“I get that,” I interject, “but if it gives you any peace of mind, I’ve found a second family here on the Sleigh Belle.”
My mother smiles softly. “We’re happy to know you have a support system like that, especially when you’re so far from us. What your father’s trying to get at is an apology. It’s taken us some time, but we’ve come to realize that your decision was the best course of action for you. Over the last twelve months, we’ve watched how you have fully blossomed into yourself”—she gets choked up—“and in a way I don’t know that you ever felt able to do with us.”
Galactic gods, what is happening right now? Am I inThe Twilight Zone? Was that human TV show not simply fiction?
My father clears his throat. “We own that we were wrong to try and force our values and expectations on you, and we sincerely apologize. Your mother and I were raised by very strict, traditional parents, and our families both have a long history of upholding Dravethian culture. Even as a young child, you bewildered us with how different and resistant you were to all that we believed to be necessary for our children.”
“Admittedly, we didn’t know how to nurture and support that side of you,” my mother says, “because we were convinced that it would lead you down a path of loneliness and heartbreak. We didn’t want that for you. But the more we tried to force you into conformity, the farther you drifted away from us, until you went so far as to run halfway across the universe.” Her shoulders slump, and her expression turns sorrowful. “We told ourselves you wouldn’t be able to survive away from us and your home world for very long, that you’d come back once you realized the error of your ways.”
I can’t hold back a snort of disbelief. As if that would ever happen.
“However,” my mother continues, “it was we who were forced to see the error of our thinking, and it wasn’t an easy truth to swallow. As your father said, we have gradually come to realize that you’re the happiest we’ve ever seen you since you chose this path for yourself, and even though it deviates radically from our traditions, it is no less legitimate.”
“In other words,” Nova chimes in, “we’re basically trying to tell you we’re sorry we were major tentacleholes when we didn’t support or respect your choices. We want to let you know that in spite of everything, we’ve never stopped loving you and we hope we can rebuild our family connection. Following your timeline, of course. Big bro’s also in on this. We’ve all be talking about this for a while now.”
Their serious, resolved expressions are a kick to all three of my hearts. For so long, I’ve wanted them to accept me as I am and support my choices about my own damn life. Hearing this now is overwhelming and a bit confusing, especially after a long year of strained emotional and physical distance between us.
But I want to accept this gesture of goodwill and believe in their apology.
Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly as I prepare myself. I need to speak my truth too.
“I appreciate your honesty, so I want to be totally truthful with you too. How you acted toward me felt like a rejection not only of my dreams, but of me as a person. And that really fucking hurt. It still does. Without Kheph and Naj at my side and supporting me through it all, I honestly don’t know where I’d be right now. I do know I’d probably be pretty damn miserable.”
Gemma leans heavily into my side and squeezes my hand tight, grounding me.
“I appreciate your apology, but it doesn’t erase all of that pain, and it’s probably going to take me a long time to reach forgiveness.”
My mother wipes at her eyes with one of her tentacles. “We understand that.”
“Good. In the meantime, I hope that we can take steps to rebuild our trust and our bond as a family. I’d like to have you all in my and Gemma’s lives going forward, but relationships are a two-way street, and I need you all to meet us in the middle. We don’t have to agree on everything, but I need you to respect what we decide we want as a couple.” I lean over and kiss Gemma’s cheek. “Gemma and I are now a unit, and you need to accept both of us. At the end of the day, she is the most important person in my life, and she takes priority over anyone and anything else.”
“We don’t expect forgiveness,” my father says softly, a pained expression on his face. “We must carry the weight of our failure as parents, but going forward, we intend to change and will prove to you how committed we are to reuniting our family, including Gemma.”
That’s when Gemma makes me swoon as she says, “On Earth, we have a saying:Put your money where your mouth is. In other words, talk is cheap.”
So. Fucking. Cool.
“What do you suggest?” Nova asks.
Gemma tosses her majestic mane of hair with a sassy flourish. “I think a great way for you all to prove your commitment would be to meet us somewhere like, say, an intergalactic space station?” She glances at me inquiringly. “What do you think, babe?”
My life partner is so fucking smart and sexily shrewd.
“That’s a fabulous idea, gorgeous.” I gaze back at the screen. “We’re actually going to be visiting the central IntergalacticAlliance space station that houses their medical school soon. We’re hoping to find a way for Gemma to get enrolled in classes to make her plans a reality.”
Gemma smiles. “I’m a damn good doctor, but I have virtually no experience treating patients of other species, so I need to expand my knowledge in order to be able to do that safely and effectively.”
My parents take a moment to talk quietly to one another, their voices so low I can’t make out exactly what they’re saying, but eventually they turn their attention back to us.
Dad clears his throat. “Your mother and I would be happy to meet you at that space station for a visit. But your sister is far enough along in her pregnancy that she has been advised not to travel off world until after the baby is born.”
Nova sticks out her bottom lip in an obvious pout that makes me smile.
“That’s a bummer, Nova.” I wink at her. “Guess it means that I’ll have to make plans to come and visit you in person after my niece is born.”
Her eyes brighten and she grins back. “I’ll hold you to that, kiddo.”
I explain our current navigational trajectory to my parents and when we anticipate arriving at the space station. They confirm they can work with that timeline and will meet us there soon. After that, we say our goodbyes and I eventually end the communication, still a little solar-shocked and disoriented.
