Page 44 of Thalen

His eyes stayed fixed on mine.

“Then you arrived.” I smiled. ”And I discovered something rather important.”

“What?”

“You had absolutely no idea how to farm.”

The crowd erupted in laughter.

Evan covered his face with his hands.

“I knew how to grow things,” he insisted.

“You knew how to buy vegetables and what farmers on Earth more or less generally do from watching vids.”

More laughter.

“Okay, yeah, that’s true,” he conceded.

“It is indeed,” I said as I reached for his hands. “And strangely, despite you not matching my dream’s expectations, I wasn't disappointed.”

His smile softened.

“I was delighted.” I squeezed his fingers. “Because every new thing you had to learn gave me another reason to be beside you. Another morning to show you how to do something. Another excuse to put my hands over yours and help.”

His eyes grew bright.“”

“And somewhere along the way, I realized that teaching you wasn't what made me happy.” I paused. “It was simply having you there.” I took the ring from Jesse. “Love doesn't care what world you're from. It doesn't care what species you are. It doesn't care what you know or don't know when you arrive.” I slid the ring onto Evan's finger as tears began to fall down his cheeks. “It only cares that, somehow, you are the person who makes the rest of the universe feel like home. I choose you, Evan. Today, tomorrow, and every day after that.”

I lifted his hand, kissing the symbol of my love that I’d placed there. He reached with his free hand to cup my cheek before holding it out to take the other ring from Jesse.

He looked down at it for a moment before looking back at me. Then he took a deep breath and let it out before he spoke. “I grew up in foster care, mostly in a group home. When I was a kid, I used to watch other children celebrate holidays with their families.” His voice trembled. “I'd watch their parents come to family lunch days at school. I watched them make cards for mothers and fathers for Mother’s and Father’s Day, and have someone to actually give them to instead of throwing them away on the way to the bus. I'd see mothers and fathers waiting at their cars and at the end of their driveways, hear them talking about things they'd done together, and wonder what was wrong with me that nobody seemed to want me.”

My throat tightened, my hearts hurting for that lonely kit he’d once been.

Evan smiled through his tears. “I thought for years that maybe I simply wasn't meant to have that.” He looked at me. “Then I found you.” His gaze moved to our boys. “And I finally understood.” He took my hand. “I wasn't unwanted. I just hadn't met the people who were meant to want me yet.” His voice broke. “You were worth waiting for.”

Then he looked at Vrann and Jason. “And so were they.”

The boys moved closer, holding hands together as they moved in front of us to lean into a group hug. My vision blurred as I blinked back tears of my own.

“You three are the family I spent my whole life believing I'd never have.“And I would wait every year of my life all over again if it meant finding you.”

I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” He slid the ring onto my finger and then laid his head against my chest.

Johree waited until we had composed ourselves. “There is one more promise to make.” He looked at me. “Today you have chosen Evan.” He glanced over at Evan. “And you have chosen Thalen. Today, you both also are here to celebrate your family, and to let them know that they too have been chosen.”

I knelt so I was level with Vrann and Jason. Both kits looked at me wide-eyed. I held out my hands.

“I don't need a blood tie to call you my sons.” Vrann took one hand as Jason took the other. “Blood may make some a family. Love can make one, too, all on its own.” Their much smaller hands tightened around mine. “I promise to protect you, teach you, listen to you, and love you. I promise that wherever this life takes us, you will always have a father to come home to.”

Both boys threw their arms around me.

“I love you, Pata!” Vrann sobbed.

“Me too,” Jason cried.