Chapter 20 #3
“Thanks for saying that, Kae. I also look forward to becoming part of your family. Luna knows this already, but before my brother Felix and I joined the Sleigh Belle and its crew, we were the only family we had. While we both love each other to pieces, we missed having a family support network after our grandparents passed away.”
“We would be honored to become family with you,” Dad says solemnly, as if making a formal vow.
At this moment, I can honestly say I’m really damn proud of my parents.
They’re not bad Dravethians. That’s why what happened between us hurt so much.
For most of my life, they had been there, supporting me all the way, and I had known I could rely on them.
But the moment I started talking about a life path that deviated so radically from what they were familiar with and what Dravethian culture endorses, things went sideways.
Time and distance have helped. My feelings and theirs aren’t as sharp and raw as they were, and the fact that my parents are here now, working to make amends and rebuild our relationship, tells me a lot.
No matter how much my decisions might have scared or even bewildered them in the past, they do value my wishes and are working to better understand me.
At the same time, I plan to keep showing them how happy I am with the choices I’ve made.
Hell, I basically experienced my own lesbian Hallmark Christmas movie romance but extraterrestrial and a lot kinkier—hello, my fabulous tentacles—and right now I’m walking on stardust. It’s magical. The possibilities ahead of Gemma and me seem limitless.
She’s starting on the path toward her own future as an intergalactic medical doctor, and our entire crew are going to become an emergency rescue team.
I’m already excited about helping stranded vessels because I know I’m going to get to work on some engines I’ve never seen let alone touched.
Who knows, I might even become a legendary mechanic hero across the universe!
All the while we’ll also be exploring so many new places, experiencing other cultures, and meeting new people.
But the icing on the cake is that amid all of this, Gemma and I are going to begin building a life together—and I can’t fucking wait.
The conversation shifts gears, and my parents ask about what I’ve been doing and where I’ve traveled over the last year, something they didn’t want to discuss in our sporadic and brief conversations until now.
I don’t hesitate to make up for lost time and regale them with our exciting and sometimes delightfully comedic adventures, wowing them with all I’ve done in one year.
“There’s always something new and exciting on the horizon,” I explain animatedly, “and I love the fact that I can be in one galaxy one day and in another the next. I love meeting other travelers and learning more about other cultures that have never even come to our little quadrant of the universe, and vice versa. I’m one lucky lady to be able to see the many wonders of the universe rather than be stuck or settled in one place.
For me, that’s too stagnating. Out here among the cosmos, I’m free, and it’s basically to infinity and beyond! ”
Gemma snickers. “You like cartoons too.”
“It’s called animation and it’s an art form, my dear.”
She rolls her eyes at me fondly. “My bad. So you’re a Toy Story fan, huh?”
I shrug. “What’s not to love about toys that come to life and have hilarious and ridiculous adventures?”
Gemma gently pokes me in the side, and I try not to laugh. “Hey! That tickles,” I whine.
“I know, that’s why I poked you there,” she sasses me back.
So. Damn. Hot.
She turns her attention to my parents. “Your daughter is indeed a bit of a thrill seeker, mixed with a dash of adrenaline junkie.” She reaches out her hand and pats both of theirs.
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep her in line. I like to have fun too, but I tend to be more of a calculated risk-taker.
I don’t dive into things without any forethought. ”
It’s my turn to snicker at her. “Says the woman who basically decided to come aboard our ship and leave her home planet behind in a few short weeks.”
Gemma lifts her chin in the air and sniffs haughtily. “I used that time wisely to gather all the necessary information so I could make a rational and informed decision.”
“Whatever you say, gorgeous.”
My dad starts laughing, and I’m momentarily shocked; he’s not someone to laugh out loud very often.
He wipes at his eyes. “Meeting you, Gemma, has been wonderfully refreshing and very reassuring. As you said, Luna sometimes likes to jump into things tentacles-first and rational head later. I think you’ll balance each other out very well.
” He turns to me, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
“My dear Luna, I definitely think you’ve met your much-needed, perfect match in this universe.
She’ll keep you on the tips of your tentacles, the way I know you’ll love. ”
All three of my hearts melt. He still gets me on some level, like he did when I was a kid.
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Abso-fucking-lutely,” I agree.
Eventually, we exit the Conversation Nook, and our jelly communication concierge waves us off with a light-filled tendril that I’m still jealous of.
We proceed to wander around the space station, exploring some of its unusual botanical gardens and the main shopping district, then finally make our way to the food sector.
There, we share a long, leisurely meal together, talking and laughing, reminiscing about the past and sharing our hopes for the future.
My parents are clearly ecstatic that they’re going to be getting another grandchild.
“I want to forewarn you,” I say. “Gemma and I aren’t planning on having any children.” I turn to her. “That’s probably not going to change down the line, right?”
“Fuck no,” she replies immediately. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I hate kids.
I’m perfectly happy to be an auntie to Luna’s sister’s kids.
Same if any of our crewmates decide to have offspring.
But I’m not really a maternal type, and I have too many things I want to do with my life that would be difficult to accomplish while also taking on the twenty-four-seven never-ending work of being a parent.
” She shrugs. “I feel like my life’s purpose is giving back in a different way than bringing children into the universe.
Using my expertise to help and even save the lives of others is my way of paying it forward. ”
My mother smiles. “That’s a noble and inspiring path to pursue, and one that gives a great deal of yourself in important ways.”
“Exactly,” Gemma agrees, smiling brightly back at Mom.
I hold up both my hands and wave a tentacle.
“You know me, kids were never part of my life vision. Like Gemma, I don’t have anything against them.
I love my nephew, and I’m sure I’ll love my niece as well.
I like to swoop in for a visit, stuff the little ones full of sweets, shower them with lots of cool gifts, and then exit stage left. ”
My dad coughs to hide a laugh, and my mother shakes her head wryly.
“Like I said, you’ve always known your mind, and I respect that about you.
Deciding whether to have children is a huge, life-altering decision, and it’s important that you and your partner are on the same page, which I’m very glad to see is the case.
Being a parent is a somewhat thankless job that never ends.
Even when your kids are adults and leave the nest, they are still a huge part of your life, and you continue to be someone they tend to turn to in times of trouble.
I hope we can be that for you again, Luna. Someday,” she adds softly.
I sniff back tears. “Mom, I’m sure we’ll get there.”
“I have no doubt the two of you will be the most celebrated aunties in the family,” my dad offers dryly.
I cackle. “Of course we will. We’re super cool lesbians who are super smart and have kickass jobs. It’s only natural for the youngsters to look up to us. We’re also a totally romantic couple and a goal worth aspiring to.”
“Luna also has the added benefit of basically being a big kid at heart,” Gemma adds with a cheeky wink, inserting herself into the conversation with a mouth full of sass.
Dear Thekmis, do I ever love this woman.
“Hey!” I cry. Someone has to defend my honor.
She arches an eyebrow at me. “Are you really going to try and tell us what I said was wrong?”
Neptune’s nads! Of course I can’t, of course she’s fucking right, but still—it’s the principle of the thing.
We finally finish our meals, and my parents are both yawning after their long trip to the space station.
“We’ve got a room reserved at one of the hotels here,” my father says. “I think your mother and I will call it a night. Long travel like this does get a bit harder as one gets older.” He smiles. “But it was well worth it to see you, my child, and meet Gemma.”
He opens his arms, and I nod. Then he wraps me in a warm, familiar hug, strong and firm but gentle. I inhale his familiar smell that will always spell out Dad to me. He kisses me on the top of my head. “We will meet up again tomorrow.”
“Sounds good, Dad. We’ll be here for a couple of days until we need to head out. While we’re all here, I intend to spend as much time as we can with each other. I want you to get to know Gemma better as well.”
“Wonderful,” Mom says, “we’re excited about that too.”
Another round of hugs ensues, and while my mom is embracing me, my father asks and then gives Gemma a paternal hug.
When the hug fest has ended, we see my parents off to their hotel and then make our way back to the ship.
We do have two extra unoccupied rooms on the Sleigh Belle, but Gemma and I talked about it beforehand and decided it would be better to have my parents stay at a hotel for this first visit in case I needed a private and safe space to retreat to.
However, if this continues to go as well as it has so far, Gemma and I will welcome them warmly onto the ship the next time we meet up.
When we get on board, we find ourselves alone. Gemma licks her lips and studies me with a molten-hot gaze that could burn my clothes off—and I would be totally into that.
“Do you remember the fantasy I told you about during one of our texting conversations, involving you, me, and the engine room?” she asks, her voice sultry and full of sin.
Do. I. Ever.
“Uh-huh,” I squeak out.
Her slow, sensual grin flips a switch in me and has me aching with need so fast I nearly get whiplash.
“Go get into those sexy overalls I like, and I’ll meet you in the engine room with a delectable outfit of my own.”
I book it to my quarters, tearing my clothes off along the way. She doesn’t need to tell me twice.