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Judy got the message at work. She called the school to get Penny and Will out of class.
She left work, picked up Penny and Will. Then she picked up Esperanza from day care. The infant smiled and reached her chubby little arms out when she saw her mom. At a little over three months old, she was just beginning to reach for things.
They were going to the landing bay. The Jupiter carrying Don and their parents had made contact with Alpha Centauri and was a few hours out. Don and both their parents were alive.
It was surreal. There were so many emotions. Judy felt numb.
They gathered at the landing bay with a throng of other people waiting for their loved ones they had worried for a year were dead or lost forever.
Judy bounced Esperanza on her hip and brushed the wisps of dark curls back from her daughter’s eyes.
“I can’t believe they’re going to be here,” Penny said, fidgeting.
Will let Esperanza grab onto one of his fingers.
“Are you ready to meet your family?” Will asked the baby.
More than anything, Judy was relieved and overjoyed to soon be seeing her family again. But she was also nervous about how everyone would react to meeting the baby in her arms. Nobody had known she was pregnant when they all split up because Judy didn’t know she was pregnant at the time.
Penny squeezed Judy’s shoulder.
“They’re going to love her,” Penny said. “Don’s going to sob from joy.”
The Jupiter landed. Judy forgot how to breath.
The small crew poured off the spaceship, running toward the crowd of loved ones waiting for them.
Maureen, John and Don (carrying Debbie) looked around for them. John spotted them first and gestured to his companions.
Will and Penny ran toward their family but Judy jogged, not wanting to jostle her daughter too much.
Penny and Will crashed into their parents in a group hug that nearly brought them all to the ground.
Judy slowed to a walk a few steps away.
Don saw her and his eyes glistened. He grinned like a fool. Then he saw Esperanza. His grin faltered as his fist came up to his mouth and tears came to his eyes.
Will appeared at Don’s side and silently took Debbie out of his arm.
Judy and Don rushed to each other. Don clasped both hands around her face and touched his forehead to hers. She mirrored him with one hand.
Don was crying. Judy was too.
“Judy-“ Don was struggling to speak around tears. He made some noises that weren’t quite words.
“I know,” Judy said. “I love you.”
Maureen and John approached them, wide eyed. Maureen and John both put a hand on Judy’s shoulder which she squeezed. But she didn’t look away from Don.
“Is this-is she-“ Don began.
Judy pulled back only slightly.
She took a deep breath and looked down at Esperanza, who looked very confused.
“Esperanza,” Judy said. “Meet your dad. Don, meet Esperanza Robinson-West, your daughter.”
It seemed like Don forgot how to breath.
He placed one large hand on Esperanza’s cheek and wrapped his free arm around Judy.
He finally choked out: “Hola niña. Aún no lo sabes pero te amo mucho.”
(Hello, baby girl. You don’t know it yet but I love you so much.)
Esperanza reached out her little arms to him. Judy passed her to Don who looked like he was holding the universe’s most fragile and precious treasure. Don stared at his daughter, enamored. She just babbled and grabbed at his face.
Don turned his head and kissed Judy.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too,” she said.
Judy pulled away to finally hug her parents.
Will and Penny looked like they were itching to hug Don but they held back.
“You are so brave,” John said as he hugged Judy tight.
“I love you and I’m so proud of you all,” Maureen said as she got her hug.
“So you’re not mad Don knocked Judy up?” Penny joked. They all chuckled and some of the tension was released.
“I’ll forgive him because the kid’s so cute,” John said. “Will we get a turn ever?”
John gestured to Esperanza, indicating holding her.
“Later,” Don said.
He didn’t let go of his daughter until they reached the chariot and she needed to go in her car seat. Judy showed Don how to strap her in.
Don rode home with one hand grasped in his daughter’s little fist and his other hand in Judy’s as she leaned into him.
When they reached the house, Don carried Esperanza inside.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty? Need showers?” Judy asked.
The long lost Jupiter crew had to admit they were hungry and thirsty and probably needed showers but they didn’t want to just yet.
Penny got snacks and water for everyone.
“Oh my god, fresh fruit!” Maureen said. “We haven’t had this in years!”
“That was our reaction too,” said Penny.
They crowded into the living room area to catch up.
John and Maureen told them about how they escaped death multiple times and finally made it to Alpha Centauri but they were much more interested in hearing about their children. Don was unusually quiet throughout the whole conversation. He just cooed at his daughter as he held her, while keeping his side firmly pressed against Judy who was leaning on him.
Penny and Will filled their parents in on their own harrowing journey to Alpha Centauri. And in a rushed way, they were all caught up to the present.
“Will and Penny are doing really well in school,” Judy said. “Penny even won a writing contest.”
“Oh come on,” Penny interrupted. “I’m sure they really want to know about the baby. Me winning a writing contest is not as big of a deal as you having a baby.”
Something seemed to dawn on Maureen who clasped a hand over her mouth. Tears glistened in her eyes.
“Judy, you arrived here two months ago,” Maureen said. It wasn’t really a question but Judy nodded. “How old is Esperanza?”
“Three months,” Judy said. Don looked up at Judy as the same realization dawned on him.
Judy remembered delivering her own baby on a Jupiter in the middle of uncharted space without Don and without her mom. Penny probably wouldn’t have been in the room otherwise; she was squeamish around blood and bodily fluids. But she stepped up, held Judy’s hand and caught the baby. It hadn’t been pleasant. But then the baby was there and she was healthy and beautiful.
“Judy, you are so brave,” Maureen said, clasping Judy’s hands in her own.
“Hey I helped!” Penny piped up. “She nearly broke my hand from squeezing it so hard for like two hours.”
John pulled Penny into a hug and kissed her hair.
“You were brave too,” John said.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there, Judy. I-“ Maureen said but Judy cut her off.
“Mom, it’s not your fault,” she said. “It’s not any of your faults. You saved us, you sent us away to be safe. We’re all here now and that’s what matters.”
Esperanza had begun to fuss a few minutes ago but now she was fussing in earnest. Judy recognized what she needed.
“Here,” Judy said as she reached to take her. “You can have her back in a few minutes but I need to feed her.”
Don acquiesced and handed over his daughter. He wrapped one arm around Judy and kissed her temple. The Robinsons had known about Judy and Don’s relationship before they got separated. They usually weren’t so open with displays of affection before but they just couldn’t help themselves now. Nobody seemed to mind: they were all in a huggy mood.
Judy slipped one breast out of her shirt and Esperanza latched on easily.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” John asked. He looked between Judy and Don.
“I didn’t know then,” Judy said. “I was only a few weeks along. It was really scary when I found out. But I’m happy now.”
Eventually the Robinson adults took showers and Will and Penny started cooking dinner.
Just Don and Judy sat in the living room with their daughter. Don had his arms wrapped tight around the both of them.
“I didn’t lie to you about having a birth control implant,” Judy said. “I guess it wasn’t designed to hold up in space.”
“I didn’t think you lied,” Don said. “Judy, I wish I had been there for you. You had to do it all by yourself while captaining a ship full of kids. You’re amazing.”
“It was hard,” Judy admitted. “I expect you to do more than your fair share of diapers and baths now that you’re here to make up for it.”
Don laughed.
“It’s only fair,” he said.
“I was worried what you would...think,” Judy said. “We hadn’t talked about kids, we hadn’t talked about the future at all.”
“Yeah,” Don said. “I never really gave our future much thought because we were just trying to survive. But I knew then like I know now that I love you and I would do anything for you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But I’m sorry princess, you’re going to have to share the number one spot in my heart from now on.”
Judy laughed.
“I can deal with that,” she said.
Esperanza giggled as Judy bounced her on her knees.
“I hope you like her name,” Judy said.
Esperanza was Don’s grandmother’s name. He had spoken of her fondly many times to Judy.
“It’s perfect,” Don said. “And fitting.”
Esperanza means hope in Spanish.
“Okay,” John said as he came into the room. “I cannot be kept from holding my granddaughter any longer.”
Judy handed Esperanza to her grandfather who grinned as he held her up. She grabbed his nose and he laughed.
Judy, for the first time in a long time, was absolutely happy.