Surprises

It had taken one more breakfast than Nallen’s original estimate but Daddy was now — very carefully! — walking around — with Mom and Debbie’s fussy assistance. Nallen had asked him to wear some just-above-the-knee shorts so that he could watch my father’s new calves work, make sure they were working correctly. Also some light shoes for needed arch support. Evidently walking is just like riding a bike, once you learn you never really forget how.

We had decided that Uncle Peter — the man had practically adopted us after Daddy saved Debbie — would be so blown away by this development that he would forgive Debbie’s multi-day disappearance. Even more after Nallen had determined that both Franscesca and Peter had the genes for the gift — we still had no evidence for weather something caused carriers to attract each other on Earth or whether carriers are in fact very common, if not universal — if that’s the case then the traveler must have been an incredibly long time back. Betian culture strongly ... encourages anyone who has potential to be given a chance to immigrate. It would be as if the six of us simply walked out of the world one day.

Daddy was the one to make the call. It was not a long delay, perhaps five minutes. The O’Reillys must have thought their daughter would try slinking back home pretending that nothing had happened. Mom answered the door, just as they would expect.

Both came to an immediate halt seeing Daddy, still in the exercise shorts, showing off his very real legs. They had seen Daddy in the hospital — various other times as well — and had a clear enough idea about where his legs should end.

“Whoa, what the fuck?” Uncle Peter said, barely a whisper. “There’s a story here I’ve gotta hear.”

Aunt Fran didn’t even complain the way she usually would at her husband’s swearing, instead making the sign of the cross over her chest several times, her eyes wide.

“Have a seat, this will take some time.”

Uncle Peter was as surprised seeing me with a man — any man — as he had been seeing my Daddy’s new legs — his eyes narrowed seeing Debbie on the floor, seated between where Mom and Daddy sat. He took the chair offered — his usual when visiting — but he was walking carefully as if one of us were a wild animal and the slightest noise would provoke an attack. His wife Aunt Fran joined him walking just as carefully.

“Uncle Peter, this is Nallen t’Laptrour ... my husband.”

“Wow, I didn’t think you were even interested...”

“I wasn’t. He opened my eyes ... he’s very special, Uncle Peter, as in ‘not from here’ special.”

He shook his head as if rejecting the idea, turning instead to his daughter, “And you, young lady, just where the fuck have you been?”

Debbie lifted her chin, looking directly into her father’s eyes, “Where I belong, with Dave and Martha. They showed me just how special Nallen is.” Debbie ran one hand along Daddy’s restored legs, pushing the short’s hems up, showing there was no seam.

Daddy cut in, “First, Peter, let me say up front, nothing inappropriate has occurred. But we ... and I do mean ‘we’ love Debbie.”

Peter O’Reilly let out a slow breath. “That’s good ... that’s real good. You know what I’ve told you, I just wasn’t expecting it so soon. Now there has to be some reason you’re telling us this. No offense, Mister t’lap...”sorry, don’t remember your name, but someone from another planet doesn’t just come out and say so without reason. I wouldn’t believe a word of this except David havin’ legs again is a damn strong argument. Speakin’ of that, could you get up, walk around, show me that part ain’t some kinda scam?” I noticed the more agitated he got the more his diction slipped.

“Sure, good idea.” Daddy got up with Debbie’s help, then walked around the room before re-taking his seat. “I do still need some help balancing, I’m told there’s a long ways to go yet concerning strength.”

“Okay, I’m convinced they’re real. Now back to my question, why us?”

We all looked to Nallen, after all he was the only one who really understood.

“Mister O’Reil...” “Call me Peter”

“Okay, ... Peter, thanks — you may call me Nallen as well — the reason is that I am offering you a chance to come to Allland. Both you and your wife.”

“And we get there how? Beam-me-up-Scotty, you got the Tardis hidden around here?”

I shook my head, nothing like that, Uncle Peter. There’s a door in the hall.”

“You’re shittin’ me.”

“Not at all, Peter.” Mom answered him this time.

“Nallen’s mother is holding it open from the other side so we can go back, we can’t do it from here,” I added, trying to be helpful.

“So, what ... magic?”

“We’d call it magic, they call it thaumaturgy. I can’t say how strong either of you are but both you and Aunt Fran have the gene, Nallen was able to detect that much.”

“Nallen regrew my leg, it took several sessions, I had to eat enough material, that’s why we were delayed getting back.”

“Amazing,” an awed whisper.

“That’s all well and good, I’m happy for you David, but,” Aunt Fran could no longer hold back, “you know the law! Debrah Lanita O’Reilly. You have to be seventeen.”

“Not in Betia Momma. Sixteen.”

A quick gasp and a couple tears, “And you’re really okay with this, Martha?”

Mom brushed her hand along the girl’s neck, “It surprised me, but yes.”

“Alrigh’, you know neither of us have close family. Frannie’s folks never forgave her taking up with ‘the heathen’, not even Debbie comin’ along fixed that. An’ my brother is simply a waste ah oxygen. But I do have guys countin’ on me.”

“One thing I should say, Peter, this might be a deal breaker. Betia has some very ... open ideas when it comes to sex and sexuality. Martha and I haven’t been through it yet but we’ve been told there’s some kind of mandatory adjustment period. Nallen tells us it’s to teach that natural sexual expression is a wonderful thing.”

O’Reilly’s face shut down. “This some kinda cult? You expectin’ me ta?”

“Nothing like that, Uncle Peter. Nallen’s the only man I’ve ever been with. They executed a man for rape a couple days ago. But they do force you to drop your inhibitions.”

“Like I told David and Martha, our own kids go through it when they’re ready to become adults.”

“Can’t say I’m opposed ta that execution. There was a girl at my school ... anyway it wrecked more than jus’ her.”

“They impaled him, a spear up his butt!” Mom looked almost ill.

“Damn, now that’s makin’ a statement.” Aunt Fran crossed herself again.

Daddy wrapped an arm around Mom’s shoulder, “You know what Nallen said, you could still watch their evidence...”

He looked between Uncle Peter and Aunt Fran, “They read memories right from people’s minds, Lin says they showed it as part of the punishment hearing. Both the woman’s — thank God she survived — and the guy’s.”

I was just about ill, remembering the scene of that shaft rising from the otherwise featureless can, swaying around hunting for its target, the trickle of blood once it did.

Franscesca must have seen my turmoil, “You okay, Linda?”

I took a deep breath, my gorge barely under control, “The execution ... it was bad. He had it coming, no question, but it was drug out on purpose.”

She gasped, “Why were you watching, you weren’t...”

“Oh no! Not that! I was there because it was part of Nallen’s official duties. He’s the one who ordered the impalement. His father confirmed it.”

Another hard look crossed Uncle Peter’s face, “Okay, so yer not just someone from another world, yer someone important from another world.”

“I am the oldest son of the Sislonno of Londrail. That is something like ‘Duke’ in your terms.”

“‘Bout all I know of that crap is that ‘Duke’ is someone important, near the top o’ the heap.”

Aunt Fran started weeping when Debbie walked over throwing her arms around her mother’s neck, “I’m going with them, Momma. I would love for you and Daddy to come too.”

It took more time, more tears, but I had known it was going to happen. Uncle Peter had been a sci-fi fan as long as I’d known him. There’s no way he’d reject a chance to move to a different world, a world with real magic — and there was no way Aunt Fran wasn’t coming with him! But just as he said, there were families counting on him; Arrangements needed to be made. He didn’t think it should take that long, a few days at most. Just activate his business’ inheritance plans. It should be much more orderly than if something had happened to him like a car crash or heart attack.

I believed him when he promised to keep quiet, the risk of this getting out was entirely his. A single door in an apartment wasn’t large enough for any kind of invasion.

Most of the tears were Debbie’s. Her parents thought — and mine agreed — that it would be safer if Debbie returned to Earth for the remaining few days, keep her school happy for one — they had already called a couple times but Uncle Peter wasn’t about to say anything about her running off. She clutched Mom in a tight hug before leeching onto Daddy.

Daddy pushed her back after blowing a wet raspberry on her neck. They stared into each other’s eyes for a timeless moment then slowly came together. Their eyes closed as one, their heads tipped in unison. Daddy’s hands were around her waist, holding her tight to his chest. It wasn’t a steamy kiss but it promised so much, incredibly beautiful to watch.

It went on perhaps a bit too long, they jumped apart at the sound of Uncle Peter whistling, both index fingers between his lips.

“Okay, break it up, you two.”

I hung back with Nallen as Mom and Daddy went first, I really wanted to see Uncle Peter’s face when they disappeared into thin air.

He didn’t disappoint, “Okay, that’s ... that’s ... damn, I don’t know what it is, but it’s sure something.”

I gave Debbie one last hug before going through myself, followed moments later by Nallen at which point Wanallee’s door vanished. Mom and Daddy were already looking a bit subdued about leaving Debbie behind.

Aneeka rushed over the moment I appeared, she had been left on the Allland side simply to reduce the number of explanations that would have to be given. She had barely gotten her arms around me when Nallen came through, she let go and jumped onto him, holding on with both arms around his neck and legs around his hips.

“Alright, alright, I’m back.”

“That was scary, I kept worrying that something happened to you.” she sniffed.

“Nothing like that, Peter O’Reilly is simply a cautious man.” Nallen looked to Mom and Daddy, “Your legs might have been impressive but his eyes just about dropped out of his head when you used the door.”

‘I’d have loved to see that.”

“You good here?” Wanallee asked everyone. “I need to get back to Londrail.”

“Sure, Mom. It’s about time for lunch.”

“That’s why I need to get back there.”

Lunch today was another plate of finger sandwiches like my first meal with Mern and Wanallee.

After we were finished I got to chuckling about the morning, “It was different seeing Uncle Peter unsure, usually he is so in control.”

“No kiddin’ there, Lin.” Mom took a deep breath, “Okay, Nallen, I know we’ve danced around this. Obviously at this point David and I are staying, I guess we need to go through your adjustment period.”

“I’m glad to hear that ... that you’ve decided to stay. Now that David’s healed it should be soon, but there’re still a few lessons with the teacher you should both do. I only fixed the gross damage of his amputation, thaumaturgy can do much more, roll your bodies back to prime condition so to speak.”

“Was wondering about that. Wanallee seemed so young. Hardly seemed like she could have a twenty-five year old child.”

“Nallen told me Mern is almost two hundred. Said Wanallee is forty-five.”

“I’d call him a cradle-robber but well ... they are just so obviously happy together,” Daddy mused. “Too bad people on Earth can hardly ever find that.”

“The TQEF changes things, Mister Piance,” Aneeka spoke up, “People can’t lie to themselves, say they’re in love when what they really want is to get off.”

Both Mom and Daddy started laughing. He managed to choke out, “That’s sure the truth!”

We stacked the lunch plates back on the cart — Teeja hadn’t stayed during the meal today — before returning it to Londrail through a door Nallen opened. Then it was off to the library, where Daddy would use the teacher.