When She Wishes (Risdaverse)

by Ruby Dixon

But after fifteen years of bouncing around from job site to job site, I've found a place that it's keffing killing me to leave. I'm in love with Risda III, and I can't stay.

I love Risda III, too, buddy

I never knew what I was missing. Planets have fresh air. And birds. And grasses. And stars at night. I'm going to miss the stars more than anything.

Well, almost as much as the fresh air and the fact that my lungs feel clear here.

Damn. I really wanted to see the stars one last time. They always make me think of that woman and that one night. The human woman who told me all about stars and wishing.

Never saw her again, but I think about her all the time. Wherever she is, I hope she's happy. I hope she loves this planet every bit as much as I do.

One of the things that's so appealing about Risda is how very peaceful it is.

This! I'd never survivor on Not Hoth or a spaceship.

I hate that I never caught her name, and I was hoping to talk to her one more time before I left. But today, like every other day, she's simply not here. Sometimes I wonder if I imagined her.

I try not to get too excited. "It does. I can do all of that. I don't care where I sleep as long as I can see the stars."

no more than a brisk half-hour walk away. Which is good for me, as I don't own an air-sled. I'd happily walk a road four times as long if I got to stay, though.

But then the door opens and as it does, the wafting, delicate, tempting scent of my dreams comes over me. I stare at the tiny blonde female I've dreamed about for months now.

A little more tired and drawn, a little disheveled, but it's her. I'd know that keffing scent anywhere.

She stares back at me, her eyes wide. "Oh my god, it's you." I gape, both thrilled and surprised. It seems like the stars are paying attention to my wishes after all. "I'm...here about the job."

revealing a huge, pregnant belly. "That night in town? You...me...what we did..." I just stare. "I'm having a litter." And she bursts into tears.

Not just pregnant. Pregnant with triplets. At age thirty-six.

"Hush," he says, taking me by the arm and leading me back into the house. "Calm yourself. There is nothing that can be solved with tears and a dozen things that can be solved with good tea."

The stranger fluffs a pillow behind me and then tucks another against my side for me to lean against. He puts his hands up, indicating I should remain in place, and then scoops up the laundry and sets it down on the nearest counter.

and triangular ears jutting out of a thick mane of hair. I probably shouldn't find that sexy, but I do, along with his big body and even bigger hands.

It's probably a mistake to point that out. His face lights up as if I've given him a gift. "I am a father?" "Not yet, but soon." I rub my belly again.

"This...this is incredible." He stares at my stomach, and then at my face again.

remember meeting you and petting your whiskers..." And I vaguely remember petting other things, but I don't bring that up. "The next thing I recall is morning, and we were both naked in a field."

He looks stung at my words. "I would not presume to take your children from you. But I would be happy to take part in their lives if you will let me."

I want to protest that I don't need anyone looking after me, but just one cup of tea has made me feel so much better. What would it be like if I had real help with everything that threatens to overwhelm me?

"Show me where your cleaning system is and I'll do it for you. I'll make dinner, too. You just drink your tea and then go sleep."

He holds out his wrist communicator to me. "Do you have one of these? I can give you my identification and you can send me a message if you need anything."

"I will," he says firmly. "We will not argue over this." I frown at his bossiness. "You're a stranger⁠—"

"No, as of now, I am your hired assistant. I will handle all the work. Your job is to sleep and take care of yourself." He points a clawed finger at me.

"And if you are worried, lock your door until you are comfortable with my presence. But I am registered here, and if anything happens to you, the cus...

"Okay." I rub my face. "I'm too tired to argue." "You just rest. I am here now."

"I did not give you my name. You can call me Bodhrri." Oh shit. I'd forgotten all about names.

It should be the most basic of information and yet we're doing this all backwards. "I'm Payton." "Payton," he repeats and then nods. "I will remember."

I wake up later that night to delicious scents and someone moving around in my kitchen. At some point, a blanket has been tucked over me, and my mug is gone.

He seems so very happy. Maybe that's why I fell for him. He looks as if nothing would ever bother him. "Bodhrri, right?" His smile lights up the room. "And you are Payton. I haven't forgotten."

"I am not telling you this to shame you," he says, reading my expression. "I am telling you to sell my worth to you. To show that you need me around."

I've decided that already. I decided it the moment he put this huge platter of food down in front of me. The dinner is delicious, and before I know it, I've cleaned my plate.

"I want you to stay. Not just to do the work, which I appreciate and will happily pay for, but because you and I need...

"May I ask...how many you are having?" It's a fair question, and one that he should absolutely be asking. "I was told that there are three babies, but because of how tightly they're in there, there might even be a fourth one."

I've been obsessed with how bright the stars are here on Risda, too. Before my belly got huge, I'd pull a chair out into the front yard and just sit and watch the gorgeous nighttime skies for hours.

"Oh. Have you seen a lot of falling stars?" "Just the night we were together." Bodhrri looks thrilled. "But that was enough."

"And what did you wish for?" For a moment, he seems bashful. "An opportunity to stay. This planet is...wondrou...

He smiles again, the look on his face so boyish and full of excitement at the prospect of staying here that it makes me feel warm inside.

"I'm thirty-six." "I am ten years younger than you, then." "Oh lord." "Is that bad?" Yes. It's terrible. I'm a cougar. A knocked-up cougar.

"I was just...curious. That's all." He just grins at me as he picks up his plate. "I don't mind, in case you were wondering." "I wasn't!"

In the space of a week, having Bodhrri around has proven to be both the best and the worst thing to happen to me.

The good—he's turned my farm around. While I've slept more than I could have imagined and remained in bed for most of the day, he's repaired all the bots, cleaned up the barn, and is running a borrowed fencing bot to make another pasture to put the cattle in.

And that's just outside. Inside, he's cleaned up the kitchen and filled the pantry with all kinds of goodies from the store in town. He's brought me cookies from the baker in town and while they're not fantastic cookies, I eat every single one of them in a sitting.

Bodhrri spends his credits to make sure I'm well stocked and says he'll just bill me later. He makes me every meal and constantly presses mugs of hot tea into my hands.

He's always there to puff a pillow up at my side or behind my back, and he's done the laundry and swept the floors to boot....

I didn't realize that having someone to help out would bring such immediate stress relief. Of course, Bodhrri's taking care of more than the farm. He's taking care of me, too, and I know it's because I'm carrying his babies.

He cares about you, too. Not just the babies.

If having Bodhrri around doesn't kill me, that is. Because having him take care of me? Having him handle the farm? It's turning me on in the craziest sorts of ways.

If he shows up and his mane is tousled or there's a streak of mud in his fur...? Hot. If his coverall tightens as he reaches for something? Hot.