Read Online Alien Proliferation by Gini Koch - Free Book Online Page A

painful I started to black out.
    “Jeff, for God’s sake, calm down.” Reader sounded furious. “You’re killing her.” He took my hand and held it. “It’s okay, girlfriend. Just try to relax.”
    Something got through to Jeff. He kissed my head. “Baby, it’s okay. I’m sorry. Relax, I’m not upset. I was just worried about you and didn’t realize James was in here.” I sobbed from pain, but at least I was seeing more than a pinpoint of light. “Shhh, baby, shhh. It’s okay, I’m here, it’s all right.” His voice was soothing now, and I could tell he wasn’t angry any more. The baby calmed down.
    Managed to take in a deep breath without it hurting. “I wanted to name the baby James Jeffrey if it was a boy and Jamie pick-a-middle-name if it was a girl. It’s a girl, clearly. And I’ve known it since you started showing you were worried, so I call her Jamie when you’re not here.”
    He was quiet for a few moments, and I wondered if we were going to have a fight, which, from how the baby was reacting, could kill me. But he nuzzled my head. “Jamie Katherine.”
    Reader and I both relaxed. I could tell because the baby went very calm and I could feel her being happy. Jeff reached out and pulled James into a group hug, which was a common A-C thing. “Sorry, James. Just been a stressful night after a stressful day.”
    “No problem. About to get more stressful. Just try to keep your cool.” Reader kissed my cheek. “Go for it, girlfriend.”
    Group hug over, I took another breath. “She’s your daughter, let’s just say that. When you left I was worried, and then I got the usual hormonal overload.”
    “You mean you started panicking that I didn’t love you any more, no longer found you sexually attractive, might consider having sex with Amy just because she was there, and might decide being chased by goons in the middle of Paris was more fun than being up with you at three a.m. looking at baby strollers?”
    “Wow, I didn’t think your sarcasm knob went past eleven, but I think you were at twelve there.”
    He sighed. “Not only could I pick all that up, I could also pick up when you started to get terrified. I’ll do the reassurance drill later. What do you two think caused the knocking and unnatural fear? And why was James not as affected by it?”
    “I think the baby picked up that I was frightened and that her daddy wasn’t here. So she did her best to get the most acceptable surrogate over.” I cringed, waiting for his reaction.
    “That makes sense.”
    Reader and I looked at each other. “Personal growth is a great thing, babe.”
    Jeff sighed. “Look, all jealousy aside, if the person you run to when I’m not here is your best friend who happens to both be gay and married to one of my closer cousins? I’m great with that. The baby wasn’t trying to get Reynolds in here. I can’t even say how grateful I am for that.”
    “Maybe you could stop dwelling on Chuckie and his supposed still-romantic interests in me, Jeff. Since, for the past nine months at least, I only think about him as a romantic alternative when you bring it up.”
    “Huh. Fine. So, why knocking? And why did she knock out and move the Security team? I get that she wanted James with you, not them, but I don’t understand the rest of it.”
    “I have no idea. She’s a baby in the womb. I don’t have a good idea of how babies in the womb think, Jeff.”
    Reader looked thoughtful. “She’s reacting to you, though, isn’t she, Kitty?”
    I thought about it. “I suppose. The knocking stopped my crying. But it scared the crap out of me, too.”
    “Yeah, you’re not kidding.” Jeff hugged me. “I wasn’t joking—I could feel your terror in Paris. If we hadn’t been running for our lives, I’d have gotten home a lot faster.”
    “I probably don’t want to know.” Of course, I knew I’d find out. And soon.
    Reader cocked his head. “That’s it.”
    “What’s it?”
    He shrugged. “The baby