Chapter 8

I was nervous as I walked up to the front door. Karen whispered, “Be at ease, Lover. I will be with you.” We walked inside while Karen shouted, “Dad, Mom, we’re here!”

An older couple came from further inside the house to hug Karen. Karen said, “Mom, Dad, this is Brad Gillis. Brad, these are my parents.” I shook hands with each one. Missus Mason was a petite lady, slim but much shorter than Karen. Mister Mason was a kind looking man who was Karen’s height. They were polite but wary. I could tell this situation was new to them.

Karen said, “Let’s go into the living room and talk. I want to tell you about this wonderful man. This has been an intense few days.

“Mom, you always told me that, when I met the right one, I would know it. Brad is that one.

“We met when I received a mysterious voice mail on my phone. That was mysterious because my phone hadn’t rung. A voice told me it was important to meet Brad after my nine o’clock class. I met him and we discussed the message. He satisfied me that he hadn’t called and usually hung around where I found him. We have an English class together.” She continued on to tell the story from her point of view in its entirety. She even included Rudolph in her explanation. She wound up with my proposal and her acceptance.

Her mother was watching me while Karen talked. Her father watched Karen. I don’t blame him, I was watching her, too.

She stopped talking and I said, “I know it’s a little after the fact but I want to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage. She is a lovely, intelligent person and I cherish her and the time we have had together and look forward to much more. I really do desire your blessing.”

Mister Mason said, “If we don’t give our blessing, then what?”

“I will be disappointed but you will have to deal with Karen!”

He chuckled. “I would probably have to deal with my wife, too. What plans have you made?”

I answered, “Very few. This is all very new and very fast. It’s been intense as Karen said. We have been richly blessed in being together. We would like to marry this summer in a church. I haven’t even gotten a ring though we plan to look starting Monday afternoon. We’re going to meet my parents next weekend.”

Missus Mason said, “Tell us more about these messages and the alien.”

I said, “The first message got us to meet. After satisfying Karen that I didn’t leave the message, we wondered about who left it while we got to know each other. I received a message on my phone the next day telling me to meet Karen. We talked about it and I had the idea to return my message. Karen just let her phone ring and I left a voice mail that we were together and wanted to meet this person. We were at the lake talking when we both received another message that the caller knew where we were and was coming to us. We were waiting and a small, dense cloud came toward us against the wind and low to the ground. We talked for a minute and then we were asked if we would mind if Rudolph dispensed with the cloud. When we said that was okay, it vanished. It didn’t disperse or blow away, it just vanished. We have talked with Rudolph a few more times since then. If you desire, we can ask them to join us here.”

Missus Mason looked at her husband and nodded slowly. He said, “Go ahead.”

I took Karen’s hand and said, “Rudolph, would you please join us?”

Moments later, Rudolph’s voice came out of the air. “Hello, Karen and Brad. You have Karen’s together parents with you.”

I said, “Actually, Rudolph, they are Karen’s only parents. Those other two people have no connection with Karen any more and never will again.”

“Would you explain?”

“When a person’s parents do things to a child that are bad enough that our laws are broken, that child becomes a ward of the state, our governing body, and their rights as parents are terminated. That child may later become the child of other persons who will treat him or her as they should be treated. This happened to Karen and her parents are in this room with us and they love and care for her as much as I do.”

Missus Mason looked at Karen and said, “Brad knows?”

Karen said, “Everything. I even told him that I am damaged goods.”

I was still holding Karen’s hand and, looking at her, gave it a gentle squeeze. “I will tell you again what I told you then and what I will tell you anytime you need to hear it. You are neither damaged nor goods. My dad says that God doesn’t make junk. My mother says that God forgives the past like it never happened. You are made in God’s image. You’re smart, beautiful, and sexy. You are one of those people who is so superlative that they give God a good name because they are so amazing. I feel honored to walk beside you and even more honored because you walk beside me.”

Both of Karen’s parents were smiling after that. Her mother even had tears in her eyes just like Karen did. Karen and I kissed. Her father came up to me and shook my hand and then enveloped me in a hug. When he released me, he said, “You have our blessing. I am looking forward to giving my daughter to you as your wife.” Karen and her mother were hugging and crying.

We talked with Rudolph some more who appreciated the opportunity to meet the Masons. They/he had examined them surreptitiously previously but was now hearing from them on their thoughts and motivations.

I had a sudden thought. “Rudolph, could you examine Missus and Mister Mason physically like you did Karen and me?”

“Yes, Brad. They will have to hold still while we do it.”

I looked and received nods from both. “Go ahead, Rudolph.”

They held still though they shivered just a little as we had. Mister Mason paled and went stiff for a moment. Then he relaxed though he looked shaken.

“Rudolph, what happened?”

“Brad, Mister Mason had a growth that should not have been there. We removed it.”

Missus Mason said, “Don, what is Rudolph talking about?”

Mister Mason reddened. “Doctor Kramer found a suspicious growth on my stomach. I was to go back Tuesday for an out-patient procedure to have it removed and biopsied. I did not want you to worry needlessly. I think I will ask him to look again before he does anything to be sure there is something there. I don’t think there will be.

“I’m sorry, Helen. I didn’t think.”

“No, you did not. Don’t fail to tell me anything again or I will have our daughter’s fiancé beat you within an inch of your life.”

Mister Mason did the smart thing. He went to her and held her kissing her gently. After a while, Missus Mason said, “ Karen and I need to go into the kitchen to finish preparing supper. You two can stay out here or join us, but I may put you to work if you come into the kitchen.”

She stood. Karen stood. I stood. Mister Mason was already standing. All four of us walked into the kitchen. I silently told Rudolph thank you and that we would talk with them some more later.

Everyone was more relaxed in the kitchen. When Karen wasn’t helping her mother, she sat on my lap. Mister Mason said, “Karen, honey, you look comfortable there.”

Karen grinned and gave me a little kiss. “I am, Daddy. It’s my favorite place. I fit just right.” She grinned again. She popped up to help her mother but came back.

Missus Mason looked over at us. “Brad, doesn’t that get uncomfortable?”

“If you had the most beautiful girl in the world sitting on your lap like I do, you would know that it won’t ever be uncomfortable.” That got me kissed by that same beautiful girl.