10: It's Not Fermented Fruit

Eve opens her eyes, sits up and stretches. She gets up and props open the window shutter. She notices the sun is too high for it to be early morning, yet not high enough for it to be midday. They don't count the hours and minutes of the day. Her father said it was confusing people because they were following a 24-hour earth day schedule and this planet has a 30-hour day. But the elders of the village, like her father, still keep track of the month, day and year. Eve believes they do this because it helps them feel a connection to the life they were cut off from.

A covered plate has been left on the table with a glass of juice. Eve's father comes in as she sits down to eat. The dirty knees of his pants tell her he's been in the garden. He still marvels at how well the plants that are actually native to earth thrive on this planet.

"Pixie," Ben smiling broadly, "you're finally awake."

"Dad," Eve can't believe she slept so late, "it's mid-morning."

"Yes, I know. We saved you some breakfast. There's a couple of those flowers under there you like. Sport picked them for you."

Eve removes the plate's lid and smiles, "But why'd you let me sleep so late."

"For the past few days you've seemed a tad bit over tired and depleted," answers Ben concerned.

"But the shoats, and Dr. Matos must be wondering where I am."

"No, I spoke with him and you know it's no big deal. And don't worry about the shoats; Doodlebug and Sport took care of them. But your Maw and her lamb, not that Girdy's a lamb anymore, they don't know what to think. Maw's all nervous. She's not used to anyone else milking her. Sure was something watching you raise her when her mother died after giving birth."

Eve swallows a bite of food, "Erin's starting to cringe every time you call her Doodlebug," she doesn't like to focus on things that make her sad. She feels she just did what was necessary.

"I've noticed. Like the way you cringe when I call you Pixie."

"No, Dad, this is dangerous. You should fear for your life when you call her Doodlebug."

Ben lets out a deep, throaty laugh, "She's just not the down to earth person you are. You love animals and the outdoors. You don't mind making your own clothes, and she's constantly fussing because the productor malfunctions."

"It works fine if you don't request anything complicated."

"Well, you know Erin isn't satisfied with simpler things. But you rarely complain, except when I call you Pixie or do my usual fatherly meddling with your life."

"Sometime you seem to forget I'm not a little girl anymore."

"Sorry, can't help it. A part of me will always see a tiny helpless baby girl."

Eve's look softens. She knows that she, her sister and brother are the most precious blessings in the whole universe for her parents.

"Good, you're awake," Eve's mother, Jude, smiling as she enters with a basket of fruits and nuts from the native trees, "I'll get Doc Matos."

"For what," asks Eve alarmed. She's not planning on sharing her secret with anyone but Evan.

"To make sure you're alright," Jude in a mothering tone, "You've been woogie the past couple of days, and it's not like you to not be up with the sun."

"But there's no need to get Dr. Matos. All he'll do is give me a medical scan and I already gave myself one with my medical scanner," mostly the truth. Eve has always been honest with her parents and even a slight untruth bothers her.

"Well, what's wrong, Pixie. You're father and I are worried."

Eve chooses her words carefully. Her parents are listening closely to her as all parents do when you wish they weren't, "I'm fine. It's just something I took in… and it's upsetting my stomach such that I haven't slept well for a couple of nights."

"Maybe Doc Matos can give you something to settle your stomach and help you sleep," Jude suggests. Matos has told her and Ben how advanced Eve is, but it hasn't quite sunk in to be comprehended properly.

"Mom," Eve messaging her temples, "this is just one of those things you have to let work its way out on its own."

Ben laughs, "You accidentally ate a couple of fermented fruits from one of those kind of trees."

"Tequila Tree, Dad," he never remembers the name.

"You cataloged that tree yourself," Ben points at Eve, "and you named it yourself after you determined its fruit developed strong intoxicating properties within 3 days of ripening." He laughs at what he believes is his own cleverness.

Eve is not going to tell her father he's wrong. For now his deduction is fine with her, "I've cataloged and named many plants and animals along with the occasional insect."

"Come on, Jude. Let's leave our oldest daughter to her hangover," he really doesn't want Eve to slip off into her logic based scientific jargon. Besides, he's happy with his own logic and chuckles as he and Jude go back outside.

"OK, Dad, whatever you say," mostly to herself.

Once she's finished eating, Eve grabs her knapsack. She already has everything in it she wants to take with her.

"Going for your walk about," Jude asks when Eve steps outside with her knapsack.

"Yeah, do you want me to do the dishes before I go?"

"No, Doodlebug can do them."

Erin rolls her eyes. Erin's not sure which is worse, being called Doodlebug or being volunteered to do dishes.

"Are you sure you're well enough to go roaming about?" Jude double-checking.

"I'm fine," Eve assures her mother with a confident smile, "Thank you for caring so much," she sticks her tongue out at Erin while she hugs her mother. But Erin just smiles this time.

"Oh, it's just part of my job description as a mother," patting Eve's back.

"Eve," Erin wants something, "I'ld like to take advantage of this warm fuzzy moment by asking to borrow your black vest."

"No, if you like it so much you should make yourself one."

"Then I'ld have to find something else to bug you about," Erin in the sarcastic tone only a teenager can manage and sticks her tongue out at Eve.

"I'll try to be home early. I have a date with a handsome, hunky man for a bedtime story," she kiss Nate's cheek and he giggles.

Two slaps on her hip, and the two shoats are right behind Eve as she leaves the village.

As Eve approaches the river, she can see Evan. He's on her side of the river pacing. She can feel his worry. He's still a little damp so he hasn't been waiting too long she hopes.

"Evan," Eve breaks into a run.

Evan catches Eve in his arms. He pushes hair away from her face and wipes away a tear. He sits down leaning back against a tree and Eve sits between his legs leaning against his broad chest.

"[Now, what has my life-mate upset and afraid,]" Evan stroking her hair knowing the contact is just as soothing for her as it is for him.

"[I do not know if you want this,]" Eve turning to face Evan, "[We never discussed it... I did not think it was possible.]" Her Malyon has come to have very little human accent to it. "[It is early enough to terminate, if you do not want it.]"

"[Before I make this decision,]" Evan perplexed, "[May I know what it is?]"

"[Yes, of course,]" Eve reaches into her knapsack and pulls out her medical scanner. She looks at the scanner a moment. The screen of the readout pad doesn't do 3D images, but a two dimensional image will suffice. She sets the readout pad and hands it to Evan. Facing him on her knees, she presses the on sensor with her index finger and passes the scanner back-and-forth expertly in front of her lower abdomen.

Evan's eyes grow large as he sits forward. He reaches tentatively for Eve's lower belly with his fingertips. His eyes well up with violet tears, "[I do not wish termination.]" His words cause a wave of relief to wash over Eve. "[Our bonding is complete. It even has what every Malyon hopes for yet is elusive: ionnu.]"

"Unity?" Eve's not sure how this applies to their relationship.

"[Ahda,]" nodding his head, "[for Malyon couples it means …mmm… the bond is more than a physical dependence. The souls are as one. Ionnu, you feel me and I feel you. And this,]" drawing a circle below her belly button, "[I want this.]"

"[I want this too. But I think something is wrong.]"

"[It seems to be developing properly,]" Evan looking over data about the embryo on the left side readout pad, "[It seems a little small.]"

"[Small…]" Eve can't believe her ears and takes the readout pad from his hand, "[I have determined I am at-least 4 weeks gestation. The embryo should only be this big,]" showing him on the pad, "[Yet it is 1.25 times that size. The size of a six week embryo,]" handing the pad back to Evan.

"[4 week gestation time should be this size, yet it is 25% smaller,]" handing the pad back to Eve.

Eve rubs her forehead. She's confused by the actual data, what she would expect to find and what Evan says should be, "This is 8 weeks gestation."

"4 week gestation for Malyon," clarifies Evan.

The wheels turn rapidly inside Eve's head, "What's the full gestation period for Malyon infants?"

"19 to 20 weeks. Why? What's full gestation for humans?"

"38 to 40 weeks."

"The infants must be enormous at birth," he hasn't made the connection in his head that Eve has already made.

Eve's busy manipulating data on the readout pad. Her face is intense, "No, usually about 3.2 kilograms."

"[A little smaller than a Malyon infant.]"

"Faster than human, slower than Malyon," Eve thinking out loud, "OK, I've estimated our infant will be born between 22 to 26 weeks of gestation. I can't get more accurate than that right now."

"[We will monitor it closely.]"

"About when do Malyon women start to show, [owsh]," using her hand to demonstrate her meaning, "or swell, [bleush.]"

"8 weeks."

Quick calculations flash through Eve's head, "Human women around 16 weeks, but varies with the individual and family history. I'm doomed to look like a whale. My best guess is I'll begin to show around 12 weeks."

"It may begin sooner, if not already," Evan has made his own calculations, "You will start to have great exhausted. Lots of energy needed to grow offspring so rapidly."

"I'm already experiencing fatigue."

"[Act quickly we must,]" Evan taking Eve's hand, "[Come to your village I cannot. Come to mine you cannot. Therefore, make our own we will. Together we belong, not just for us, also for our child.]"

How to be together isn't a new conversation, but now there's an urgency to put a plan into action. Evan and Eve spend the rest of their time together this day planning. Deciding what they need to take with them and what they'll tell their parent or anyone who ask.