Page 14 of Kranow (Brides of the Mylos #4)

Rodan ’ s Bliss turned out to have a very different layout from the flagship. Marley chided herself as intellectually, she ’ d known that the rest of the fleet was primarily housing and support services for married members of the fleet and the unmarried males who were still waiting and hoping for a match. She stared, fascinated at the number of alien brides she saw, an even greater number than she ’ d seen while staying with her sister. There were, at her last count, at least six different alien species represented.

Steven caught her staring. “ Didn ’ t you see a lot of non-Mylos where you were? ”

“ A few, ” she admitted, “ but not this many. I don ’ t know why, but I just kind of assumed that the Mylos only did the bride exchange thing with one or two worlds at a time. And that usually they stayed around the bride ’ s systems. ”

Steven laughed. “ They wouldn ’ t get much genetic trade that way, would they? Though I can see how you ’ d think that. I used to live on one of the other bride ships, and let me tell you, I was blown away at first. I felt like I ’ d fallen into a Star Trek movie or something. What happens is their explorers and diplomats continually seek out new worlds to treaty with or to renew an existing treaty with. Some are compatible genetically, and those they try to establish a genetic trade treaty with. Others aren ’ t, but in the interest of peace, shared knowledge, etcetera, they negotiate suitable terms with them as well. When a new bride world is found and a treaty signed, they commission a flagship to come bring the guys in, right? Well, to make sure the children and brides integrate into Mylos culture more, they send out established families as well. That way, the brides and children gain exposure to Mylos culture on a galactic scale, only in miniature. ”

“ Makes sense, ” Marley said. They entered an elevator and Marley listened as Darla asked the AI to take them to the correct level. When the elevator doors next opened, it revealed a truly astonishing sight to her eyes. An atrium arched overhead, what she knew to be a viewscreen giving the illusion of panes of glass through which the stars and beyond could be viewed. Reddish grass made a lush carpet for a small park, complete with small trees, flower beds, benches, and playground equipment. Pedestrian walkways surrounded the park on four sides and businesses hugged what she surmised was the outer hull, on the far sides of the walkways.

They exited the elevator and strolled along the walkway. “ I think I see it! What ’ s written on the chalkboard sign there? ” Melissa asked, pointing ahead.

“ Oh, yes! I think you ’ re right! I see someone eating pizza and that guy over there is having spaghetti! ” Darla squealed.

Marley found herself grinning, the excitement contagious. She squinted. “ It says ‘ Rosa ’ s ’ and I think it ’ s a list of specials under that. ”

“ Yay! Cannoli! ” Melissa shouted, grabbing Marley and Steven ’ s hands and pulling them along faster. She was oblivious to the amused looks of the people around them, which Marley found endearing.

“ Wait up! ” called Darla, as she fell behind. She caught up to her friends just as Melissa claimed a newly empty table. The dishes had not yet even be cleared away, she saw to her amusement. “ Ugh, couldn ’ t you have gotten a clean table? ”

“ This one was closest plus it ’ s outside and we can see the park, ” Marley defended their friend.

“ Yeah, what she said. Plus, my feet are killing me. I think my ankles are starting to swell. ”

“ Oh no, you sure you ’ re okay? Have you been checked out? ” Darla asked, contrition writ large upon her face.

Melissa waved off her concern. “ Yeah, nothing to worry about. My blood pressure is normal and all that. Just one of the many aggravations to be endured before the baby gets here. You know, like having to pee every five seconds, ” she said, now casting her eyes to the inside of the bistro.

“ You want me to find out if they have a bathroom or where the nearest one is? ” Marley offered.

Melissa looked relieved. “ Do you mind? ”

“ Not at all. If the waitress comes, just order me a soda. I ’ m not bothered what kind. ”

“ Okie doke, ” Steven said. Marley got up and walked inside. Finding a server, she asked about the bathroom, then made her way to where Melissa could see her and gestured for her to follow her.

“ It ’ s this way, ” she told Melissa, leading her to the back of the restaurant where the server had indicated. The bathroom was well appointed, with stone tiles and high end chrome fixtures on the sinks. It also had the sound of someone speaking, in lieu of the more usual music. “ Is that an Italian lesson? ” she asked incredulously.

Melissa giggled as she entered a stall. “ Go into pee and find out how to tell someone you ’ re going camping in Italian! Love it! ” Marley laughed in response.

“ Hey, never know when you might need to say that to someone out here, amongst the stars. ” Melissa giggled harder.

“ We gotta tell them when we get back. They ’ ll never have guessed about this. ”

“ I certainly wouldn ’ t have, ” Marley declared. She heard Melissa flush the toilet and moment later she reappeared and washed her hands. Marley decided that was a good idea, given the germs that lingered in restrooms and also washed her hands.

They arrived back at the table to find the dirty dishes had been cleared away and the table wiped down. Sodas sat at each place and their friends were perusing menus. “ There you are! ” Steven teased. “ We began to think you might have fell in. ”

“ Uh huh. Do they have cannoli? ” Melissa asked.

Steven rolled his eyes. “ I haven ’ t looked at the desserts yet, I ’ m still trying to decide on what I want to eat for my main course. ”

“ How about we order a large pizza and share, and then order dessert? ” Darla suggested. “ We can come back and try something new next time. ”

“ Sounds good to me. Meat Feast? ” Steven replied.

“ With pineapple, extra mushrooms and extra cheese, ” said Melissa, “ and no bell peppers. ”

“ Eww, no mushrooms! And I love bell peppers. How about we go half and half? ” he suggested. Darla and Marley assented. They didn ’ t mind any of those toppings, so they could choose a slice from either half.

“ They do have cannoli! ” Melissa crowed, having skipped to the dessert part of the menu. Her friends laughed.

“ Always with the cannoli, ” Darla snarked.

Menus down, the waitress reappeared as if by magic and took their order.

“ I ’ ll bring the cannoli and gelatos when you ’ re done with the pizza, ” she told them. “ Would you like a refill on your sodas? ”

“ Yes, please, ” Steven chimed, giving the waitress a smile. She gave him a wink back.

“ I thought you might, as quick as you drained that glass. ”

The women laughed. “ I can ’ t help it, I was thirsty, ” he declared. “ Darla came and dragged me out before I ’ d even managed to finish my morning coffee. ”

“ Oh, now that ’ s criminal, ” the waitress sympathized. “ Would you like to add a coffee to your dessert order? We have decaf espresso if you want a latte or cappuccino, ” she said, looking at Melissa.

The friends exchanged looks. Melissa nodded. “ Yes, please. I ’ ll take a decaf latte. ”

“ Me too, ” Steven said. “ Can I have amaretto syrup added? ”

“ You sure can, ” he was told. “ We also have vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, gingerbread, and coconut syrup. ”

“ Oh, add coconut to mine, please, ” Melissa said.

Darla looked undecided. “ I ’ ve never tried gingerbread, but I ’ m not sure it ’ d go well with gelato. ”

The waitress nodded sympathetically. “ I ’ d go with either vanilla or hazelnut myself. ”

“ Hazelnut, ” Darla said, making a snap decision.

“ I ’ ll just have my latte plain, ” Marley said.

That out of the way, the waitress took their order to the kitchen. Darla turned her attention to Marley. “ Gundar said Kranow hasn ’ t booked visitors ’ quarters for your family or transport, nor has he asked for transport to anywhere. You guys waiting until your first anniversary or something? ”

“ I ’ m sorry, waiting for what? ” Marley asked, confused.

“ Why, to get married! ” Darla said.

Marley ’ s stomach tumbled. “ Uh, aren ’ t we married as soon as we ’ re matched and we, uh, move in together? And, uh, do the deed? ”

Steven snorted. “ Do the deed, ” he guffawed.

Melissa leaned over and gave his arm a light smack. “ You hush. Some of us are lady-like. ” He laughed harder.

“ Like who? I ’ ve heard you belch after eating hot wings, missy! And Darla, she ’ s got a mouth like sailor when she gets going. ”

“ Like Marley, ” Melissa said in a reasonable tone. “ One of us has to be the lady-like one. ”

“ Okay, okay, ” he giggled, putting his hands put.

“ And yes, ” Melissa continued, “ Legally we are married and mated and all that then, but most everybody does the wedding and honeymoon thing. You know that. ” Her mouth snapped shut as she remembered who she was taking to and what had happened right before her own wedding.

Darla rushed to the rescue, “ You aren ’ t denying yourself one out of some kind of guilt, are you? ”

Marley looked away. “ I guess, maybe. Kranow never asked me if I wanted a ceremony or anything and I thought I wasn ’ t allowed one. Anyways, I can ’ t go back to Earth, I don ’ t think. I ’ m probably banned from Hawaii at the very least. ”

Darla sat back, her mouth making an “ o ” shape. “ I hadn ’ t thought about that. ”

“ So, you ’ d wanted a beach wedding? ”

Marley flushed. “ I went on a hike once to Waimea Falls. It was stunning and I thought as soon as I saw it, that if I ever met Mr. Right, I wanted to get married standing by the falls. ”

“ Oh, wow, ” Melissa said. “ That sounds awesome. ”

“ We got married at Branson Landing, in Missouri, ” Steven said. “ We stayed at a sweet little hotel there. It was lovely. I think weddings by the water are simply the best. ”

Marley was saved from having to answer by the waitress returning with their refills followed by another server with their pizza. She was relieved when no one brought the subject back up.