Chapter 35

Sandy

The manor was the first thing to go.

She and Rane moved out and into a nice apartment in the city the first chance they got. It would take a bit longer to sell the place, and they were probably going to let it go for far less than it was actually worth just to get rid of it faster, but they didn’t actually care.

They chose to live in the city because Sandy wanted a chance to explore. Rane asked if she wouldn’t prefer a more isolated house, and she said she did. A quiet place to retreat to during the winter, when she wanted to be warm and cozy. But for summer, for the game season, she wanted to live in the excitement of the city. She wanted to explore.

They moved in immediately after the championship game. A game that the Eliviers lost. They tried their best, and it definitely wasn’t a devastating loss, but it was still a loss. It was hardly a surprise seeing how they had spent the days leading up to the game either in detainment, under investigation, or frantically flying to try to reach Holotulle in time.

But they took the loss with grace. They celebrated that night in the ringworld capital of the Coalition like they had just won the entire universe. As Sal said, their victory wasn’t in the game, and their prize was much better than just a trophy.

They were looking forward to next season already. They were making plans and schedules like it was their very first time playing in the league. They were excited, and they were all planning together. Rane had inherited the management of the team from Elffa, but he almost immediately turned around and sold it – for practically nothing – to Drevor.

It was a good way to give him a lot of money without directly giving him money. It elevated him from being just a personal assistant, and it kept him close as a friend. He took on the responsibility with the first smile Sandy ever saw on him.

As promised, they were going to make sure he was paid back for his efforts on their behalf. Owning the team alone would make him a wealthy male – the Eliviers were winners, and winners made money. Even getting second place in the Coalition wide league meant that they were among the best of the best. The story that broke about Rane and everything he had been enduring, the truth finally getting out, also brought a lot of attention and sponsors and supporters.

They didn’t win the championship, but they were still victorious.

As for Orza and Kirs, Sandy hadn’t seen them once since she was left in the manor.

She fully intended to keep her promise to help search for their missing brother, but being taken into custody for her own protection meant she hadn’t been able to do so. Drevor, however, had taken her order and seen it to completion.

Someone found a stasis pod deep in the stadium basement, hiding in a storage room behind a bunch of spare chairs, signs, and tools that were never used. They hadn’t opened it, but instead reported it to Drevor who, in turn, told Orza and Kirs.

The two had disappeared from that moment on. No one saw them again, but when someone went to check on the stasis pod, it was to find that it had been opened and emptied. Whoever had been inside was gone now.

However, when Sandy moved into their new apartment, she found a note on one of the counters. It wasn’t signed, and it just said-

‘ If you ever need anything, contact us. We’ll give you a good deal’

Sandy didn’t know exactly what they might be able to offer her, but she was pretty sure she would never use the favor. But she was glad that they got away. She hoped they stayed far away. She never wanted to see them again.

Things had changed so drastically and wonderfully. Sandy finally felt like she was living the life her grandmother wanted for her. There was just one thing that she thought would make it better.

“What kind of surprise is it?” Rane asked, smiling at her as she walked, arm-in-arm, with him through the restaurant. It was a nice place, and she was wearing a short, sparkly, pink dress for the occasion, her hair done up nice, braided with a white ribbon down one side. She had a long, silver, feathery boa around her arms, and another, bright blue, feather dangling from one ear. The entire outfit was nearly blinding with its bright colors and sheer ridiculousness. She liked the way she dressed, but she knew that she looked severely out of place. Only Rane’s fame and wealth allowed her to come into a place like this dressed the way she did.

But Rane dressed the same way. He was wearing red today, the feathers of his crest beaded, shining with gold, plucked back into a mohawk style. They both looked good – according to her. But the rest of Levtiram still liked to rib them about their fashion sense. But she had learned to accept it. They were a celebrity couple – dressing odd was basically a requirement on Earth.

“It’s the best kind of surprise,” she said, belly tightening with nerves.

The host led them to a private room. Rane smiled at her, like he was expecting something to happen. It wasn’t an unreasonable expectation, really. Now that they were free, it was go time whenever and wherever they wanted it. They were enjoying each other at every opportunity, and she couldn’t blame him for thinking that was the surprise.

But then they walked into the room, and he looked confused.

The male already inside turned. He was older than Rane, but there wasn’t much physical difference between them. His crest was the same bright blue, though his was pressed tight to his scalp. At his side was a tall, slender female with deep, rich, tan feathers. She briefly glanced at them, but most of her attention was on her mate, watching him carefully as he stared, like a deer in headlights. He knew Rane would be coming but still somehow looked surprised to be face to face with him. Sandy might have laughed if the situation wasn’t so serious.

Rane, for his part, just looked confused.

“Friends of yours?” He asked, looking at Sandy, then back, fixing a polite smile on his face. He might not expect to be introduced to new people, but he wasn’t going to be rude.

She smiled nervously. “Rane, this is Traff.”

“Traff…” He hesitated as something like recognition finally sparked in his eyes.

The older male stepped forward cautiously. “Rane… I…” He struggled to find something to say, but it wasn’t so easy to meet your adult son for the first time.

Rane looked at Sandy, vulnerable confusion in his expression.

Sandy smiled, stroking his cheek. “I asked Drevor to find him for me. Your mother is gone now. You can meet your father. He’s wanted to meet you too.”

“I, er…” Rane cleared his throat, looking back at his father who looked just as vulnerable, just as confused. “My, er… kappa …”

Traff made a sound deep in his throat, pained but happy at the same time.

“I’m so sorry,” he breathed, hands shaking as he reached for him. “I tried… I tried so many times to meet you. Your mother… No, that’s a terrible excuse. I should have done anything I could… If I had known how bad it was, I would have taken you by force! I’m sorry, Rane. I didn’t-”

He didn’t get to continue. Rane was just suddenly there, putting his arms around him. Traff didn’t hesitate to hold him back. The two of them squeezed each other as Sandy met Traff’s mate’s gaze behind him. The two shared a smile as relief made her relax.

They had a lot of time to make up for. When Sandy first contacted Traff, he had been reluctant to even meet his son. Not because he didn’t want to know him. Just as she thought, he had been following Rane’s career closely. According to his mate, he had an entire file on their home datapocket just for Rane’s games, his victories, every bad story that ever came out about him. She told Sandy that he used to blame himself, thinking that Rane wouldn’t have become such a degenerate if he had the influence of his father.

He never suspected that it was Elffa’s designs. When he found out the truth, he just blamed himself more. Rane had been helpless against his mother, but so had Traff. She had convinced – or bribed – the tribunals to believe that Traff was a bad father and didn’t deserve to be involved with his son – just as assuredly as she’d convinced them that Rane couldn’t be an adult.

After the story broke of the decision at court and Elffa’s crimes had all been revealed, he’d refused to contact Rane. Shame convinced him that Rane wouldn’t want anything to do with him. He’d been so sure that Rane would think he abandoned him, that he wouldn’t want to meet him. It was only his mate and Sandy convincing him that brought him here.

And seeing him hugging his son, for the first time since Rane had been an infant, made it worth it. She had to wipe away the tears as they waited, a decently long time, for them to separate.

It was a good meal. The start of a real parental relationship. Traff had missed a lot, but when they finally left, a long time later, Rane mentioned that he would be a good grandfather one day, and Sandy agreed.

They returned home and went to their room, emotionally exhausted but not physically. They slept naked, so they both undressed before climbing into their big, comfy bed – a big one, wide and comfy, that rocked gently as it hung from the ceiling, with a dozen big pillows, and definitely not on the floor. The telfay didn’t really use blankets, but Sandy had one because she definitely did. Her mate certainly seemed to enjoy being all wrapped up with her under it.

Rane laid on his back, one arm around her, gazing up at the ceiling as she laid against his chest, that blanket – one she’d made with her grandmother once upon a time – over them. Lexi Tollman had her own place in their apartment, in the front room, beside her broken, antique radio. Sandy liked to think she was listening to ghost music on it as she waited on the other side.

“You okay?” Sandy asked, looking up at her uncharacteristically broody mate.

“That was my father. My k-kappa ,” he breathed. “I haven’t… I never thought I’d see him again.”

Sandy smiled. “Yeah. He had the same thought.”

Rane turned his eyes down onto her. “He looked… tired.”

“Well, it’s been a rough few tendays for him. We were at court, the game, and all the media attention that’s been following us. He’s been nervous for you.”

Rane turned, rolling over her. “It was good to see him.”

She smiled. “Yeah?”

He nodded, resting his forehead against hers. “I think I’m looking forward to getting to know him better. Him and his mate.”

“It will be good to have them in our lives,” she agreed calmly. “We can start building a proper family with them.”

Rane smiled, kissing her. It was brief but deep. A brief show of his affection and appreciation for her. She squeezed his torso, smiling to herself. It felt good to know she’d done something like this for him. It was too late for Traff to be a proper father to Rane, but they could certainly be friends. She hoped that would be true going forward anyway. Traff had two other younglings, teenagers at this point, that Rane hadn’t met tonight, but they already planned for that to happen someday. By all accounts, both other males were eager to meet their famous half-brother.

Rane was getting a proper family. He’d learn what it meant to have their genuine love and support.

And when he learned how to accept it, how to give it back, Sandy would know that he was ready to be a father himself, and they could have their own young then.

For now, they luxuriated in their victory as their kiss changed from sweet to deep. He held her tight, spreading her thighs, and reaching between them, stroking her with quick fingers.

She kept her eyes on him as he built her pleasure until she was hovering right on the precipice, until she nearly broke. Then, right before she did, he lined up his cock and slammed deep. She let out a cry, clinging onto him. They were prolific in their activities, and she was stretched to his size by now, but it was still shocking, somehow, every time he entered her.

Still, she didn’t look away. She gazed into his eyes as he claimed her with deep, long strokes.

They made love intermittently throughout the night and greeted the day with laughter and smiles. They were enjoying every minute of his off-season before training restarted, and today that included a small adventure to a textile store. They were making her a craft room in their apartment so she could take up sewing and knitting and many more of her old hobbies. Then, this afternoon, they were having dinner in an orbital restaurant so they could see the sunset from space.

Their life was open to do whatever they wanted, and every new adventure, even if it was just something as simple as a new store, was what made it worth living. And they were going to live it to their fullest from now on.