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There’s still so much I don’t understand about Eridian biology. It’s so different from human biology it’s like comparing oranges to isotopes. So when Rocky tells me he's pregnant, I'm shocked, but not for long.
“You and Adrian are having a baby?!” I asked with a big grin. We’re sitting on the beach on one of our morning walks.
“Yes, having baby,” he says. “Egg will be born in five days and hatch in half a year.”
“That’s amazing! Congratulations!”
“No understand. What does word mean?”
I smile and put a hand on one of his front legs. “It means I’m happy for you, bud. You and Adrian are going to be great parents.”
“Thank you, Grace.” He leans against me. “Can Rocky ask Grave something?”
“Of course, pal.”
“Will Grace be-” He makes a shrill tone, then shifts to a low sound. I’ve gotten good at Eridian over the years, but this is a new one.
“Sorry, I don’t know what that means.”
“It mean you protect and care for child. You are Rocky’s biggest friend. You be child’s biggest friend too.”
Something warm and fuzzy absolutely blooms in my chest. I wipe the errant tear from my eye and smile at Rocky. “Of course, Rock. In my language, the closest word we have is ‘uncle.’ It usually means you're related to one of the parents, but it can also mean the parent is your best friend. And it means the child is your family.”
Rocky perks up and bounces up and down. I taught him the word 'family' on our way to Erid and he pronounces phonetically in Eridian. Eridians have specific words for family members, like parents and mates and apparently uncles, but not people you love as a group. He likes the more vague nature of family, because it can include a lot of people. Even people from a totally different species. “Yes yes, you and Adrian are my family. Baby will also be family. We are all family!”
I’m still smiling. Because I’m happy for my friend and his mate and so excited for the child they’ll have. The kid is going to be so lucky to have them. Rocky leans against me, and I lean back, and we watch the waves together for the last few minutes before I have to walk to class.
Rocky asks me a lot about human children and birthing customs. I explain as much as I can, having never been pregnant myself or had any children. In turn, I ask what Eridians do. Apparently, they give birth alone, which Rocky is fine with despite my offers to be there. Then they make nests out of the planet’s native rocks to keep the egg upright. Someone has to sit on the egg for the first week but after that they just need to watch it. Rocky and Adrian will be taking shifts for who sits on then watches the egg.
“I can help watch when you two are busy,” I say.
“Will be boring for you,” Rocky replies. “Grace get bored much faster than Eridians.”
“Well, that’s true, but I can still do it. I want to help if I can.”
“Thank you, Grace.”
“Of course, bud.”
Rocky gives birth exactly when he said he would, and it’s the one day he doesn’t walk me to work, which I’m totally okay with. At the end of class, as the students are leaving, Rocky comes to the front of the classroom enclosure, bouncing with glee.
“Grace! Grace! Come see egg!” he says.
“Sure! Let me get my xenonite suit-”
“No need. Made nest close to enclosure wall. Make it easier for Grace to watch.”
Even after all these years, I’m still touched by how much Rocky thinks of me. I never take for granted how kind and considerate he is. Even when he insults me, he does it with love.
“Awesome. Let’s go.”
Rocky leads me along my bio dome’s wall to the west. We stop about five minutes from my house. Adrian is sitting in a circle of rocks about a foot away from my wall.
“Hi, Adrian,” I say.
“Hi, Grace!” they reply.
“Show Grace egg,” Rocky says.
Adrian stretches up slightly. Underneath them is what, to me, looks like a medium sized rock. It’s a lopsided sphere with both Rocky’s brown colouring and Adrian’s grey, with little veins of turquoise and red. It looks like a geode.
“Beautiful,” I say. “It’s a very pretty egg.”
“Thank you,” Adrian says, sitting back down. “Should be pretty considering how much work it took for Rocky.”
“Difficult birth, huh?”
“Big egg,” Rocky says. “Hatchling will be big and strong like Adrian.”
Adrian purrs and nuzzles next against Rocky. I chuckle at how cute they are. If they love that kid half as much as they love each other, the baby will be more than alright.
It isn’t until three Eridian months in that Rocky and Adrian ask me to watch the egg alone. It’s not that they don’t trust me, they just like being with the egg themselves. Can’t blame them. But on one of my days off, Rocky needs to go to do some work on another Eridian’s house, and Adrian has a lecture at another school, so I’m on egg duty.
I sit on the beach in my little alcove next to the egg. I’m working on my laptop, but the way I’m sitting means the egg is always in my peripheral vision. I still turn to look at it every few seconds. There’s no predators in the area (they were all cleared out when the Eridians built my enclosure) so the egg’s not in jeopardy. I’m just a naturally anxious person.
I turn to look at the egg for the millionth time, and it’s still there for the millionth time. I just stare at it for a long moment. It is very pretty in the light of my enclosure. I wonder if the kid themself will also look like a perfect mix between Rocky and Adrian. I wonder what they’ll be like.
“Hey, kiddo,” I say. “How’s it going in there? You doing alright?” I wait for a second, like there’s ever going to be an answer. “You’re taking your sweet time. Though I guess humans are pregnant longer than you take to hatch, actually. We just keep them inside the whole time.” Another pause. Again, no answer. “Your parents are so excited to meet you, y’know. Rocky wants to show you how to craft with xenonite, probably before you can talk. Adrian has all these plans for your future. Where you’ll go to school, what career you’ll have, all of it. I’m encouraging them to let you decide for yourself, so thank me for that later.”
I pause again, then put a hand on the glass. I imagine the egg is rough in some places and smooth in others. I know actually touching it would probably burn my hand, but it’s nice to imagine.
“You’re going to be so loved, kid,” I say with a smile. “I’m not sure how much of your life I’ll see, but I’ll be there for as much of it as possible. So hatch soon, okay? I want to meet you.”
“Why Grace talk to egg?”
I jolt a little, then turn to my left, where Rocky is standing. If he had a face, I imagine it would be very confused.
“I was just-”
“Egg cannot hear you,” he says. “Egg cannot hear anything yet.”
“Yeah, I know-”
“Then why talk to egg? Grace acting stupid, why?”
I roll my eyes, which I know he can’t see, but it’s the sentiment that counts. “It’s what humans do with their babies. We talk to them before they’re born. So they can get used to our voices.”
“Oh. Human culture?”
“Yeah, human culture.”
“Hm. Okay.” He walks over to the egg. “Hello, egg. Grace is talking to you even though you can’t hear him. Grace is human and that is human culture. When you can hear, we will teach you about human and Eridian culture. You will learn all the human and Eridian things.”
Hm, I never thought of it that way. Rocky and Adrian’s child will be the first baby on Erid or Earth to have an alien uncle. The first interstellar interspecies family. We’re truly trailblazers, I suppose.
“I’ll teach them everything I know,” I say. “Then they can take over the class after I’m gone.”
Rocky makes a displeased noise. He always does when I mention my mortality. It’s not something he wants to think about. Can’t blame him, I don’t want to think about it much either, but it’s a reality we’ll both have to face eventually.
“You guys think of any names yet?” I ask.
“We have ideas,” Rocky says. “We’ll know when baby hatches.”
“Of course. You have to meet them before you decide what they’ll be called.” I look down at the egg with a smile. I’m almost as excited as Rocky and Adrian to meet them.
“Fifth row, seventh down,” Adrian says, looking at Rocky’s screen hearing device.
“Seems risky,” I say. “It’s got a five next to it.”
“Trust me, it good.”
“Okay.” I click the little grey block, and surprisingly, don’t hit a bomb. “Hey, nice.”
I press my knuckles against the xenonite glass and Adrian fist bumps me back. They were very excited when I first showed them minesweeper. Something about the logic of it really clicked in their brain. We’re playing next to the nest today. If my calendar is correct, the egg should hatch any day now. Rocky and Adrian are so excited and never want to leave it. The only reason Rocky is away right now is because there’s some important meeting for the Eridian engineer’s guild he can’t miss. It’s the only thing that’s pulled him away the last two days.
“Now which one?” I ask
“Third row, twenty do-”
“Happen yet?!” Both Adrian and I jolt at Rocky’s shouting. He’s scrambling towards us from the darkness of Erid that I can’t see. He stops just short of crashing into Adrian. “Egg hatch yet!?”
“Not yet,” Adrian says with a chiding tone. “Calm down.”
Rocky moves close to the egg, as if he can will it to hatch by staring.
“A watched kettle never boils,” I say with a laugh.
“No understand,” Rocky says. “Human phrase?”
“Yeah, bud, human phrase. It means that things take longer when you focus on them.”
“Things take same amount of time whether you focus or not. Human phrase stupid.”
I roll my eyes. He’s been extra testy in anticipating of the egg hatching. “They’ll always take the same amount of time, but it feels longer when you don’t have something to distract you. Make sense?”
Rocky pauses for a moment in contemplation. “Yes, makes sense. Human phrase not as stupid as I thought.”
“Good. Now come play minesweeper with us. Adrian is doing well, as usual.”
“Adrian very good at minesweeper.”
“That they are.”
We play together for another few hours and clear three levels. Adrian is stamping their foot in excitement at one point, and we heard a loud crack. Rocky and I both jolt.
“Adrian, are you okay?” I ask, putting my laptop down. Rocky and Adrian both make excited noises.
“Not me!” Adrian says. “Egg! Egg!”
“Egg! Egg!” Rocky echoes.
They both turn around and watch the egg from either side, hovering over it. I’m on my feet, face pressed and hands pressed against the glass. The egg cracks again along the left side, then twice more on the right. Little bits start to fall away, then big chunks, until a little body emerges from the dust.
The baby is just, absolutely beautiful. They have the typical Eridian shape, with a big rock-like body in the middle and five legs, but they’re so tiny, they’d probably fit in the palm of my hand. Their skin is yellow, almost gold, with little violet accents at the top of their legs. They shake off the last bit of dust, then make their first sound. It’s a chirping noise, like a little bird. Probably the Eridian equivalent of a baby cry.
“Hello, child,” Adrian says, and I can hear the fondness in their tone.
“Hello, hello!” Rocky says, sounding much more excited and a little frantic. But I’ve also never seen him so happy.
“Hi,” I say, my voice cracking a little.
Adrian leans down and nuzzles the baby. Rocky does the same. They purr with utter joy. And more than ever, I wish that the Eridian atmosphere wouldn’t literally murder me. I want to hug my little nibling so badly.
Eventually, Rocky leans down until his head nearly touches the ground. The baby climbs on his head almost instinctively. He walks over to right in front of me.
“Grace name baby,” he says.
“What?” I say with utter shock. “You want me to pick the baby’s name?”
“No. Grace not give baby name. Grace pick stupid names. Like Taumeba.”
“Hey, I-”
“Mean baby has name Grace. You are Grace and baby is Grace.”
My jaw literally drops. It feels like it hits the ground. I’m just in shock for a long moment.
“Grace confused?” he asks.
I’m not confused, I know exactly what he means. I’m just...stunned.
“Really?” I ask, voice strained. “You’re naming the baby after me?”
“Yes,” Rocky says, like it’s obvious. “Grace save Erid. Grace save Rocky. Grace is Rocky’s biggest friend. Grace is also Adrian’s friend. Grace is baby’s uncle. Eridians give babies names with good meaning. Grace is good meaning.”
I sniffle and wipe away my tears. Adrian makes a distressed noise and scrambles towards us.
“Grace okay?” they ask. “Grace is leaking from eyes.”
“Humans leak when they are sad,” Rocky says. “Grace sad?”
“No, guys,” I say, chuckling. “Humans cry when they’re happy too. And I’m happy. I’m really, really happy.” I squat down to Rocky and Adrian’s height. I look at Little Grace with a big grin. “Hi, Grace. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Little Grace makes another chirping noise. I put my hand on the glass, and they do the same, pressing one of their little hands against mine. I’m still crying, but I’m also smiling so hard my face hurts.
Somehow, light years from where I was born and lived most of my life, I found a family I can’t imagine living without. What a crazy universe we live in.
I’m first awoken by my alarm, then further brought out of sleep by the insistent knocking. I don’t go any faster, as usual. I throw on my sweater and give Armando a good noogie. I open the door to see my best friend and my little nibling standing there.
“Grace slow,” Rocky says.
“Grace needs to do human things in the morning, I’ve told you this,” I say.
“Humans things stupid.”
“Mhm.” I kneel down to Gracie. “Hi, darling. How’s my favourite nibling?”
“Hi, Uncle!” they chirp. “Gracie made a ball yesterday!”
“You did? Out of xenonite?”
“Yes!”
“Good job, kiddo! High five!” I hold out my hand and they hit me a little too hard. We’re going to have to talk about Eridian strength vs. human strength someday soon, or I’m going to end up with a broken wrist.
Gracie crawls up my arm and onto my shoulder. They’re like a paperweight on my collarbone. It’s too bad we won’t be able to do this much longer. Gracie is getting heavier and heavier every day. Eridians grow pretty fast. Their long lifespans don’t equate to long childhoods. But I’ll miss the way Gracie purrs next to my ear. I scratch the top of their xenonite shell, the Eridian equivalent of a tossling their hair.
We walk along my beach. Rocky happily jumps in the waves, splashing around in the water.
“Gracie wants to do that,” Gracie says.
“Not yet, kiddo,” I say. “Not until you’re a bit bigger. Or you’ll get lost in the water.”
“Lost in water bad?”
“Very bad. You would never see me or Rocky and Adrian again.”
“No,” they whine, drawing out the sound and crowding against my neck. “Want to see parents and uncle forever.”
I scratch their head again and push down my darker thoughts. “Me too, Gracie. Me too.”
We sit in our usual spot, the one halfway between my class and the house. We get five minutes before we have to start moving again. Gracie stays on my left shoulder and Rocky is on my right.
“Grace?” Rocky says.
“Yeah, bud?” I reply.
“Are you still thinking about going home?”
“You mean back to Earth?”
“Yes.”
I sigh and look out at the splashing waves. They remind me of where I grew up. But...
I smile to myself. “The funny thing is, I don’t think of Earth as my home anymore. You guys are my home.”
Rocky makes a confused noise. “We are not in Grace’s home. House Rocky built is Grace’s home.”
“Yes, the house is where I live, but you guys make life worth living. You make me feel happy and loved. For humans, home can mean your family. The people you love.”
“Human words have too many meanings.”
I chuckle. “You’re right about that, bud.”
He leans against me, as he usually likes to do. “You and Gracie and Adrian are my home too.”
I put my arm around him. “I’m honoured to be your home, Rock.” I pet Gracie with my opposite hand. “And I’m honoured to be your uncle, Gracie.”
“Gracie is Uncle’s favourite,” Gracie chirps. I laugh and rub their head a little harder.
“Yes you are, kiddo.”
“Thought Rocky was Grace’s favourite.” Rocky’s tone is annoyed. If he had lips, he’d probably be pouting. I laugh and pull him closer.
“You can both be my favourites,” I say. “You two and Adrian. Okay?”
“Okay,” Rocky says. “Won’t tell class we are favourites.”
I chuckle. “Thanks, they’d be very upset.”
“Why won’t tell.”
“Thanks, pal.”
We sit on the shore for a while, even a bit longer after we’re supposed to leave. But the class can wait for a little bit. I’m having a moment with my family. And that’s priceless.