brother, Xin. Xin, this is my mate, Lois,” Zir introduced them.
Lois held out her hand for a shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said, smiling politely.
Xin shook her hand, staring at Taz then looking at Zir. “Your child?” he asked incredulously in Volin.
“Yes, but we have only recently become his parents,” Zir answered.
Xin grunted and nodded, accepting this to Lois’ relief. “Congratulations,” he said. “You must be very happy,” Xin said.
Lois thought she picked up a sad vibe from him then, and there was something hollow in his eyes. Of course, it must have been difficult for him to see Zir with a son, given what had happened.
“I am,” Zir said. He reached out and put his hand on the back of Xin’s head. “You will stay with us while you are in San Diego.”
Xin dodged out of Zir’s hold, scowling at him. “Do not condescend to me, little brother,” Xin replied in Volin. He attempted to perform the same hold on Zir, who ducked and hissed at him. Xin hissed back. Then they both smiled, and Lois breathed a sigh of relief.
“Let’s go back to the party,” she said with a smile. “I think I overestimated how many lemons we needed and I’m counting on you guys to make sure they don’t go to waste.”
Xin made an interested trill, and Lois led them back to their friends.
The E.T. Guy (Office Aliens Book 1) Page 18