Chapter 7

Caroline jackknifed, her torso rising forty-five degrees to match her legs, leaving only her butt touching the bed.

“You scared the crap out of me!” she yipped. She reached for the light beside her bed. “Wait! You’re here!“

“In the flesh,” he said, grinning.

Caroline just stared for a few seconds.

“Where have you been?!”

“I didn’t think you wanted to see me,” he said.

“How could you think that?”

“Actually, we thought you might not remember us. We watched while you answered questions, and you never said anything to suggest you had any recall of our little world.”

“If you went back to your ship, would you tell everybody you’d been to vampire land?” she asked.

“Well no,” he admitted. “Too many things on a ship to make a wooden stake out of.” He grinned. “But you never asked to talk to me, either, or said anything to me.”

“I’m in enough trouble already to go around talking to imaginary people,” said Caroline. Her hands went to her abdomen. “You got me pregnant!“

“I did!“ he said, obviously preening.

“That’s not a great thing,” she said, darkly.

“You’re telling me,” sighed Bob. “It got the attention of The Powers That Be. But I guess they decided I hadn’t done anything wrong, since I’m still here. And, considering that I never thought I’d ever get to be a father, forgive me if I’m a little happier about it than you,” he said.

Emotion washed through Caroline so quickly she leaned back from him.

“Are you using your powers on me right now?” she asked.

“No, why?”

“Because all of a sudden I want to kiss you.”

“Well, I want to kiss you, too,” he said. “But I’m not projecting anything.”

“You’re really happy about the baby?”

“Very much so, though I could have done without all the drama it’s caused in the afterlife about it. It became pretty clear pretty quickly that The Powers That Be didn’t intend for anything like that to happen. Personally, I think they were surprised about it, and that’s what actually made them unhappy.”

“I’d like very much to talk to them,” growled Caroline. “Did you see what they did to me when they sent me back?!”

“A little rain never hurt anybody,” said Bob.

“A little rain has killed thousands of mortals, you goof!” she yipped.

There was a tap at the door.

Bob disappeared instantly.

The door opened, and her mother peeked in.

“Who were you talking to?” she asked.

“Just the baby,” said Caroline. “This is all so new.”

“You’ll get used to it,” said her mother, coming in to sit on the edge of the bed. “It’s difficult for all of us.”

“I’m not saying it’s difficult,” said Caroline. “In fact, I’m kind of excited. A new little person is going to come into the world ... out of me!“

Her mother was silent for a bit.

“Your father and I have been talking,” she finally said. “You’re very young to take on the responsibility for raising a child. Perhaps it would be easier for everyone if you gave the baby up for adoption.”

Caroline went still. Then she leaned toward her mother.

“Mom,” she said, her voice low and firm. “I love you. And Daddy. But this baby is mine. I will not give it to some stranger to raise.”

“But a stranger fathered that baby on you,” moaned her mother.

Caroline leaned back.

“How long have you and Daddy been married?” she asked.

“Seventeen years,” said her mother. “You know that.”

“And how did you two meet?”

“Our parents were friends,” said her mother. “You know that, too.” Caroline had heard that story at family reunions.

“And how old were you when you got married?”

“Caroline, just because I got married too young, and had you too young, doesn’t mean you should follow in my footsteps. Especially since there is no father of this baby for you to marry!”

“First, you’ve been a great mom. I couldn’t have asked for a better mother,” said Caroline. “You’ve raised me to be strong and independent. The fact that whatever happened to me while I was gone didn’t drive me batty is proof of that, even if I can’t remember what it was. And I don’t have to tell you things are different now than they were seventeen years ago. There are single mom’s all over the place.”

“That doesn’t make it right,” said her mother.

“Would you rather have given me up for adoption?”

“That’s not fair, Caroline,” snapped her mother.

“Of course it is. You’re counseling me to do just that. Why didn’t you do that?”

“Because I loved you!” barked her mother. “I wanted you!”

“And I love and want this baby,” barked Caroline in response.

They left it there, for the night.

Somehow, though, the idea of adoption never came up again.

Having Bob back made all the difference. She would like to have been able to spend more time with him during the hours of daylight, but that was difficult, what with her mother there all the time.

Having him every night was fantastic. They could still meld, as if nothing had changed. Caroline grew used to the feeling of being her lover, while her lover loved her, and enjoying everything as herself at the same time.