The alarm buzzed and Viera groaned, not wanting to get up to have to deal with the day. The heat in her room, the warm body she rubbed against as she shifted to turn off her alarm, reminded her that she didn’t have to wake up; school was out for the summer. Moreover, it was out for good.

Thorn’s arm wrapped around her, possessively, dragging her back to mold against the other woman’s front. Viera sighed in pleasure at how well they fit together. Her phone’s buzzing on the side table, the sound her mind had translated into her alarm, echoed in the silent room. She reached over to check the display and silence it before it woke up Thorn.

What the hell is my mother doing calling me at seven in the morning … or at all?

Though she didn’t want to leave the bed, or Thorn’s embrace, Viera had to take care of this before Mother called Betsy or worse, the police. After her disappearance during spring break, Viera had no idea what Mother would do if left with nothing but her imagination.

Viera set the phone down and twisted to give the sleeping Thorn a kiss on the cheek. She then wiggled out of bed, found a robe, and, after slipping it on, took her phone to the kitchen. Coffee was a necessity when dealing with family. She walked up to the panel. “One coffee, in one of my own mugs, if you please.”

For the first few weeks she’d had the panel, it kept creating black mugs every time she requested tea or coffee. At first, Viera watched the news, worried there would be a story about a person or store missing goods. Then Horax had explained to her that the panel just made the thing it wanted from base elements in the areas. Despite not relying on thievery to get the mugs, Viera didn’t need a collection of new black plateware. She finally learned the command so the panel would use her own stuff and not create more clutter.

Viera placed the coffee on the table, then added a pinch of sugar and a splash of milk. The panel could learn and create the perfect cup of liquid go-go juice for her, but she preferred to keep some of the steps under her control. She wasn’t ready to give it all up … not yet.

After her first few sips, she navigated to her mother’s number and placed the call.

“Viera! You’re alive. And available.” Mother sounded frantic and a bit happy, with both emotions vying for top billing.

She didn’t try to hide her exasperation. “It’s seven in the morning here. You know we’re an hour behind.”

“But it’s a weekday. Don’t you have school?”

“Yesterday was the last day of classes. It’s summer break. It was my first day to sleep in, Mother.” Maybe some guilt would get her off the phone sooner.

“Oh, yay! That means you’ll have some time to go on dates. No more Miss Busy-Pants.”

Or maybe not. I have got to put on my big girl panties and stand up to my mother. I have a beautiful woman—in my bed! Why would I even pretend to be anything but happy?

“No, Mother. No dates.”

“But, Viera, darling, I don’t want you to be alone.”

“Mother.” She took a deep breath before her voice went any higher. She really didn’t want to wake up Thorn. “Mother.” Good, she sounded rational this time. “I don’t need to be set up on dates. I’m fine with arranging my own. You don’t know my type and the dates end up being flops. Please, just let me do—and be—my own person.”

There was a pause and then Mother scoffed. “And what’s wrong with the men I’ve set you up with? They’re good men.”

Well, the problem is, they’re men. Viera rolled her eyes. Fuck it! I’m tired of this shit. “Well, Mother, to start with, I don’t date men.”

“I don’t understand what you mean. Are you saying you’re asexual? You don’t date?”

Just say yes … just say yes. Viera grimaced. No, she had to bite the bullet. “No, I’m saying I prefer to date other women. Actually, one woman in particular.”

Her mother scoffed. “Well, that’s just silly.”

There was a muffled shuffling sound, and then Father’s voice came over the line. He never spoke on the phone. Viera was glad she was sitting. “Viera? This is your father. Your, ah, aunt, you know, my sister? Well, she’s married to a woman.” There was a pause as if he were gathering his thoughts. “So, what I’m saying is … I’m glad to hear you’ve found someone. Maybe we can meet her someday.”

Viera had to gather her thoughts as well. How did I never know this? Aunt Dotty is gay? I know I haven’t seen her in … God above, years. Father stopped talking about her when I was six? Maybe eight?

“She came out to me and your grandparents when you were a young girl. None of us reacted well. Anyway, I’ll send you her contact information. I mended that fence once I realized we’d been wrong. I’ll talk with your mother. Get her to understand. You come and visit, okay? Bring … bring your lady friend.”

Viera blinked away moisture rising in her eyes. “Yeah, okay. I’ll see what I can do.”

He grunted and then hung up. Viera gaped at her phone. What just happened?

Chapter 6 - Good Enough For Government Work

Viera

Viera picked up her coffee, hands trembling in the aftermath of her boldness. The mug warmed her to her soul.

Thorn came down and, after getting her own coffee, joined her at the table. “Morning, fire cloud.”

At first the chanziian term of endearment sounded weird, but now it tickled her. “Morning, my lovely sunshine.”

Thorn sat and took her first sip. “Waking up with you is much nicer when you’re there to wake up with.”

Viera's smile faltered. “Yeah, my parents called. Mother wanted to start setting me up on dates again now that school is out. I told her to stop.” Once she’d sipped her coffee, she put the mug down. “I told my parents I didn’t need them to set me up with any more men …” A small growl escaped Thorn, before she could respond, Viera continued. “I told them I could find women to date on my own. I even said I had someone in my life. They said they wanted us to visit.”

A satisfied smile stretched across Thorn’s face. “Well, maybe we can make that happen. Not this weekend—we’re pretty busy with the trip coming up—but maybe once we’re back. Ha! Meeting the parents.” Thorn shook her head. “So, what are your plans for today?”

Leaning back, Viera sighed. “I’m going to drive over to Betsy’s office and figure out what I’ve gotten myself into. I know my new job won’t officially start until July, but I’d like to check in and see some of what she does—bridging the Earth governments and alien,” Viera waved her hands around, “insanity.”

With a chuckle, Thorn leaned over to gently kiss Viera. “I think you handle us aliens rather well.”

***

Betsy worked downtown. Madison wasn’t a huge city, but this area had been built on an isthmus between two lakes. The streets were a maze of one-way and two-way streets that often confused visitors. There were bikers and buses with their own lanes on some streets and sharing lanes with cars on others.

The heart of the city shared most of downtown with the flagship university of the state, the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Though the regular school year was out, there were still students out and about year-round.

Viera loved the general chaos of the city, though part of her missed living in a warmer climate. Madison suited her, but she wondered, once the chanzii were gone, with Betsy living in the area, if she’d have to relocate. I really don’t want to … but I could. I didn’t grow up here.

Most of the street parking was metered, so, when confronted with the speedsters, and darting college students, Viera decided to navigate to a parking ramp.

The capital of the city sat in the center of the isthmus with roads leaving it in eight directions. There were two concentric circles of one-way streets that circumnavigated the capital that went in opposite directions. If Viera didn’t know better, she’d think it was set up by the wizards as a focal point for some magical rites. One of the diagonal streets, State Street, angled from the capital towards campus. Traffic laws forbade cars to drive on it; only bikes, buses, and cabs were allowed. Betsy’s office was above one of the shops on State Street.

After she’d parked, Viera walked the few blocks to the shop, then used the new code Betsy had given her for access to the second floor. There was a card she needed to use to get through a second security door and enter the offices.

Viera took a deep breath and wiped her hands on her pants. Nerves played within her like kids on a playground. Am I really ready for this? Am I qualified? Is suddenly having magic enough to do this new job? She thought back on the commute and what it took to get to the office. God above, why didn’t I just teleport? It would’ve been faster and easier than all this!

There was a bright hallway with two doors on the street side and another door set into the interior wall of the building. Windows around the door looked into a conference room. The end of the hallway turned to the right. Viera assumed there were more doors, but she’d get the tour later, or she’d poke around on her own. She recalled Betsy’s directions.

‘Once you get to the office, knock on the second door on the left. You could just come in, but if I’m really busy, I may accidentally blast you.’ Betsy laughed at her own joke, and they quickly ended their call.

Smirking at the memory, Viera knocked. She loved Betsy’s sense of humor … at least she thought her friend had been joking.

“Come in, Viera. You’re late.” Betsy’s voice was curt, but she ruined any harshness by chuckling at the end.

Okay, this is it. I can do it. Betsy has confidence in me … I should, too.