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What planet are you from? What kind of alien are you? How did you find Matt? Why are you here?
Thankfully, she does not tell them that she came here to escape her overprotective brothers and rake in the nookie.
“Guys,” I chastise them at one point, wrapping my arm around my woman’s shoulders. “Let’s not grill Inara, please.”
Inara pats my stomach. “They’re curious. It is fine. And besides,” she grins, flashing her sharp teeth, “I like grilling, remember?”
She proceeds to answer every one of their questions with incredible aplomb. They pass her gifts that they brought, because our mom raised us to always bring a gift when you want to show someone they’re important.
And there areso many questions.They want to know every aspect about her.
Then they have a blast telling her all about me, especially all their favorite growing-up tales. We feed them, and they dish on me, and Inara gasps and laughs.
Of course, I’m expecting them to share all the embarrassing stuff so I’m thrown when they pepper in stories where I sound like quite the catch.
“...and I never got pushed around on the playground again,” Kaley says. “The bullies were terrified that Matt would give them another beat-down.”
I give my little sister a hug. “You can bet I would have.”
Inara reveals that she’s bonded to me, and because of this, shecan’tsimply separate from me now. The heartsbreak will destroy her.
“Aww, sweetheart,” I breathe, because I didn’t know. I mean, she said she was bonded, but I didn’t realize it was a biological thing of this magnitude.
Then again, it feels like we’re pretty much even. Because it would wreck me to separate from her too.
Inara leans into me and her tail comes around to hug my knee on the far side of her. With my arms, I give her a deep hug.
“Okay, tell us more about your brothers,” Kerry says, dipping a carrot in browned butter sauce.
“I have seven of them,” Inara responds, her lips curved up as she anticipates the reaction.
She is not disappointed. Despite the fact that my sisters just got done loyally extolling my brotherly virtues, they all squawk various exclamations of horror at the idea of having to deal with seven of me.
“They are very protective too,” Inara shares. She gives my thigh a fond pat. “I suppose it helped prepare me for this.”
My family laughs.
When it gets time to kick back and cry together, Inara sets up the DVD player (yes, I have one of those) and my sisters tease me for breaking my vow that I’d never again subject myself to theMe Before Youmovie. Stiffly, I remind them that I declared I would not return to thetheatrefor a second showing ofMBU.I never said I wouldn’t watch it under duress at home.
I get dust in my eyes all over again, Inara sobs uncontrollably, and when everyone is good and heartbroken, I break it to my family that Inara and I have to leave for her safety. It’s understandable that they’re shocked and lovingly opposed.
“You’re going to leave?” my sister Kacey cries with so much feeling that I’m touched down to my marrow.
When I see my mother’s face though—and all of my sisters’ faces—I feel like I’m being torn apart. “Look, guys, I know…” My voice cracks, and it takes two tries to clear it. Despite the effort, my next words still come out rough. “I know this is sudden. I know I’ve always said my heart is in Chicago.” I knit my fingers with Inara’s and hold up our hands. “But then Inara showed up, and my heart became hers. And we’d stay, for you guys, I want to stay—but it’s not safe for her to be here. She kinda sticks out.”
Looking ravaged and solemn, my mother stares at me from eyes that pierce straight into my soul. “I always knew that when you found your woman, you’d be 100% for her.” She tries to smile. “The only surprise here is that she’s not only ‘not from around here.’ She’s…”
“Alien,” my sister Kaley finishes hollowly. “You’re going to travel to an alien planet andlivethere.”
I shrug and nod. I clasp Inara’s hand tighter, and welcome her tail’s reassuring squeeze on my leg. “Yep.”
“What are you going to do there?” Kate asks, voice cracking.
My shoulders inch up. “Don’t know yet. A lot’s still up in the air.”
“I’m guessing this is like an advanced society that you’ll be joining? How’s that going to work exactly?” Kerry pipes in, glancing between me and Inara, gesturing to her. “Because, Matt, you’re like the worst person in the world when it comes to accepting new technology. Remember how long it took you to get a cell phone?”
I grimace. “I know, Kerry. But we’re gonna deal.”
