Becky's Gift

Elsie Has A Sister

 "Did I eat four pastries? I need to cut back—"

Pas laughed. "Ella, progs compensate. You need extra food, because your mind works very hard. I encouraged Farley to eat more, and he is much more well now."

She watched Farley, her husband. His blond curls were a lot rounder. Sitting up without support from his leiwege. That yellow skin had the golden color again, as did most everyone now.

I smiled at Tom. If our progs compensate for our weight, maybe I won't worry about eating an extra pastry! A lady brought an enormous platter and Tom found one he hadn't eaten since he was a kid that was sweet and too spicy for me.

Farley startled, and Ella went to hug, but he didn't look upset. A cheerful expression made her smile, too. "Love, Earth passed the Alliance Treaty! Next Monday, he considers a Unified vote. Our clones are very happy! They convinced Dr. Apfelbaum's family to come here and work with us. Finally, his brother agreed to bring his family, and his will come. Many of his wife's families and his relatives plan to leave tonight with them. They will come on Pol's ship, a diplomat of Kin Para."

A big list of Earthans had people from Midtown High that I saw in my classes. Some I knew of from GSU. I'd make a friend, and they'd get a boyfriend, and that was it. But, it'll be nice to have more Earthans here. Most would go to the Earthan colony, though, not our little cities of Rahn Estar.

Karl, Ella's teen brother, got excited because some of his friends were coming. He talked about porting over to MarKu a lot, and to Ye~. Mostly, it was Jason and Steven and Brian and their ball games. A lot of kids their ages played, Earthan and Zheien! MarKu's Earthan Colony had 400 people already, in 5 cities! Ella waved up a map, and I looked at it. Bedelia's family was in our Earthan colony here on Elshar Zheiea, she married Jos Keil. My family, and Elsie, who married Nespa. Stacy and her 5 kids, with Het and Yelena, who married Nathanhai. But, all of us were only 21 people in the Esta Faho community in the Earthan Colony. There were a few near our other cities and on the Ferrimos side was Atlanta. A sprinkling of houses, mostly Victorians with an occasional Colonial or Tudor. Near Leiea to the southeast of Piedmont Park were a few made of blue obsidian. One had a bell tower! That's clever.

Long lists of people with plans to go to each of the other—35 worlds, now? But none waiting on Elshar Zheiea. The other 4 cities of Rahn Estar had about 20 or less people. Elshar Zheiea, the rest of it, has maybe a hundred.

But there was another list that was foster kids adopted by Elshar Zheien. Now that Earth signed the Alliance Treaty, they are bringing 5000 of the 110,000 foster kids here to Elshar Zheiea! "Elsie! Did you see this?" Ella waved to her.

Elsie ran over and her husband kept her from falling as she stumbled to our bed. "What? Foster kids? Oh, I would've loved for a Zheien family to adopt me!" She cried.

Nespa pulled with his mind, and a huge crowd came running. "See my family, dear wife, they are yours!" One of them gasped.

"Sylvia, you came to us? But I thought the ship nae arrived yet!" A lady hugged her.

Nespa laughed. "She is nae Sylvia, but Elsie, Sae Esian."

"But, she looks—" A holo came up of her twin!

Records showed that she was a twin, an identical twin, but her sister was born intellectually disabled. She looks normal, the same brown eyes, skin, and hair in neat braids with beads. But she was raised in foster care, too. Slowly looked up. "Sylvie. That's me!" She giggled.

"Honey, this isn't a holo like you check your hair in. I'm Elsie, and I'm your twin sister!" I hadn't ever seen such a big smile on her!

"Elsie. Hi!" Her uneven teeth had a huge overbite, but she smiled like Elsie.