Chocolate Rewards: The Sweetness of Two Worlds Colliding Together (21 page)

The next
man in line stepped forward and introduced himself. “Your Majesty,
my name is Sergeant Major Kenneth Madison of the United States Marine
Crops. I would like to thank you on behalf of the people from Earth.
We would like to know what your plans for us are now?”

Rokai got
Emily and Kulani out of the throne room.

“
You
are registered now. We can leave.” Rokai wanted to get them away
from crowds, which were panicking. They were finding that they
weren't alone in the universe and that aliens had not only attached
them but had also saved them. They were homeless and dependent on the
aliens they feared. Rokai feared a riot.

Emily
could see that he was getting nervous. But she also saw military men
here, directly the people and working with the aliens. “Our troops
are here. They will control the crowds.”

Rokai
boarded his craft and took off quickly.

Planet
Lokiun

Amber was
pacing up in down in her room. “Why would he leave in the middle of
the night?” Amber asked Zufu.

“
Master
said he would be back soon.”

“
But he
has been gone for two days already.” Amber was having terrible back
pains but she didn't want to admit that to Zufu yet. The baby was
coming and her husband had just gone missing. “I feel upset.”

“
Of
course you are, mistress. I'm sure he will be back soon.”

“
What
if the baby arrives before he does?”

“
I will
not leave your side.”

“
Thank
you, but it's not the same.” Amber had tears in her eyes. She
didn't want to offend Zufu but she wanted her husband.

Zufu
watched her mistress pretend not to be in labor. Mistress Amber's
hand would move to her lower back again and again.

She
seemed to be pacing close to the window.

“
Could
I called him if the baby did decide to be born now?”

“
He
will be here as soon as he can. I'm sure he will hurry.”

“
Hurry
with what?”

“
Master
is a very important man. He has lots of responsibility. He loves you
so he will hurry back to you.”

“
But
will he be on time?”

Zufu was
thinking the same thing.

Two hours
later Amber could no longer hide the fact that she was in labor. Zufu
tried to help her but Amber felt lost without her husband. She
worried that something had happened to him. She feared that she was a
widow. She started to cry and just couldn't stop. To top everything
off, she wasn't blessed with a quick delivery this time around.

Amber
fell to the floor. She couldn't take the pain anymore. It was so much
worse this time. “Rokai!” she screamed out. “Rokai!”

Rokai
landed the craft, making the decision that he couldn't wait for
decompression. He wanted to check on Amber before he got her parents
settled.

The
second the door opened he heard Amber screaming his name. He exited
the craft and ran into the house and up to their room, expecting to
find her withering in pain on their bed. Instead, he found her with
her hands on her hips, staring him down. “Where were you?”

“
I
thought I would bring you something that you might need.”

“
I just
need you. You never should have left me.”

“
I
brought your parents here.”

“
Really?”

“
Yes,
they were right behind me.” He peeked over his shoulder and didn't
see them.

Amber had
the next contraction. “It doesn't matter. It hurts more this time.
I need you.” She reached for him.

Rokai
took hold of her and hugged her to his heart.

Amber
started to feel a little better because he was here. “I need you
with me, all the time. It was awful without you.”

“
I
know, but I had to leave. I'll explain after this is over. I had a
very good excuse.”

“
You
better have, or else.”

“
Or
else what?”

“
I'll
think of something.”

Zufu
entered the room. “Mistress' parents,” she announced.

Amber
peeked and saw her mom walking in the door with Garnet in her arms.
“Hi, baby. How are you doing?”

“
Not so
good, mom.”

“
Kulani
maybe it would be best if you took Garnet to his room.” Emily gave
him the beautiful toddler before she went to her daughter. “Is the
pain worse than last time?”

“
Yes,”
she answered as she leaned over Rokai's arm.

“
How is
it different from last time?”

“
Last
time it was over so quickly, but this time it has been going on all
day already.”

“
Mistress'
birthing is going as planned. No complications.” Zufu was trying to
calm down Emily. She could feel that she was scared for her
daughter's health. Zufu feared that Amber was already overly upset
because Rokai hadn't been here. If anything more upset her she might
have troubles. Rokai was a good master, but what would become of him
if something happened to Amber?

“
Is
there anything I can do to help you?”

“
Just
talk to me.”

Emily was
also worried about her daughter. She needed to tell her something
that would make her happy. “We got a new mailbox. I ordered it out
of a catalogue. It was one that you paint yourself and then assembly
yourself. I thought it would be a nice project for your dad. When it
arrived he sat down and thought up designs. That went on for over a
week until he had just the one he wanted. Then he went to work. I was
a little nervous because the main color was orange. Then your dad
painted it, layer over layer. I teased him that it grew, doubling in
size by the time he finished.”

Amber had
another contraction but this one wasn't as bad. Rokai held her and
Emily continued to talk.

“
He
wouldn't tell me what he was up to. I tried to peek a couple of times
but he caught me and sent me away. When it was dry, he built it
together, and set it up. He put a sheet over it and made a big show
out of presenting it.

“
He set
me in front of it and removed the sheet. He even said Ta-Da.”

Amber
smiled but the next contraction took her. It was almost time.

“
He
pulled the sheet off and I saw the most beautiful mail box there ever
was. It was orange because it was sunset. He had the five of us
dancing the hula on it. It became the most precious thing I owned
from one second to the next. He had our whole family on it, you,
Garnet, me and him and even Rokai. That was when I knew that he had
accepted Rokai.”

“
Now he
has to repaint it to add the new baby.”

“
No, I
think it would be better if he made a new one.”

“
You
don't need two of them.” Amber was confused. Her mother had been
talking about the mailbox like she would never see it again.

“
The
mailbox had our family on it. But you three are so far away. Rokai
asked us to live here with you. We jumped at the chance to watch our
grandchildren grow up. You guys are the most important thing to us.”

“
You're
staying? Honestly? No more goodbyes?”

“
No.
Thanks to your husband we can all be together now.”

Amber
looked at her husband. “I'm sorry I scolded you.”

“
My
timing was bad. I should have brought them here a lot sooner.”
Rokai kissed her forehead tenderly.

“
I want
to lay down now,” Amber informed them.

Rokai
laid her down and went to work on undressing her. Emily remembered
from last time that he would want to catch the baby. Emily grabbed
onto one of her mothers hands and held her tightly.

Zufu
stood ready to help where she could. She was pleased to be here this
time.

Rokai
started to hum to his wife to calm her down. He would feel better
about all of this once the baby was born and the laser told him that
she was okay again.

“
Zufu,
hold my other hand.” Amber reached for her, as always Zufu stood
ready. She would do anything for her mistress.

“
Tell
me about the clothes that we are going to make for the baby.” Amber
looked at her to distract herself.

“
This
baby will be a girl. We will make her pretty dresses.”

Amber
tried to smile at the women but then she had to push. She did so
without making a sound. That worried Rokai and Emily. Amber had
screamed out last time. This was all so different.

“
I can
see the head, Amber. Push when you can. It's almost over.”

“
Pink
dresses, so she looks nice when she dances and does yoga with her
mommy.” Zufu wanted to distract Amber and get her heartbeat to slow
down. Amber's heart hadn't been beating right since Rokai left.

“
I'd
like that.” Amber smiled for a brief moment and then she had to
push again. She could feel that she wasn't strong enough.

“
That
was great, baby. Next time you push her out so we can see her,”
Emily begged.

Everyone
in the room could see that Amber was like a flame on a candle, her
light was flickering.

The next
contraction came and Amber pushed with all of her might, giving birth
to her baby. She, too, could feel herself slipping away. The people
around her felt like they were out of her grasp. Their fingertips
couldn't quite touch hers. They drifting away, getting dimmer until
she was in complete darkness.

Rokai
held his daughter in his hands. He smiled down at her. “She is so
beautiful, Amber.” He looked up at Amber, eager to share this
moment with her.

Zufu took
the baby out of his hands. “Quickly, lay her heart over yours. You
need to start hers again before it is too late.”

Rokai
lifted his wife into his arms and lay down on the bed placing her
just the way they slept together at night.

“
Mistress'
life energy is fading. She needs to refill herself. Hold her tight.”

Rokai had
often seen the Emko's medicine work, when modern technology would
have fail, or would have arrived too late. He listened to Zufu,
trusting in her word, wanting to believe that Amber still had a
chance.

Emily
didn't know what to think. Amber had been there in one moment and
gone in the next. “Amber, no, not again. I don't want to lose you
again. Stay with me. Amber!” Emily screamed, calling for her child.

Amber was
drifting away but she heard her mother calling. She had to go home,
she told herself. Her
mom wanted her. She
started slowly drifting back to her mother. Now she could hear the
strong and fast beat that was next to her. The tiniest fraction of
light was starting to reappear in front of her eyes. She was getting
warmer.

The spark
of light was getting brighter. Amber was amazed that it could change
so completely. It was now so bright that it hurt her eyes. She could
feel its warmth by her toes and slowly moving up and over her body.

“
I'm
sleepy,” she muttered.