Las Vegas, Nevada
Congratulations, Andrea!
Andrea’s Bio:
Andrea Dennin has been creating stories for as long as she can remember. It all started with inventing places and situations for her Barbies to showcase their clothes. Eventually her ideas escaped to the blank pages of countless notebooks and stayed there. Though recently addicted to flash fiction, she enjoys writing novels and short stories. Andrea has a B.A. in English and is pursuing an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and a M.A. in Psychology. She enjoys teaching, jewelry making, and hiking. She currently lives in Las Vegas.
The Tenth Wife
The dry wind shifted against her cheek. Then sound split air, stirring her from light slumber.
The glowing sphere hovered, blocking stars.
Its propulsion system stirred dirt tunnels and scattered camping gear. She scrambled for her gun.
The sphere jerked to the side after three hits but landed safe.
She cursed as light conquered dark.
“Go bother another planet. I’m not going with you.” She growled.
He closed in. “Is that any way to treat your husband? Shooting at the only way home?”
“Go back to your pinning league!” She pushed him away.
“I’m a joke at work because you decided to study plants on this backwater planet. You owe me. Come home. Now.”
His command strangled the reply in her throat.
“Ever since you visited Saturn you’ve shown attitude, why? You never minded being the tenth wife before.” His exasperated voice bounced in the dark.
“On Saturn men have five wives. And here on Earth they have one. I’m tired of sharing you with nine other women, thirty kids, a crappy job, and the pinning league.”
“So you run and hide galaxies away from your family. Don’t you miss us?”
“Yes.” She bit her lip. “But I want to be special.”
“You are special. I flew my new transport all the way here and my thanks is a ruined cloak! What if these humans shoot us down? Do you know how long a tow would take to get out here?”
She apologized. “I thought you were the enforcer.”
“I bribed him two cycles of wages to leave you alone.” He said, two hands waving.
He shook both heads. “You drive me crazy, but I don’t want you in one of those detention camps.”
The enormity of the gesture softened both her hearts.
He continued. “You can’t hold this human appearance forever, you know. Eventually your heads will grow back.”
Her shoulders slumped. They’d already started growing. “So you bribed a planetary enforcer to bring your tenth wife home. Why?” She watched his eyes.
“Because I love you!” He exploded. Two hands went up in the air and two others stayed on his hips. “You’re my tenth wife. My last wife.”
“What?”
“Yeah. I gave up my rights for others. You’re it. I can’t take anymore wives.”
She looked into his faces. “I’m the last?”
“Yes. Okay? I’m tired of living without you. And you have enough research on this planet for three books. No more excuses. Come home. Please.”
She let him hug her, listening to his twin hearts pumping under her cheek.
“We could have a baby.” He ventured, identical smiles stretching in- sync. “If you want.”
“But tenth wives aren’t allowed... Overpopulation…”
“Shh. I’ll just bribe someone else.”
She laughed.
“Change back, first. One head doesn’t suit you.”
Her human head came off. Two new ones grew in.
“By the way, I quit the pinning league. Now you only share me with the wives, the kids, and the job.”
Her four arms embraced him.
***