When last we left, Eddie (pictured left) had just disclosed his wealth to college roommate James. James is a journalist and Eddie is a trust fund baby, wanting nothing more than frequent romps in the hay. Eddie moved James into his family home. James wants more for himself and believes in hard work. James has been steadily improving at work and things are going well. Eddie's family butler, Alfred, also lives in the family home. Heather (pictured right), is the girl Eddie has been seeing for a few weeks. They met at a bar and Heather is staying with Eddie out of convenience, but has her own place. Alexa (pictured middle), just showed up a few days ago stating her house had burned down and she needed somewhere to stay while she got back on her feet. Eddie was immediately smitten with the beautiful Alexa and was about to kick Heather out as her fun is about all used up. However, Alexa has been flirting with the very old Alfred. Eddie cannot see what Alexa would want in Alfred when Eddie is so much younger and better looking.
Eddie hit on Alexa but she rejected him. "I'm dating Alfred, Eddie. No way I'd be interested in you.""You make no sense, Alexa. I'm the rich one, and you're the one needing a place to stay. What Alfred says is not what goes; this is my house."
"If you want me out, just say so, Eddie. Let's not play games."
"No," replied Eddie, seemingly hurt, "You're my best pal's sister and for that you can stay until you're on your feet, but let's not drag them, shall we?"
Alexa let out an exasperated noise and went off to her bedroom.
"So, Heather, I was thinking. We should talk about when you're going back to your place..."
"We could do that. Or we could do something more fun.""You are a girl after my own heart, Heather."
And at that, it was more Whoohoo, nothing new to either of them.
A short rest afterward, Heather sat up. "You know, there is something we should talk about. Its hard to tell you. I mean, I know I've worn out my welcome here and I'm truly sorry.""Your house burned down, too?"
"No, nothing like that. My apartment is fine. Its just that- Listen, Eddie, I- Oh, this sounds crazy!"
"Just spit it out already, Heather.""I- I'm being hunted by aliens!"
"Aliens?"
"Aliens, yes. I know how it sounds. But it gets worse."
"How could it get worse?"
"One of the aliens...is Alexa."
"Uh huh."
Meanwhile, Alexa was burying her hooks deep into the lonely Alfred. It was too easy, really. Turn on the tiniest bit of charm and he was putty in her hands. He'd been alone so long, and this girl was young and fit and seemed truly interested in the mundane details of his life.
"Alfred, you're my wisest advisor and I need some advice.""What is it, Sir?"
"Alfred, Heather seems to think that aliens are hunting her and that Alexa's an alien."
"Preposterous, Sir. Alexa is James' sister and a lovely girl, don't you think?"
"Yeah, Alfred, I do. But at the same time, Heather seemed so frightened. She shuddered. I don't think she was lying. Do you think maybe she's crazy?"
"I couldn't say, Sir. But it does sound outlandish."
Later that evening, Eddie repeated the same thing to James."My sister, an alien? Did you hit your head or are you dehydrated with all that bedroom activity?"
"I'm not saying I think its true, just that Heather was very upset about the whole thing."
"So, what? You'd put my sister in the street because your slut of a girlfriend thinks she's an alien? What about your Heather being crazy, had you considered that?"
"I have, and I am. But she wasn't lying."
Alfred came in at the tail of the conversation. Eddie knew he was caught between them, with Alexa being James' brother and being sweet on Alfred. And Alfred seemed to be eating up the attention. Eddie figured it out an proclaimed "Aha! I'll have Heather prove it. If she can prove it somehow, I'll have Alexa put up in a nice hotel until her house is ready to move back into or she finds a new place. I'll pay for it, but that solves both problems." Then Eddie took a nap.
Heather mumbled to herself, "They want proof. I'll find them proof. Somewhere out there is her space ship just hovering, ready to pick her up - and me with it! I'll get them proof."
Heather also continued to, erm, earn her keep, so to speak. Which, of course, kept Eddie in a good mood and her safely protected. In fact, Heather did have an apartment to return to. Her roommate called frequently and she checked in from work. But her roommate was a slightly younger woman and the two of them would be no good against an alien invasion, but Eddie would protect her. Heather works at a clothing store in the mall and it was very crowded. She had no fear she'd be harmed at work.
"So, Heather," James began, "I wasn't sure of you at first. You stayed a long time for a bar date. But I had information dug up on you and you're clean. You work, you went to school for a year before dropping out when your parents died suddenly, you're an only child, and your IQ is average as is every other thing about you. I just wanted to apologize for my research being behind your back. I was concerned for Eddie.""You what?" said an astonished Heather.
"Yeah, I'm sorry. But now I hear all this alien talk about my sister and I'm concerned for you. I know you've never seen a psychiatrist, but maybe you should."
Eddie interjected, "James, that's enough."
That night, nearly 1 month after Alexa had moved in, James reflected. It was the anniversary of their parents' death and Alexa hadn't said anything at all about it. She was normally a wreck as she had been daddy's girl. And yet today meant nothing to her. It was strange. She also hadn't remembered a lot of things that James had told her - things that happened while he was away at college, things from their childhood - that when he talked to her she looked at him blankly and he had to remind her, as if she hadn't been there at all. But this was all crazy! Alexa was not an alien. There were no such things as aliens - not that looked like his sister and pretended to be her. It just didn't make sense.
While Eddie reflected, Alexa threw herself at Alfred bodily. "You know I care for you, Alfred. Let me show you how much. Has it been long since you have felt the touch of a woman?""...so long, Alexa. So very long."
And that was about all it took before they were consummating their romance.
Eddie went down to see Alexa. She was in Alfred's room. Alfred had gone to take a bath and Alexa was in some new jammies."Alexa, do you know what today is?"
"Today is August the 14th."
"And?"
"And a Thursday. What are you getting at?"
"Doesn't that date mean anything to you?"
"Well, it is the first time Alfred and I were together. But I didn't think you could hear. Sorry."
"Mom and Dad?"
"They have died, yes. Its sad. I'm tired, James, go to bed."
James did go to bed, but he was truly puzzled. Alexa was usually sobbing all day on this date, but today, nothing, not even after a reminder. What did it mean?
Eddie asked "Burgers, Alfred? You never make 'junk food' for me.""It was a special request by Alexa. Besides, today is a special day. We have wonderful news. An announcement. Alexa is pregnant! I am going to be a father, Sir."
There was a stunned silence.
Eddie spoke "But Alexa has only been here 5 weeks. How can she even know if she's pregnant? And even if so, why would you think it was yours, unless you were jumping in the sack the first day she was here?"
"Sir, please do not use such slang with me. My darling Alexa and I would not 'jump in the sack' as you say. But we have made love. I am truly sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, James. It was just last week. And yes, she is carrying my child. One week old."
Alexa looked up and smiled at Alfred.
Heather looked sick. "Alexa, if you are one week pregnant, you would not have any signs at this time. There is no way you could know that."
"Well, I do, and I am. And its Alfred's child."
Alfred was so overcome, he could wait no longer and proposed right there in front of us all.
Nearly every evening after that, we had burgers for dinner. Eddie didn't complain. He loves burgers. Every so often Alexa would complain of illness. Eddie didn't have any of it "Oh, knock it off, Alexa. You're what, 2 weeks pregnant? Stop it."
"Thank you for believing me, Eddie. It means so much to me.""I'll be honest, Heather, I'm not sure I do believe you, but something strange sure is going on."
Exactly 7 weeks after the announcement that Alexa was pregnant, she was big as a house and started "going into labor" in the dining room. Eddie hadn't paid a lot of attention in biology, but everyone knew that it took a lot more than 2 months to deliver a full term baby, and usually more than that to even start showing.
Heather said plainly, "We all know you're faking, Alexa. No need to continue with this charade. No baby is going to come out."
And yet...
Alexa said she was very tired and handed the baby to James.
James gave his new little niece a bath to clean the baby up and wondered at the size of her. This child was the size of any other newborn. And yet, she was only 2 months incubated.
How was this possible? James knew now that something was terribly wrong. What if this girl was an alien? Its crazy, of course. But what if? And what if this alien had stolen Alexa's body or identity or something? How does that stuff work anyhow? James wished he had watched more sci-fi movies.
Alfred doted on his only son while still keeping up the household chores.
Eddie was irritated that one of the spare bedrooms had been turned into a nursery. Of course Alfred's child, if that was what this parlor trick was, had to sleep somewhere, but still.
James pulled Eddie aside on the balcony. "Eddie, I need to go see my sister's house, talk to her friends, find out what's really going on. No one has a full sized baby in 2 months. Cover for me while I'm going. Don't let anyone leave. I will call your cell phone when I'm returning, or if I run into problems. Until then, just play cool, okay? Heather might have something on this after all.""You think?"
"I don't know, but some thing's wrong."
"Alright, friend. Be safe! Here, take some cash. I don't want you putting anything on credit. Let's not make you traceable while you're gone.""Thanks, Eddie. I'll be as quick as I can, but at least a few days. If I'm not back in 2 weeks, find me."
"What's going on out there in the skies? Could there be truth to any of this?" Eddie wondered.
James left saying work was sending him on a training. He would be gone a few days to a week, depending on the course. He kissed his sister and niece good bye and shook hands with everyone else. James visited his sister's old townhouse. It had not burned down. There was opened mail on the dining table and her checkbook, envelopes, pen, and phone near it. It seemed she was right in the middle of doing her bills when she'd been interrupted and left it all there. There was even half a glass of water that now had cobwebs on top of it and the TV was on quietly in the living room. This certainly was not a house that had burned down. Nor was it the look of a house someone had vacated.The answering machine was beeping with messages. James played them. The theme was the same in all of them, Alexa hadn't shown up for dates, work, appointments, or returned any of her friends' phone calls.
That left two possibilities: Either Alexa had a sudden emergency that caused her to leave her home and rush out to take care of some things, or Alexa had been body-snatched. If she'd left, she hadn't returned. But either way, it seemed that the girl at Eddie's house was not Alexa. So who was she? And what could they do now? What of the baby?
James called Eddie's cell phone and had Eddie meet him a little ways away. James told Eddie what he'd found at Alexa's place. Eddie offered some solutions, none of which James liked. At this point, they both agreed that Heather's security was important and one of them would stay with Heather at all times. James returned home, stating Eddie had just picked him up at the airport and the conference went great.
