Deb, student midwife, dated Greg for five years without knowing he was an extraterrestrial. Adia, another extraterrestrial, knows why he shouldn't go home. Insane Morning!

Greg tapped on my window. I rushed to the front door, but quietly. My parents are still asleep.

He shook all over. I worried. My shift starts at 7 am but he doesn't have to be at work this early. We both want to ride the bus together, so he started this early schedule last week. But, today, he asked me if he could come at 4:30 am. Of course, I said yes!

I studied his thin frame. Had he lost that much weight? "Are you eating enough, Sweetheart? You're pale. What's wrong?" He works so hard to teach his brother's classes, too, and takes care of him. My grandfather's quitting his practice to help him with Briahh.

He smiled that wry half-smile that attracted me so. Those green eyes filled. Both of us had green eyes and platinum blond hair like surreal twins except for body shape. "Oh, I'm all right. Can we go in your living room? Is your mother up?"

"No, they're still asleep, though—"

"Good, let's sit down. I—uh--" He pulled at my arm as we walked, and he patted his pocket. Looked relieved. What's going on?"

He made me sit down and got down on one knee. My heart pounded! "Deb, I waited too long for this! W-will you--" He pulled a jewelry box from his pocket and I smiled. Finally, after five years! He fumbled with opening it and held it with his other hand. "Will you marry me?"

I cried. "Yes! Oh, Greg!"

"What's wrong, did I get the wrong ring? Oh, I'm not good at this!" He cried, too.

I hugged him. "The ring's perfect! I'm just happy, Darling!" I sobbed. Never saw him cry, not in five years--

He hugged me back and then I put it on. Perfect fit! The pink gold and sparkling diamonds and sapphires in a circle was just what I'd looked for in jewelry stores. Every visit to the mall, he took me in all the jewelry stores and bought me necklaces and bracelets. We looked at it all, including rings. "This is perfect! How did you know I like pink gold? I hoped you were thinking about marriage, every jewelry store!"

He laughed. "And not one we went to had pink gold! I finally got the idea to look online. This ring was in an estate sale. They do not make rings like this." Greg pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped my face. My drippy nose. "Are you happy, my sweetheart?"

"Yes! So when--"

"Shall we go see a movie tonight? Our reservation is at eight. We have time."

"Don't you want me to wake up Mom and Dad?"

He looked down at his shoes. "May we wait? I would like a little time for us to celebrate, first."

"Sure, that's fine." I hugged him and he smiled again. Greg always overthinks everything, like it's gotta be absolutely perfect. I'm not a picky woman, and neither are my parents. They keep telling me, 'you really need to build him up. He's so unsure of himself. Never talks about his past. Was the Old Country so bad?' His brother doesn't talk about it, either. He's sick. Greg worries. So, I worry. It's rare that he leaves him alone, even to go out with me. I felt guilty, knowing how much Briahh's meds are, and he lost his insurance. COBRA only lasts so long.

I put a couple doughnuts in the microwave. Not very healthy, but he needs to gain, and it's fast. Greg smiled at me and got plates. I stopped it before the ding.

We ate and I tried not to giggle. Halfway wished Mom would wake up, at least! She'll be so happy!

"When do you want to marry, Deb? June? Or, is May better?"

"How about Valentine's Day?"

He paled! "Is it proper? Your father will kill me!"

"Dad won't care! He suggested  Valentine's Day because that's when Mom and he got married! We dated for five years, Honey. I think they'll be happy whenever we tie the knot. Dad's been saving up for this for at least four years—"

Greg looked panicked. His green eyes filled. "So long! Did he expect me to marry you sooner? I—I--"

I hugged him and he leaned on me. "Deb, I feel a little sick."

"It's hot in here, 'cause Mom likes it warm. Let's get some fresh air." I pulled him up. Wished Mom had a porch swing like Granny has. We can always sit on the steps.

When we walked out, I noticed Molly with a group across the street. That's odd. She's 12, and they're grown? "What's Molly doing? Maybe we'd better go over there!"

Mama was getting mail out of the mailbox, and watched. What's she doing up this early, at 445 am? Why didn't we see her? Greg's tapping woke her up, maybe? I was already dressed because he wanted to come, and I hoped--

The two of us walked fast. One man was kneeling in front of her. Oh, he's a teenager? Gotta be from her high school! Romance at twelve? Maybe they're kidding around.

I got closer and saw how red their faces were, and the silly smiles. Greg smiled, and I couldn't help but smile, too. The neighbor kid fell in love! "Molly! You have a boyfriend?"

The older fella pulled the fella to his feet. This couple weren't her parents. Younger than Molly's. Maybe his? They had an older man in a suit with 'em.

Molly giggled. "I'm in love! Y'all, this is Ben Nias."

"I'm Greg Wehn Cet and this is Deborah Bruce. I am just visiting, but her parents and her live behind us. They will be happy for you also, Molly!"

"What's going to make us happy? Did you propose, Greg?" Mom ran up. Greg walks all the way to the bus stop three miles away if I don't drive him! The apartment he shares with Briahh is a mile in the other direction.

He paled. "I did. We are engaged. Tonight we shall celebrate with dinner at Papa's."

I hugged him. "Mama, Molly's got a fella!" Then, I startled. My hug nearly pulled him off his feet. How can he be so light? I held on. He's still shaking.

She frowned at Molly. "Aren't you a little young for that?" Mom stuck the mail in her coat pocket. Her salt and pepper brown curls waved in the cold breeze.

Molly smiled. "Well, I guess I'm a little young to be taking college classes, have work experience, and go to high school, but hey, Ben is already a diplomat. He's very smart and he's only 15, which is a little young to be a diplomat, right?" Those green eyes twinkled. She doesn't wear makeup. Looks eight instead of 12. Skinny, despite Mama's attempts to push food at her. And, she's already got her RN, though nobody's gonna hire--

Mom nodded. "I suppose you're right. I forget you're twelve often because you sound grown." And she does! I sure said the wrong--

He bowed to her and that impressed Mom. "My father is also a diplomat, and my mother. They taught me, and I also attended college abroad to learn Diplomatics and many languages. We represent the Colony of Fhiah. Not many diplomats earn this title at my age. Most are 20 at home, but there, legal age is 16, which I shall be in April on the 12th. Now Molly and I opened a formal Courtship." He had blond curls. Molly has red ringlets.

"Wow! You sure can pick 'em, Molly! Classy dresser, too." That blue pinstripe suit with vest that he wore, and his sash with many pins would look good at the prom. The couple had blue jeans and matching red-violet T-shirts. Seemed to be really in love, too. Unlike Molly's.

"Thank you, Mrs. Bruce. You are too kind."

"We have to tell my parents." Even her red ringlets trembled and Binneas put his arm around her.

"I will help you all that I can, Love."

"Thanks, Ben!" She looked scared. I'm scared of that woman--

The other man offered a hand. "Hallo! I am Tan Links, and I am a lawyer. I wish to represent Molly--"

"Oh, I shouldn't be so rude! I'm Esther Bruce. Are you Ben's mother?" She took the lady's hand. Our neighborhood with its nicely trimmed lawns and sidewalks vanished! I faced a crowd in the food court.

"Excuse me, I need a cup of water, pronto–my husband's about to faint!" I shouted it. One of the workers at Tico Taco stopped in the middle of handing a bag to a man, got the water. I mumbled quick thanks, raced away just in time to see Greg topple off the bench. My breath caught as he hit the white polished floor. The momentum carried him sideways onto his back. He laid still.

Somehow I put the lidless water down without spilling it as I hastily knelt by him. My nurse's training demanded I check him for injuries before touching him, but if I found something, how would I get him away from well-meaning passerby? Ignorance won out. If I kept his neck straight.... "Greg? Sweetheart," I said softly, lifting him, "I got you some water. Can you drink some?"

He forced his eyes open and groaned loudly. My hand found the cup, and a little spilled on him, but he was able to drink it. All of it. Then he leaned his head against my chest and fainted.

People milled around, stared. Hard for me to think. About sixteen ounces in the cup, and he'd downed it. Should've been enough to treat the dehydration, but the fall! He'd gotten some stress fractures lately. Needed to get him away from people, so I could examine him. And quickly!

I gasped. Greg's from another planet? We were married. That fall disabled him. In that future, Dad had a heart attack and died. Mom got cancer and died. My grandparents had heart attacks within 6 months of each other, probably from all the stress. We're all close.

Briahh died and Greg almost starved himself to death. I was alone, trying to keep my husband alive here, and then--

Two people kneeled in front of me; one smelled like licorice, the other like chocolate. I smiled at them, vaguely aware now that I'm sitting up, and by myself. Didn't remember sitting up. All at once, my eyes focused. Wide-awake at last! They changed colors and features constantly; it frightened me.

"Where is Greg?"

Their smiles faded; they spoke, but I couldn't understand what they said, so they pulled me to my feet. We walked down a hallway into a room with white walls. Not white like painted walls. I didn't have much time to notice, but there seemed to be layers with scenes done in shades of white: The overall effect was of a landscape in three dimensions.

"Deb. Hi, Deb." His voice stole my attention. Greg, but not Greg. Staring green eyes! He sat on a white bed with blankets that looked like the walls, and he wore matching pajama-like shirt and pants. Long-sleeved. His clothes fitted loosely where his parents' changed in dark colors and clung to them more. But, the way he held himself! As he spoke, he moved funny. Robot-like. And his speech was faint, halting.

They tried to make me like them. It hurt Greg! I sobbed. What if these people are like that? I wanted to scream! Run! But in all that, Greg was still the same man I fell in love with. He loves me. He tried to protect me. We nearly died on that planet, then got rescued by a colony of people with botched Earth people transformations like his, and his sister was crazy. She nearly refused help from--

Our neighborhood came back. I looked at the man and his wife. Ryee and Adia saved us. But we all went into slavery together. Nearly died. Greg was never the same—but he can't stay here--