Annie studied her daughter briefly, and her mood lifted. She tried to think of something witty to reply with. She couldn’t. “He was very… charming. And, I didn’t exactly know he was an alien then.” She cast her memories back to those earlier days, to before Misha had been born. She smiled a sad smile.

“Where is he?” Misha asked. She asked not with the cynicism Annie had recieved from her friends but with the disquiet and angst of a daughter missing her father. Annie sat on the bed next to Misha and put her arms around her. The 13 year old child of human and Herminerm descent rested her head upon her mother’s shoulder.

Annie felt a tear fall. A tear of sadness for her child; a tear of anger for the husband who had seemingly deserted his family. “He…” she said, “had to go home.”

Memories rushed back of his departure. “Every male is being called back, Annie. My world is being attacked. I have to go. I’m sorry. I will come back!” She had believed him then, but 2 years of silence had brought doubt.