it raced back to her chest. “Marrying her also helps protect you and me, so we decided not to wait.”
“What about what I wanted?” Armeo jumped up from the couch and stormed over to the porthole. “Why didn’t you tell me before you left? Don’t we tell each other everything?”
Rae wanted to reassure him but knew this was up to Kellen.
“I didn’t know of the possibility then, Armeo,” Kellen said, her voice infinitely soft. “I would have told you if I could. When I heard about this unexpected solution, I seized the opportunity, and so did Rae. Sometimes you don’t need to know someone very long to realize she’s right for you. Still, Rae and I understand we have to familiarize ourselves with each other. We’ll stay with her here on the station, you’ll go to school with your new friends, and I’ll make myself useful somehow.”
Locking a steadfast gaze onto Rae, Armeo asked, “And why did you marry Kellen, Commodore?”
Rae found it impossible to lie to the boy, so she took a different approach. “I found something in your guardian that I haven’t found in any other person. Courage, loyalty, beauty, intelligence, all wrapped up in one very special person. I wanted her, and you, to be safe. With all this in mind, I offered Kellen marriage. She agreed, and since everything happened so quickly, we’ll have to slowly learn more about each other. You’re an important part of this new family, Armeo.”
Several expressions chased each other over the boy’s features. His normally smooth forehead wrinkled, and his perfectly chiseled lower lip disappeared under his top teeth. Rae studied him closely, hoping he’d concluded this was worth pursuing. Since she didn’t know him very well, she could not read his true feelings from his expression.
With hesitant steps, he moved closer to the two women on the couch, stopping next to Rae. “You want me too, then--not just Kellen?”
“As I said, you’re important too. Without you, Kellen would be miserable, and the more I get to know you, the more I realize how special you are. I’d like to become your friend.”
This reassurance seemed to untie whatever knot had formed inside Armeo. He smiled carefully as he sat down on the couch next to Rae. “So nobody can make us leave here?”
“No, not now.” Rae leveled with him. “The ambassador still wants you, so there’ll be a custody hearing soon. We’ll put some really good legal people to work and come up with proof of your mother’s wish. I’ll do everything I can to keep you with Kellen…with us.”
“Armeo,” Kellen said huskily, her voice betraying her.
Rae glanced at her, afraid she would crumble and tell Armeo the exact circumstances. Determined to stifle any such inclinations, she put an arm around her new wife’s shoulders. “I think you’re tired, Kellen,” she interrupted. “Why don’t we send Armeo off to have breakfast in the mess hall while you rest? Gemma can come by later and check your leg, and when Armeo’s back from school we can all go out to dinner.”
Kellen looked as if she were going to object, then nodded. “Very well.”
Rae swallowed a sigh of relief. “Your escort is now also your bodyguard, Armeo,” she said. “I want you to be aware of the situation. Several Onotharians are present on the station, and we don’t know who we can trust. I’ll inform your escort and make sure he stays at a proper distance. I’ll have maintenance move more of your things from the guest quarters too. You’ll have your own room. It’s not big, but I think you’ll like it. I’ll give you a personal tour later, when you come home. All right?”
Armeo looked pleased; apparently she had found a way to communicate with him that worked for now. As he left for the mess hall with the guard, Rae turned to Kellen. “Would you like a tour of the place now? Goodness knows when I’ll have time again. I have a lot of work waiting.”
Kellen rose, looking uncertain on her feet.
“What about what I wanted?” Armeo jumped up from the couch and stormed over to the porthole. “Why didn’t you tell me before you left? Don’t we tell each other everything?”
Rae wanted to reassure him but knew this was up to Kellen.
“I didn’t know of the possibility then, Armeo,” Kellen said, her voice infinitely soft. “I would have told you if I could. When I heard about this unexpected solution, I seized the opportunity, and so did Rae. Sometimes you don’t need to know someone very long to realize she’s right for you. Still, Rae and I understand we have to familiarize ourselves with each other. We’ll stay with her here on the station, you’ll go to school with your new friends, and I’ll make myself useful somehow.”
Locking a steadfast gaze onto Rae, Armeo asked, “And why did you marry Kellen, Commodore?”
Rae found it impossible to lie to the boy, so she took a different approach. “I found something in your guardian that I haven’t found in any other person. Courage, loyalty, beauty, intelligence, all wrapped up in one very special person. I wanted her, and you, to be safe. With all this in mind, I offered Kellen marriage. She agreed, and since everything happened so quickly, we’ll have to slowly learn more about each other. You’re an important part of this new family, Armeo.”
Several expressions chased each other over the boy’s features. His normally smooth forehead wrinkled, and his perfectly chiseled lower lip disappeared under his top teeth. Rae studied him closely, hoping he’d concluded this was worth pursuing. Since she didn’t know him very well, she could not read his true feelings from his expression.
With hesitant steps, he moved closer to the two women on the couch, stopping next to Rae. “You want me too, then--not just Kellen?”
“As I said, you’re important too. Without you, Kellen would be miserable, and the more I get to know you, the more I realize how special you are. I’d like to become your friend.”
This reassurance seemed to untie whatever knot had formed inside Armeo. He smiled carefully as he sat down on the couch next to Rae. “So nobody can make us leave here?”
“No, not now.” Rae leveled with him. “The ambassador still wants you, so there’ll be a custody hearing soon. We’ll put some really good legal people to work and come up with proof of your mother’s wish. I’ll do everything I can to keep you with Kellen…with us.”
“Armeo,” Kellen said huskily, her voice betraying her.
Rae glanced at her, afraid she would crumble and tell Armeo the exact circumstances. Determined to stifle any such inclinations, she put an arm around her new wife’s shoulders. “I think you’re tired, Kellen,” she interrupted. “Why don’t we send Armeo off to have breakfast in the mess hall while you rest? Gemma can come by later and check your leg, and when Armeo’s back from school we can all go out to dinner.”
Kellen looked as if she were going to object, then nodded. “Very well.”
Rae swallowed a sigh of relief. “Your escort is now also your bodyguard, Armeo,” she said. “I want you to be aware of the situation. Several Onotharians are present on the station, and we don’t know who we can trust. I’ll inform your escort and make sure he stays at a proper distance. I’ll have maintenance move more of your things from the guest quarters too. You’ll have your own room. It’s not big, but I think you’ll like it. I’ll give you a personal tour later, when you come home. All right?”
Armeo looked pleased; apparently she had found a way to communicate with him that worked for now. As he left for the mess hall with the guard, Rae turned to Kellen. “Would you like a tour of the place now? Goodness knows when I’ll have time again. I have a lot of work waiting.”
Kellen rose, looking uncertain on her feet.
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