“Sophia, can you place the plates onto the dinner table,” Lija asked.
“Yes, Mother,” Sophia replied. She grabbed the stack of plates from the kitchen and carried them over. A queasy feeling swept over her. The room began to swim. She barely made it to the table without falling over. She placed the plates on the table and then ran to the bathroom.
There were no toilets on Jeorn. Just a hole in the ground. Wasn't the most sanitary or pretty but it did its job.
Sophia hovered over the hole, not able to stop her breakfast from coming back up. She pulled her hair from her face and vomited again.
Lija walked in. “Are you okay, Sophia?”
Sophia nodded. “Must've been something I ate. I thought I had gotten used to most of the Jeorn cuisine.” The nausea began to pass and Sophia washed her face in the water basin.
Lija handed her a towel. “When was your last bloodflow, my daughter.”
Sophia suddenly shot up. “It's been a couple months since my last period.” She hadn't even noticed it was gone. She was too caught up in the tornado of love.
“This is great news, Sophia.”
She didn't know how to respond. “But I didn't even think it was possible. We're different species.”
Lija put her hand on Sophia's belly. “Tyrex will be so pleased.”
Sophia felt a surge of happiness. She'd always wanted a baby. Now Tyrex and her could be a real family.
“Are you sure he will be pleased?” A million thoughts ran through her head. What if Tyrex doesn't want a baby? She couldn't stomach the thought of him leaving her. Tyrex was her whole life.
“Sophia Luk'ta, I know my son. He will be beyond pleased. You know that deep down.”
Sophia did know that. Tyrex loved her and would be beyond excited to hear the news. “But I don't even know for sure that I'm pregnant.”
“But I know for sure.” Lija raised her hand and Sophia remembered her touching her stomach.
“You mean you can tell just from touching me.”
“It is a gift of Jeorn females. You are with child, Sophia Luk'ta.”
Tears streamed down Sophia's cheeks. She couldn't help it. “When should I tell Tyrex?”
“You mustn't wait. He will want to hear the news immediately.” Lija pushed Sophia out of the bathroom with a smile on her face.
Sophia walked slowly to their bedroom, going over in her head of exactly what to say.
Tyrex was making their bed when she walked in. Sophia remembered this morning when her Intended couldn't control himself and have her over and over again.
“You look a little pale, my Intended,” he said. “Are you feeling all right.”
“I actually feel amazing. I have some news to tell you.”
Tyrex's face turned to concern. He went to Sophia and held both her hands. “What is wrong?”
Sophia couldn't stop from crying. Tyrex wiped a tear from her cheek. “I'm with child, Tyrex.”
Tyrex dropped her hands. He backed away from her with his jaw to the floor. “Are you telling the truth?”
Sophia winced. She didn't know if he was horrified or caught off guard. She stepped forward and took his hands. “It's true, Tyrex.”
Tears formed in his eyes. “We're going to have a family of our own?”
Sophia nodded.
Tyrex bear hugged Sophia, picking her up off her feet. “We're going to have a child!”
He swung Sophia through the air, spinning her round and round. The nausea began to creep back. “You're going to have to put me down.”
Tyrex stopped and set her down, his smile a mile wide. “Is it a boy or a girl?”
“Well I don't know yet.”
“But Jeorn females always know what child is going to be.”
Sophia laughed. “Sorry Tyrex, but on Earth a doctor has to tell a female what the child is going to be.”
Tyrex couldn't stop smiling. “We must tell Mother and Father!”
Sophia laughed as Tyrex ran around the hut, screaming about their new child.
She couldn't believe the circumstances that led her to this wonderful new life.
All the obstacles they needed to conquer to be together.
And it was all worth it.
Tyrex was the one she had always been searching for.
She found the perfect life on a planet that hadn't even been discovered yet.
And their life was only going to get better.