The Space Speculation: Book 2 ~Painful Past~

Chapter 20: Our Little Princess

 "No way!" Jace exclaimed, on his face a look of shock, bewilderment, and extreme joy. It was three months after our wedding and I had just broken the news to Jace. I watched his expression melt into a large smile as he picked me up and swung me around, laughing. 

"I can't believe this! This is incredible!" He stopped, set me on the ground, and brushed off his clothes, a sane smile on his face. He put a hand on my shoulder and in all seriousness said, "Is it an alien?" 

I almost burst out laughing. 

The look on his face was of surprise, then hurt. I apologized. 

 "If I had been a normal wife, that question would have you sleeping on the couch!" 

Jace realized what was so funny and chuckled nervously. 

"But is it?" he whispered. 

 "I don't know," I exclaimed, annoyed. "And we can't get an ultrasound because it might be!" I said the last part quietly. We were standing in the middle of the snowy sidewalk outside our apartment. I had met Jace in front of our apartment after he got home from work.

 "So what do we do?"

 Poor Jace. I could tell he was desperate. 

"All we can do is wait and see." I shook my head. "Is it really that bad if it is? I mean, you'd be the father of an alien!" 

 "Shh!" Jace held a finger to his lips. "Somebody might hear you!" 

 "Sorry," I groaned. "Why don't we go inside?" 

Jace nodded numbly. I took him by the arm and led him up the steps and into the building. In the elevator, we both stood there awkwardly as it slowly whirred to the sixth floor, where our apartment was. Once in our bedroom, Jace exploded. 

 "What is going on? I'm going to be a father to a child who is half-alien? How long do we have?" 

I smiled. "You say it like I'm dying." I patted my barely-round stomach. "I'd say about seven months. I waited two months to tell you because I wanted to be sure." Jace sighed, apparently relieved. 

"You know we'll have to baby-proof this whole apartment, right?" I reminded him. 

He nodded. "But at least we have time to prepare. My cousin waited to tell her husband until they had only two months to get ready!" He kissed me and put his arms around me.

 "I'm glad I have such a caring wife." 

I wriggled out of his grasp. "Jace, I don't think you understand how much work it is to have a child to take care of!" I almost yelled. He dropped his arms and ran a hand through his inky black hair. 

"I know, Paisley," he said tiredly. I then saw how much this was changing him. His once-smiling face was etched with worry lines. 

"I keep forgetting that you're the one with experience with children." 

I felt my face go red. "Hey," I caught his chin in my palm and turned it to face me. 

"We are doing this together. This child, alien or human, boy or girl, blonde or brunette, is ours. Yours," I held his cheek, "and mine." 

Jace sighed. He looked at me and smiled in a way that said, "Let's do this." 

Seven and a half months later, on the 13th of August, our baby girl was born. 

I almost couldn't handle the birth. I had felt all this before. On Pluto. With Colin. 

It was a homebirth, with only Opal present. If it was an alien, Jace figured it would be easier to explain to her than to the many midwives and doulas that would have to be there otherwise. 

As soon as I saw that crying bundle of beautiful baby I burst into tears, overcome with emotions. 

Sadness. 

Anger. 

Fear. 

But also joy.

 Happiness. 

Love. 

Jace put an arm around me. 

"Look at her. She's ours." I forced myself to move my eyes towards our baby. She lay in my arms, squirming, wiggling, and crying. 

"She is, isn't she?" I laughed a little.

 In that child, I saw my son, my William. But, I reminded myself, this was my chance to start anew. To succeed as a parent. 

Inside, though, I secretly vowed to someday, somehow go back to Pluto and find Willie. I would find him and together, me, Jace, William, and our new baby would live happily ever after. On Earth, Pluto, or Neptune. 

Although I shuddered at the thought of going back to the place where my sweet Colin had passed, I admitted it was a possibility; and only if Chad was gone would I even consider traveling to Neptune. But for now, Jace, myself, and our tiny baby, whom we decided to name Paisley (after my human name), would stay on Earth; loving, happy, and content.

This section was written by Melina