“Ravok?” I ask.
“Oh, sorry!” Koko interrupts. “I forgot to warn you that this is what Ravok will look like to anyone who doesn’t belong to Lublin Harbor.”
Ravok certainly makes for a handsome man, but I already miss my alien. Before I can even state as much, the man shimmers out of existence and my Ravok is back. I blow out a relieved breath and smile at him.
Ravok having a fake human façade will be a good thing. When I told Aunt Zizi that I wouldn’t be coming to stay with her after all and instead was staying here with ‘Rav,’ she’d immediately started planning to visit and meet my mystery man. I had been trying to find a way to block her from coming, but now I didn’t have to worry about that. Bright happiness fills me at the idea of the two most important people in my life getting to meet.
Zizi will love Ravok once she gets to know him – of that I’m certain.
“Welcome home, Lily. Welcome home, Ravok,” Koko says, her voice like a heavenly chime in the crisp, bright day. And although there’s a whole lot yet to understand, to learn, a vague sense of rightness wraps around me like a soft blanket on a frigid night.
Rog, the garage mechanic, a bear of a man with a gentle disposition approaches us. My eyes widen as I realize he is carrying a colossal blacksmith’s hammer in one hand. Bright flames lick along the hammer’s head, sending sparks into the open air. The absurdity of the scene makes me blink twice, but the hammer remains ablaze.
Rog approaches Ravok. “Could you spare a minute? I have some questions about your people’s technology I was hoping you could answer.”
Ravok looks over to me before answering the man. I give him a nudge and an encouraging smile. His concern warms my heart, but I brush it off with a gentle smile, touching his hand in reassurance. “Don’t worry, Ravok. I’ll be right here.”
I smile as he follows Rog to the shade of a nearby tree. I pretend not to watch as the two men put their heads together and immediately jump into what looks like a deep and lively conversation. The green-skinned ogre I spotted earlier wanders over and the three of them quickly get enmeshed in a conversation. I love that everyone seems so welcoming to Ravok. I don’t think he’s had much comradeship in his life, and it would be great for him to make friends.
As they talk, Koko comes over, a smile playing on her lips. “You should see your face when you look at him. You’re completely gaga over him. It’s so sweet.”
“Well, yeah, I love him. He’s wonderful. I’m so glad I found him when his ship crashed.” I pause and look at Koko, wondering if it’s improper to ask. I shrug internally and decide to go for it. “How much of that was luck? Did you plan this whole thing – getting us together that is?”
“I don’t have that much power, but I did nudge some things. Like obviously, I broke your back window on purpose and offered you the cabin. I suggested visiting the lake. However, I wasn’t the one who brought Ravok to our planet or the one who had him captured. He escaped on his own, too. I did give a little nudge to his ship so that he crashed within my territory. The rest was up to you. I didn’t force you to save him. Or to fall in love. That was all you. You needed to choose each other. And now, every day, for the rest of your life, you’ll need to continue to choose one another. Over and over again. You can’t take each other for granted. Just because you are fated mates doesn’t mean staying together won’t take work. Just because you are meant for one another doesn’t mean that you can’t screw it up. Love is work – make sure you put in the work. Don’t take your love for granted.”
Something about the wistful look in her eyes makes me think that she’s talking from personal experience.
Koko shakes her head, turning back to me with a grin. “By the way, you two are welcome to stay in the cabin for as long as you want,” she says, her voice smoky. “But I believe you’ll need a place with more room soon enough. I can help you find a more permanent home when that time comes.”
A deep blush creeps up my cheeks. “Um, that’s a very nice offer. Thank you. However, I can’t imagine we’ll ever need anything bigger than the cabin.” My heart aches at Koko’s words, but I’ve made my choice in Ravok and there is nothing I wouldn’t sacrifice to keep him. And that includes having children of my own. “Ravok and I are completely different species, so we won’t be able to have children. Unless we decide to adopt someday. So, I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think I need to worry about that, Koko.”
Koko scoffs, rolling her eyes. “Lily,” she says gently. “I’m a love and fertility goddess.” She gives me an imperious look. “Whenever you and Ravok are ready; my powers, along with the help of your nanites, will be able to aid in… facilitating the process.”
My mouth hangs open in surprise. “Wait. What? You… I will be able… How…”
“Oh no,” Koko bemoans, glancing at her bare wrist. “Would you look at the time? I do believe I have another appointment I absolutely need to attend.”
“Another appointment?” I lay the sarcasm on nice and thick. I have a feeling that Koko loves drama and keeping everyone on their toes.
“Oh yes. Being a love goddess is busy work,” Kiki says without a hint of irony.
A few hours later, the celebration has finally wound down and I’m driving us home. I’m trying to find the words to tell Ravok about Koko’s offer to help us with… fertility.
I open my mouth to say something to him as we drive past the marina when I see something so strange that my thoughts are temporarily wiped clean.
I squint out the window, thinking that I’m seeing things. My heart begins to thunder, a strange sense of fear and wonder rolling over me as an enormous kraken wraps its intimidating tentacles around a lone fishing boat in the harbor. “Whoa…” I gasp out, my voice thin.
My foot involuntarily eases off the gas pedal, and the car slows to a halt in the middle of the road as I stare at the enormous sea monster lounging in the harbor. The kraken is wrapped around the ship like something out of ancient legend. Our gazes meet and I’m frozen to the core, my heart tripping over itself. The kraken freezes, its limpid eyes wide. Like a flash, the creature slips into the water, leaving only its colossal eyes above the water’s surface.
The kraken’s gaze never leaves mine. After a frozen minute, it shyly and awkwardly lifts a tentacle from beneath the water’s surface and… waves at me. Not knowing what else to do I raise a shaky hand and return the gesture.
The kraken then sinks back into the sea, and the only sign of its passage is a few ripples on the water’s surface. “They have a kraken here,” is all I can think as I shake myself and get the car moving again.
I spare a glance towards Ravok as I drive. He seems so content, so at ease in this strange new land that he’s now a member of.
“So, uh, Ravok,” I start, my tongue tripping over itself and my heart thumping double-time in my chest, “What do you think about, um, maybe someday, in the future… having children with me?”
Shocked silence fills the car. The silence drags on long enough that I begin to panic. I cut a glance over to Ravok, worried about what reaction I’m about to see. I don’t know exactly what expression I expected – fear, panic, revulsion – but sorrow wasn’t one of them.
“Leelee,” Ravok’s voice cracks, eroding my stream of thoughts, “we can’t have children. We are not biologically compatible. I’m... I’m so sorry.”
I place my hand gently over his, offering a silent reassurance.
“Koko told me that it’s possible for us. She said that with her power and my nanite’s assistance that we can have kids. And I believe her. If anyone knows, it’s her.”
A stunned silence meets this revelation. I glance away from the road again and meet his gaze. Ravok looks frozen – the only movement from him is the rapid rise and fall of his chest. I find a spot to pull the car off the road because I’m starting to worry that he’s about to have a panic attack.
“Ravok? It’s going to be okay. We don’t have to make any decisions today or anything. This is just something to think about.” I’m starting to babble. My heart is breaking a little because I didn’t realize how badly I want kids someday until Koko made me the offer.
“Can we... can we truly have our own... children?”
My affirmative nod is almost instant.
The muscles in his jaw are rhythmically contracting and releasing, and he’s gripping his thighs hard enough that I’m worried that he’s hurting himself. Finally, Ravok turns to me, his eyes bright and huge.
Hope. That’s what I see in his eyes. “Do you... want that, Leelee? Is that something you’d want... with me?”
