A Spaceman

Chapter 20--To all a goodnight

"This is your room," I say, opening the door to let my grandson in. He walks in and looks at the daunting double bed. Clean dark blue coverlet, a wooden bedframe, simple light wood. I have a dresser and mirror, and a chair in the corner. Nobody ever used this guest room, or the bathroom. I had been storing old clothes in the dresser, I've had to get those out.

He doesn't say anything. But he hasn't said anything the whole time they said he might not. He sets down his little black pack that they gave him to put some donated clothes in. they didn't know if he had any of his own. He did look awfully thin. He set his little lizard down on the floor. It scampered under a dresser. Then he went over to the window and craned his neck up to look at the stars.

"Shannon," James Glenn said, startling me from my observation of the odd little person, "Sorry---there's something I should tell you---ask you."

"If it's about this person who has to be stationed in my home--," I begin. They were keeping a uniformed officer overnight to 'guard us' apparently. I did not like it especially considering they had yet to tell me what they guarding us from.

"Sort of---did they tell you anything about Tess?" he asks.

"No, nothing, not even how she got hurt, they wouldn't even let me see her," I say.

"Right---well, that's the thing. I can't tell you that, any of it but---as I understand with the program you weren't allowed to know who the biological father was?" he asks.

"No, we never met or anything, it was invitro fertilization," I say, shaking my head.

"Well---look I'm not allowed to tell you even this-----but I think you ought to know---it's Titus Card," he says, taking a deep breath.

"What---what---he's her father? He's my daughter's father? That animal?" I stumbled. I cannot believe I bore his seed. I gave birth to his child.

"What we do know is that he had visitation rights and he's what's led her to be in hospital now. that's why we were so urgent to get to her before," he says, apologetically, "I think you ought to know now, need to know. What with taking both of them in."

"Why now then---you think she could be like him," I realize.

"And I think I'm the only one who can read faces," he says, chuckling humorlessly.

"That's why, you're afraid for me," I say.

"I don't know. And I think you ought to know, that's all, just be aware," he says, "And to look out for the little one. He's innocent in all this certainly."

"What about him? Do you know who his father is?" I ask.

"No, what I told you is true. She's put unknown on the birth certificate, not undisclosed, which means that she probably doesn't know----sorry that comes off bad I know," he says, gently, reaching out as though to take my arm then thinking better of it.

"No, that's fine. I know, that's where she's at," I say, taking another breath, "Okay, thank you for telling me. I didn't---I had no idea."

"Saves her telling you. and best case scenario she'll need somebody to talk to. worst case scenario you'll need to know in advance—but anyway," he says, rubbing his palms together.

"You've not met her yet," I say, realizing he knows nothing.

"No, I haven't. I will tomorrow before she's released, they're letting me interview her. And I'm not going anyplace. Anytime day or night you call me, with anything, I don't care if she looked at you the wrong way you think call me and I'll come over, see how things are. We want her safe and the little one," he says.