Amidst a Crowd of Stars by Megan Hart

Seth’s fault, there were days, many of them, when Marrin blamed her husband bitterly for her current situation.
    The crowd of exiting passengers had trickled to nothing. Marrin kept her back straight, her eyes dry, her grip firm on Hadassah’s straining hand. He wasn’t coming.
    â€œCome on, girls,” she said at last, when the only person remaining in the starport station was the elderly Lujawedi sweeping the floors. “Let’s go home.”
    As she turned, one last figure appeared in the starport doors. A tall man with dark hair to his shoulders, wearing a blue jumpsuit with white piping.
    He stepped cautiously through the doors and looked around. His eyes fell on their little group and he smiled, stepping forward, the look on his face one of a man greeting long-lost friends. He looked overjoyed to see them, and Marrin stepped back at the sight of Keane Delacore’s smile. He didn’t look forty. He looked even younger than her twenty-six years.
    â€œMarrin Levy, I greet you,” he said.
    The formality of his speech took her aback for a second, but then she nodded. He spoke in Universal, in which she was competent, but not fluent. Perhaps he wasn’t either.
    â€œWelcome to Lujawed.” Her voice sounded strained and brisk even to herself. She cleared her throat and held out the hand not holding Hadassah’s. The little girl had shrunk behind her mother, watching from around Marrin’s hip. “You must be Keane.”
    â€œI answer to that, yes.”
    He had an easy grin that tried to make her mouth twitch upward in response, but it had been so long since Marrin had smiled, the effort failed. His faded a bit when she nodded at him instead. He turned his attention to Sarai and Aliya, who had ceased their running and now stared with wide eyes at the stranger their mother had agreed to bring home with them.
    â€œYou must be Aliya.” Keane pulled something from his pocket and held it out to the oldest girl, who reached out a trusting hand.
    Instinct almost made Marrin intercept him, but she resisted. This man had passed every test the Association for Interplanetary Spousal Provision had given him. He’d scored higher in morality, work ethic and intelligence than the other ten applicants Marrin’s own analysis had matched her with. She was already technically married to him, and had been since the moment she’d signed the plazscreen at the agency office three months ago. So she stayed her hand and waited to see what he had brought.
    â€œThank you!” Aliya looked stunned and happy. She took the chocolate—a full bar, still sealed, and held it to her chest. “Oh, thank you!”
    â€œAnd Sarai,” said Keane, pulling another bar from his pocket. He had to bend farther for her, but she took the present with no less enthusiasm than had her older sister.
    â€œThank you!” the girl cried, and added a spontaneous hug. Sarai had always been the most affectionate one.
    Keane’s eyes met Marrin’s over the top of Sarai’s head. He looked away in a moment and focused on Hadassah, still clinging to Marrin’s leg, though the bounty of chocolate had drawn her out.
    â€œAnd Hadassah.” Keane straightened, hand pulling out a third chocolate bar and handing it toward her.
    Hadassah grabbed it and kicked Keane solidly in the shin.
    â€œHadassah!” Marrin’s shocked cry echoed throughout the empty starport. “Oh, I’m so sorry—”
    Keane shook his head, standing upright and giving a far kindlier smile to Hadassah than Marrin would have. “It’s all right.”
    She cleared her throat uncomfortably. “She’s usually not—”
    â€œMarrin.” Keane shook his head. “It’s fine. Really.”
    Marrin nodded. “Shall we go?”
    â€œLead the way.” Keane lifted his bag. “They told me the rest would be shipped out to your place once it goes through