1.34

“So,” Ty said as he reached to lift Isaac out of the bouncer. “Just what was that little girl talking about?”
Karrick made a choking sound. “That wasn’t a little girl. Well, in a sense she was but not really. She’s one of The Wise. It’s most surprising that they were here. Most surprising. And to bring Kaylee’s deceased father back as well?”
“Say what?” Ty absently patted his son’s back as he stared at Karrick in amazement. “You’re kidding me right? How in the hell would they be able to bring her father back? He’s been dead for almost twenty years.”
“In this plane, yes. In others death is just another gateway.”
“Oh good Lord! I can’t deal with your mumbo-jumbo right now Karrick. Besides, you never answered my question.”
He watched as Karrick heaved a sigh and looked skyward as if he were expecting an answer to come from the Heavens. When nothing happened he heaved another sigh and peered somewhere in the vicinity of Ty's left shoulder.

“Look,” he said as he rubbed at his neck. “I didn’t want to talk to you about this. At least not yet. I figured it would come up eventually but The Wise are only patient in some things. Apparently they think that I need to tell you now. Which, if I may say, I don’t exactly agree with. But what’s done is done and now I must face-”
“What the hell Karrick? What are you talking about?” Ty held up a hand as a gentle breeze came across the porch. “Let’s talk about this inside. I don’t want the baby to catch a chill in this air.”
As if on cue Isaac gave a delicate sneeze. Ty’s eyes widened in horror.
“Kaylee will kill me if one of the babies catch a cold,” he muttered as he shoulder open the door.
“No, I won’t.” There was laughter in her voice as she looked up from putting Dani down on play mat.
“It’s natural for kids to get colds. Besides, he just might have allergies or something.”
“Should we get him tested? I mean there’s all sorts of pollen and dirt and-”
“Sure we can get him tested. And he can live in the bubble you’re going to try to put him in. Relax Ty. Dr. Z recommended a good doctor. Stop worrying. Karrick, come into the house and stop wringing your hands.”
“One of those little girls said he had something to tell me but he’s been dodging my questions.”

Nana walked by with Gabe in her arms. There was a new spring in her step and the lines around her mouth seemed to have softened.
“This seems like it’s grown folks business Gabe. How about we go upstairs and let old Nana show you how to hustle pool. Start young I always say!”
“Hustle pool!”
Everyone did a double take. Those two words were as clear as day. Not something they were used to. “Nana….wh-when did Gabe start talking like that?”
“Oh he’s a regular chatterbox now. Those two little girls were playing with him before they left and the next thing I know Gabe comes walking over and speaking crystal clear. Amazing isn’t it? Although I knew Gabe was smart. Yes you are!”
He shrieked with laughter when she tickled him on his belly. Kaylee, Ty and Karrick just stood there in stunned disbelief for a moment until Kaylee broke out in a grin.
“They are so awesome!”
Ty scowled. “Uh huh! What’s this I hear about your dad? If he was here how come no one said anything? I would have liked to meet him.”
Nana stopped walking as she softly called Ty’s name.

He glanced over at Dani as he put Isaac down and she waved her little fists as she grinned at him.
“Someone’s going to have her dad wrapped around their finger,” Kaylee said softly. Ty just grinned as he straightened.
“Yeah Kiki?”
“Terry told me to tell you…he told me to tell you that he couldn’t have found a better person for Kaylee himself. And he wanted me to thank you.”
“Thank me for what?”
“For loving her. For loving her through everything.”
“Hell, I would sooner stop breathing than stop loving Kaylee.”
Kiki grinned as she headed up the stairs. “We know.”
He stared after her for a moment with a confused expression on his face before he turned to Kaylee. “So that’s what that guy, the Guardian meant when he said to greet your father. I thought it was so kind of riddle. That man never has a straight answer. Speaking of which…”
Motioning for Karrick to sit at the kitchen table he nudged Kaylee as well as she tried to step away.

“Where do you think you’re going,” he asked as he ushered her into a chair.
“I thought you and Karrick would like to talk. Alone.”
“Kaylee, if it has to do with our kids than it has to do with the both of us.”
“He’s right Kaylee.” Karrick blew out a breath and tilted his head to the side as he tried to figure out the best way to explain this whole situation. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Ty had worried about the baby sneezing. What would he say when he found out that one of his children was his mate? He valued their friendship too much to lie but he knew that it was bigger than their friendship.
“Karrick?”
“Remember when I went to see The Wise?”
“When you ran off to see them you mean?” Kaylee said teasingly.
He tried to smile but he knew it fell short. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat.
“Well, they told me some things. Some very important things.”
“Such as?”
Karrick looked over at the children laying under the mobiles and giggling at the sounds they made. He swallowed dryly.

“Maybe I should start at the beginning.”
“Ooookay! That’s probably the best place to start.” Ty was starting to get nervous. Karrick was always cool and calm. Well, he usually was. The last few months he hadn’t been. Hopefully whatever he had to say would help to repair the mysterious breach between them.
“Right. Well, I’m old. Older than I look. I’ve seen things that are written about in history books. I know what some call fiction is really fact and what some call facts are all based on lies. And I know that I have several more decades to live before I reach, what you humans call, middle aged. My sister and I…it’s always just been the two of us really. We don’t associate with Hannah because of what she’s done…what, apparently she’s still trying to do. We are content here. Content with our lives. Or as content as we can be away from our people.”

He took a deep breath and shrugged. “And then I met you. You became my friend and my family as well. The brother of my hearts. And through you I met Kaylee who I think of as a sister. Which is why I was most disturbed when she became pregnant and I felt myself drawn to her.”
“Whoa, who!! Stop right there Karrick. Kaylee-”
“Is not for me. I know, I know. It was awkward. I didn’t know what was going on and so I had to seek The Wise.”
“And what did they say?” Ty demanded. He realized he was clenching his fists in his lap only after Kaylee reached down and give his hand a squeeze. He slowly relaxed his muscles
“Like I said, Kaylee wasn’t for me. You’ll never know how grateful I was.”
“Hey!” Kaylee said with a laugh. Karrick gave her a small grin before his face fell into somber lines.
“My people don’t marry like yours do. Only those that are fortunate enough to find their true mates, the mates of their hearts, tie themselves to a single person."

“So what, you guys are like serial daters?”
Karrick brushed imaginary crumbs from the table. “Something like that. We see nothing wrong with the sexual act. With a single partner or even two. Your lifespan is so finite compared to ours so must of you humans try to cram all of life’s sorrows and joys, hopes and dreams, into the time you have. I envy you that. Sometimes I used to get so weary of being. I wanted to know the urgency to makes humans enjoy every moment.”
“Just how long do your people live?”
“Our oldest is Hannah but she’s an abomination. What she did to get to the age she’s at has never been done. Should have never been done. Our eldest died at the age of 1,002. But the R’ouglians don’t mourn death. We welcome it. It’s a respite for our bodies.”
“Why are you telling us this Karrick?” Kaylee asked softly.
“So that you might understand what’s destined to happen.”

“In our history-”
“Oh God! I hate history!” Ty said with a groan. He winced when Kaylee kicked him under the table and then with a long sigh tilted his head and stared at Karrick.
“Go ahead. But please, keep it brief! Otherwise I’m bound to fall asleep.”
“I will try my best Ty,” Karrick said with a small sigh. He looked over when Kava came into the house and sat down in front of the children.
“In our history there have only been a handful of true mate bonds. A true mate is the other half of yourself. The person that was created just for you. Like you are for Kaylee, Ty and she for you. But it’s more than that for us. With R’ogulians it is a true melding. Body and spirit. What one feels so does the other. What one thinks the other can hear. They can communicate on a path that no other can reach. And if one dies…”
“So does the other,” Kaylee finished softly. She blinked back tears.
“Yes. After being so long with a hearts mate it feels as if there is a void. A gaping hole in your very being.”

“So, no one really looks forward to these hearts mate then?” Ty said in understanding.
“Exactly. We don’t go out looking for them. My…parents were hearts mate. It’s odd for R’ouglian children to be born from the same donors but Kava and I are actually brother and sister.”
“Your mother and father-”
Karrick held up a hand. “And another thing. You know what you call a hermaphrodite?” At their nods he continued.
“My people have been able to switch their genetic make-up for centuries now.”
“What?” Ty stared at him in disbelief.
Karrick shrugged. “It is our belief that we are that which makes us most happy. I am happy with this body, Kava is happy with her body and in so being we don’t find the need to change. However, if we found a true mate which was the same sex one of us would have to change. The men of my race are the ones to carry the children.”
“That’s awesome!” Kaylee said in excitement.
“You have the kids?”
Karrick nodded. “It is something to be very proud of.”
“But how does that work?” Ty did a motion with his hands but Karrick caught the gist.
“I think you’re imagining one of those alien horror movies where the baby burst out of the host stomach? Our births are nothing like that. It’s much like a C section.”
Kaylee sucked her teeth and Karrick laughed. “We do have some of the pain that you felt as well Kaylee.”
“Karrick, why are you telling us this?” Ty asked in confusion.

“He’s telling you because one of your children is his hearts mate. Karrick never was good at negations.” Kave said as she reached into the fridge to grab a soda.
Karrick’s stomach dropped and his briefly closed his eyes. He should have known Kava was hanging around for a reason. She had never been good at negations either. She would kill first and ask questions later. The silence stretched until he couldn’t take it any more. He could feel the force of Ty’s anger and Kaylee’s astonishment. He slowly opened his eyes.

<

“Just what in the hell do you mean,” Ty growled, “That one of my babies is for you? There is no fucking way that you can know that! You-”
“That’s why you left that day. Right after you touched my stomach. You knew then didn’t you?” Kaylee said in a whisper.
“No, I didn’t know. I suspected but The Wise confirmed it. I-”
“You must be mental if you think that we’re just going to let you walk up in here and nonchalantly think to involve one of our children in your twisted little-”
“Ty! That’s not what he said! Calm down and let-”
“Calm down? Calm down? Kaylee how can you sit there and justify what he wants to do? What he plans to do?”
“And how can you sit there and try to deny him after what he’s told you about the bonding?”
“It’s really easy actually. Those are my children! My babies! And you’re not going to involve them in whatever little plot you and The Wise have cooked up. My family deserves some peace.”
“Ty, I would not take him or her away from you. I know human law. I would not touch the child until they came of legal age. I would-”

Ty stood, shoving back his chair. It tittered for a moment before crashing to the ground. Kaylee hurriedly stood and came to stand beside him.
“I don’t think you understand a father’s law. If you come near my children, at any time without my consent, I will kill you,” Ty snarled.
“I am no, no…”
“Pedophile,” Kava interjected helpful. Karrick nodded.
“Yes, I am no pedophile Ty. You are my friend. I would not-”
Ty could feel himself trembling with rage. It was bad enough that some boy was going to be panting after his daughter in the years to come. But to know that it might be his friend was too much to take in right now.
“I don’t want you around this house anymore Karrick. To know that you’ll be after my daughter-”
“It might not be your daughter he’s after,” Kava said as she passed by on her way back into the kitchen.
Ty’s eyes bulged.
“Kava! Please, you are not helping.”
“It’s best to get the worst out of the way, brother.”

Karrick stood as Ty tossed his hands in the air.
“And now you want to turn my son into some sort of, some sort of….” Ty rubbed at his forehead were a headache was starting to form.
“Ty, calm down! It’s-”
“Kaylee, if you tell me one more time to calm down I swear I’ll rip something apart. And since I’m so fucking pissed at Karrick right now it just might be him.”
“I will leave.”
“You bet your ass you’ll leave. Don’t come back here again Karrick, Ever.”

“But what of Kaylee’s safety. My sister-”
“I want you to both stay away from my family. Do you understand me Karrick? Don’t come sniffing around here.”
“Ty, I thought you would be more understanding. You are my friend.”
“Which is the only reason why I’m allowing you to walk out of here without trying to kill you.”
“Ty, we need to talk-”
“Not now Kaylee.”
“But Ty, I-”
“Not now!” he roared. The house fell silent and then the twins started to cry. Upstairs he could hear Gabe start to cry as well. Ty took a deep, calming breath before he leaned forward and pointed directly at Karrick.

“From this day forward you’re dead to me. Now take your sister and get out of my house.”