Page 100 of Alien From Exile

“Fi—“

“Fine is not an acceptable answer,” I declare.

She chews on her lip and looks away from me for a moment.

“I still worry that I haven’t healed enough,” she says, absently brushing her palm over her swelling belly. “You’re the only one I can truly get close to for an extended period of time. What about my own child? I can’t be cold with them, not like my parents were.”

“They’re part of you right now,” I say, pressing my hand over hers. “Think of them as an extension of yourself. It’s not like you can’t stand the feeling of your own hand on your skin.”

“But what if…” She trails off.

“No matter what happens, we’ll figure it out together.” I scoop her off the chair, gently hoisting her as I tuck her dangling feet around my waist. “You’d never be cold. You were never cold to me, not even when we didn’t touch at all.”

“Aren’t you taking me to the speeder?” she asks in confusion as I walk the opposite direction from where I parked it.

“First of all, skimmers only for you from here on out,” I say. “And no, we’re not going to the party.”

“Why not? Shouldn’t we be there?” She yawns halfway through the question.

“I’m taking my wife to bed, a duty which I’m entitled to as Ka’lakka.” I march to the stairwell and carry her down into our quarters.

“Do you think we’re ready for this?” she asks, resting her head on my shoulder. I savor every embrace like this one, remembering the times when the distance between our bodies felt like an unbreakable barrier. “Do you feel like you’re ready?”

“What was that adorable human phrase you told me when you made the grave error of signing a contract of marriage to me?” I tip her chin up so that we can share a tender look. “Oh, right. Ready as I’ll ever be.”