Author's note:  Sorry about the delay in posting this chapter…the past week was too hectic for writing.  And for you Riff/Magenta fans – I haven't forgotten about them.  We'll be revisiting them in the next chapter. 

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As everyone congratulated Frank, Adrianna caught Janet's eye.  "Janet, come with me.  Frank and I have something for you."

Her curiosity piqued, Janet excused herself, got up and followed Adrianna out of the room.  They took the lift up to Frank's bedroom – his "real" bedroom, as opposed to the room he'd taken Janet to - where Adrianna had tossed a small bag with some of her "odds and ends".  Janet looked over at the bed and smiled.  The satin sheets, rumpled and pulled loose in places, bore silent witness to the strenuous activity that had taken place between them.

Adrianna followed Janet's eyes and smiled herself.  Laughing, she said merely, "We'd been apart a very long time."

Opening the bag, she drew out a small box.  "I understand from Frank that brides here are supposed to have something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue."  She handed the box to Janet.  "This will take care of one of those requirements."

Janet opened the box and gasped.  Nestled on a velvet pillow was a gold chain, from which hung a pendant with the most beautiful blue gemstone Janet had ever seen.  The color was rich and vibrant, reminiscent of the sky on a crystal clear, especially sunny autumn day.

She looked up at Adrianna, fighting for words.  Finally, she managed to stammer, "This is absolutely gorgeous.  I don't know how I can ever thank you."

Adrianna smiled.  "You just did."  She sat down on the edge of the bed, and motioned for Janet to sit down next to her.  "That pendant belonged to Frank's mother.  If she'd had a daughter, she would have passed it down to her for her wedding day.  However, Frank was an only child.  He felt it was a shame for it to just be packed away in a box somewhere, and thought you might get some enjoyment out of it."

Janet asked, "Why isn't he giving it to you?  Or keeping it to pass along to a daughter the two of you might have someday?"

Adrianna replied, "I have a pendant of my own I inherited from my mother, that I will pass along to my firstborn daughter…should I have one."

Janet persisted, "But what if you have more than one daughter?" 

"There are different pendants of mine that would be passed along to any other daughters.  Jewelry is passed down along the matriarchal line.  Janet, please don't worry…Frank wouldn't have given up the pendant had he thought it would be needed for me, or for one of our future children."

Janet stared at the sparkling gemstone.  "It's just so beautiful."  She sat in silence for a moment, then looked hesitantly at Adrianna.  "Can I ask you something?  Something that, well, really isn't any of my business?"

Adrianna smiled and shrugged.  "Certainly.  There are very few subjects I consider 'taboo'."

Janet swallowed hard.  "Okay.  Was Frank…your first lover?"

Adrianna laughed.  "Absolutely not.  Both of us were, shall we say, quite experienced by the time we first made love to each other."

"Did the fact that others had come before make it…uh…less 'special' when you were together the first time?"

Adrianna shook her head gently.  "Not at all.  Everyone else was nothing more than…a body.  We were so much more than that to each other before we ever became lovers.  I can barely remember my first lover, because he never meant anything to me.  Right from the start, being with Frank was completely unlike being with anyone else, and it's only gotten better over time.  Admittedly that's partially because of Frank's…skill…but it's mainly due to the fact that we're madly in love with each other.  We've both had other lovers over the years, due to our frequent separations, but when we can have each other, we have no interest in being with anyone else.  It's the main reason I'm so anxious for Frank to give up his career."  She looked closely at Janet.  "Enough about Frank and me.  You're worried about your first time with Brad, aren't you?"

Janet started to deny the observation, but stopped and said, "Well, yeah, I guess I am, just a bit."

Adrianna put a consoling hand on Janet's shoulder.  "Don't be.  The two of you may be a little weak on 'technique', but I can see how much you love each other.  It's impossible to describe how it feels to have sex with someone you truly love.  There's nothing else like it.  You'll think it's wonderful."  She smiled.  "The fact that you've had other sexual partners won't make it any less special.  You have my guarantee on that."

Janet smiled back at her in relief.  "Thanks."

"You're welcome.  Now let's rejoin everyone else."

When they walked back into the dining room, Janet went over to Frank and hugged him.  "Thank you so much."

Frank looked over and saw Brad watching the two of them with more than a bit of curiosity.  Trying to keep from laughing, he smiled at Janet and said, "You're welcome.  Don't show it to Brad before the wedding."

As Janet took her seat, Frank said, "We were just asking Brad if you've set a wedding date."

Janet replied, somewhat sheepishly, "We really haven't had the chance.  We'd just gotten engaged earlier in the day when we…well, when we ended up here.  And things have been a little, uh, crazy ever since."

The Transylvanians smiled.  Rocky said, "Yes, I'm sure they have been.  But do you have at least a general idea?"

Brad said, "June is the traditional month for weddings here.  That might be nice."  Janet nodded in agreement, then turned to Eddie and Dr. Scott.  "We haven't heard from the two of you very much tonight.  Is everything okay?"

Dr. Scott said, "Yes, I am pleased to say everything is fine.  Eddie and I have had some very fruitful discussions."

Eddie added, "Yeah.  After my mom died, I didn't care about anything anymore, so I got into lots of trouble.  When I, uh, made my first delivery here, I thought it was the coolest place I'd ever seen.  I never wanted to leave, even after I found out they were from outer space and everything."  He looked over at Columbia and, incredibly, blushed.  "Especially after I met her."

Columbia smiled at him.  "That's so sweet of you.  But we have been through all this before.  You know we can't take you with us when we return home."

Eddie looked downcast for a moment.  "Yeah, I know.  That's what Uncle Everett and me have been talking about."  He brightened.  "But he's gotten me a really great job."

Dr. Scott said, "There is a motorcycle shop near my house that is looking for a salesman/mechanic.  I went over there today, and they will be willing to hire Eddie.  He will live with me until he…gets back on his feet."

Janet congratulated him.  "That's wonderful!"  Looking around the table, she said happily, "It seems we have happy endings for everyone."

At this observation, a pensive expression crossed Frank's face.  He looked at Adrianna and murmured, "Well, almost everyone…"