Chapter 39

The bustling cities of Noxxa were a stark contrast to the lush forests of Earth, but Layla was still glad to be back. The previous ten days had been incredible, but her new life awaited her. With every day that went by, their child's birth became more and more real.

"Can I get you anything, my earthling?" Zyair asked, using the silly pet name he'd started calling her on their honeymoon.

Layla didn't have the heart to tell him how strange it sounded. Besides, she kind of liked it, especially now that she'd been able to share her home planet with him. It was a way of bringing their time on Earth back to Noxxa with them and weaving it into their relationship.

"Just some water would be amazing, my love," she replied and sank down onto the couch. It was just as soft as she remembered.

Zyair returned swiftly with her water, and before she knew it, he'd slipped off her shoes and was massaging her feet.

Layla groaned, setting her water down and lying back to enjoy the massage.

"That feels amazing," she uttered through her mounting relaxation.

"Get used to it," he answered. "This is going to be your life for the next couple of months."

And he didn't disappoint. The months leading up to the birth of their child were blissful for Layla. Zyair was still working at PAPS, but he'd reduced his hours to part-time. The rest of his time, he treated Layla like a goddess and prepared everything for the baby's arrival.

"Here, let me take that for you," he'd say whenever he caught sight of her carrying even the lightest of objects.

"Why don't you put your feet up?" he'd suggested, even if she'd already spent most of the day resting on the couch.

"Tell me what you're craving, and I'll whip it up," he said with a grin at regular intervals before every meal.

He was so doting and so kind and Layla was grateful she'd found such an amazing husband—one who truly valued her. It was everything she never thought she could even hope for.

One day, as she was sitting on the couch and preparing for another hard day of waiting for the baby to arrive, she suddenly felt something strange. The muscles in her lower abdomen had twitched suddenly and involuntarily.

"Zyair?" she called out, and her husband came running.

"Yes, my earthling?" he asked sweetly and Layla couldn't help but smile.

"I think I might have just had a small contraction."

Zyair's eyes suddenly widened. "My gods! What do you need me to do? Where's your go-bag for the birthing center?"

Layla just laughed. "We're good for now. Remember the classes? We don't go until they're only a few minutes apart."

Layla remembered hearing that it could take hours or even days of pre-labor before the real show started. She knew they had time.

She'd been told she should just stay calm and relax until then, but Zyair was clearly excited.

"Okay," he said. "Right." His hands were still moving erratically.

Layla reached up and held one, pulling him down on the couch beside her.

"We're going to have a baby," she said, letting his hand rest on her belly. "Soon. Just not so soon that we need to freak out yet."

"I don't think there's a reason to ever freak out. You're right."

Zyair let out a breath, and relaxed. He gazed at her belly with immense love.

Soon, though, came sooner than Layla had thought. Within a few hours, Zyair was taking her to the birthing center. Her heart raced with excitement in between contractions. She was really going to be a mother.

The birthing center had already dealt with a couple of Lorr-human births, and they welcomed her into a sunny room laden with all the equipment they needed.

Layla felt painful uterine contractions over and over again, but the thought of her little one kept her going, even through the pain of childbirth. Zyair, of course, was right by her side the whole time, holding her hand and whispering soothing words into her ear. He was relentlessly positive, even when she yelled obscenities about giving birth to his horned offspring.

When the final push came, though, and she saw her light-purple child being held up by the doctor, all the pain and fatigue melted away.

"Oh my gods," she cried, holding her hands out to the baby.

The doctor smiled, handing her the little boy. Layla wept tears of joy as she felt her son's skin for the first time. Beside her, Zyair wrapped his arms around both of them, and Layla's entire being was flooded with happiness. Nothing in her life had ever compared to the joy she felt in that moment.

"He's beautiful," she whispered as her newborn son writhed against her chest. His skin was a paler purple than Zyair's, tinged by the warmth of her own East-Asian hues. His hair, like Zyair's, was jet black, and the beginning nubs of two tiny horns protruded from his head.

His eyes were brown like hers, looking around wildly as if taking in all the beauty and wonder and magic of the world surrounding him. She couldn't wait to show him everything.

Zyair leaned over her, reaching out an enormous violet hand to stroke his son's soft head.

"He's perfect," came his words, and they rumbled through Layla's chest.

Despite the throng of doctors and nurses still tending to her and the baby, Layla felt as if she, Zyair, and their son were in a world of their own—a bubble that couldn't be pierced by anything.

Eventually, though, one question made it through.

"And what would you like to name him?" asked a doctor, brandishing a clipboard.

Layla looked up from her reverie, smiling at the answer that she already knew would come.

"Caspian," said Zyair, smiling down at Layla. "A Terran name."

"And Zyair," Layla added, smiling back. "A Lorr name."

"Caspian Zyair Lorrz," repeated the doctor, scribbling on his clipboard. When he was done, he looked up and smiled at Layla and Zyair and then at the baby.

"Welcome to the world, Caspian Zyair," he added.

When all was done at the birthing center, Zyair brought Layla and Caspian back to their home. Their first night together was blissful—even with the crying and the pain and the breastfeeding, Layla felt as if she were in heaven.

"I love you so much," Layla told Zyair as the three of them cuddled together. "This is exactly what I wanted."

Zyair smiled, kissing her shoulder. "Me, too. My perfect wife and my perfect son."

Layla closed her eyes, feeling the warm strong arms of her husband around her and the tiny frail body of her son against her chest. The soft light of the lamp shone even through her closed eyes, and she felt she might be dreaming.

Except this reality was even more beautiful than her dream.