“But—”
“Do you love your parents?”
“Yes, of course.”
“And I love mine.” He took her hand, weighed it in his. “I can’t begin to explain what we went through when we thought Cal was dead. My mother... She’s very strong, but when the news came that he was lost, presumed dead, she was ill with grief. Days, weeks.”
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I can only imagine how you must have felt.”
He shook his head. Those days were still difficult to speak of. “And then, when we learned the truth, they both tried to accept. He was alive, and that meant everything. But to know that they would never see him again, never know.” He broke off in frustration. “Maybe they can accept, especially when I explain to them that he’s happy here. When I tell them about the child.”
“What child?”
“Cal’s—Libby’s carrying a child. Didn’t she tell you?”
“No.” Shaken, Sunny pressed a hand to her temple. “Everything was so confused. And I... Libby’s pregnant.” With a little laugh, she dropped her hand “How about that? We’re going to have a niece or nephew.” It seemed right, only right, that when her world was at its darkest there should be that tiny glimmer of life, and of hope, in the future.
Yet it was that same future she was losing him to.
“Having a baby only takes nine months,” she began, trying to sound casual. “I don’t suppose you’d consider hanging around to see whether we should buy blue or pink balloons.”
It was so easy to see beyond her smile, into her eyes, where the sadness hovered. “I can’t take a chance on leaving the ship here so long—and I’ve already overstayed my projected equations. Sunny, my parents have a right, a need, to know about Cal’s life, about the child. Their grandchild.”
“Of course.”
“If I could stay... There’s nothing there that means as much to me as what I’ve found with you. You have to believe that.”
She struggled to remain calm while her world silently fell apart. “I believe that you love me.”
“I do. But if I don’t go back, if I don’t give them that much, I could never live with myself.”
She turned away, because she understood too well. “Once, when I was nine or ten, I wandered off. We were at the cabin for the summer and I wanted to explore. I thought I knew the forest so well. But I got lost. I spent a night under a tree. When Mom and Dad found me the next afternoon they were frantic. I’ve never seen my father cry, not like that.”
“Then you know why I can’t just turn my back on them.”
“Yes, of course.” She managed to smile as she faced him. “I’m sorry I caused such a scene before.”
“Don’t.”
“No, really, I am. I didn’t have any right to say the things I said.” But, try as she might, she couldn’t apologize for decking him. “I can’t begin to understand what it must have been like for you all these weeks. Trying to fit in and bide your time until Cal came back.”
“It wasn’t so hard. I had you.”
“Yes.” She lifted a hand to his cheek, let it fall away. “I’m glad you did. I want you to know that.”
“Sunny—”
“So when do you go?” Deliberately she moved out of reach. If he touched her, however gently, she might shatter.
“Tomorrow.”
She had to lock her knees to keep them from buckling. “So soon?”
“I thought it best, for everyone.”
She wondered that her smile didn’t crack her face. “I’m sure you’re right. But you’ll want to spend a little more time with Cal. You’ve come a long way.”
“I’ll talk to him in the morning. And to Libby,” he added. “I want to set things right with her.”