Terrific conclusion to your magnum opus, Rusty! O'Neill's casual earthiness fit quite seemlessly into the Scarborough setting. I can certainly see him being distracted from an Alien Pregnancy Crisis by a street hockey game! LOL And I'm glad the Ancient woman got to see her baby and give her blessing to Rodney. That was a lovely touch.

>>>It hasn't hit me yet, but I'm sure it's going to take some time for me to get used to not working on this story anymore. I hope I don't end up with post-partum depression.<<<

Well, you know it doesn't necessarily have to be the end. It would be intriguing to see what sort of a wedding Carson & Jeannie have, not to mention the adventures of Rodney & John as the parents of an Ancient daughter. Sequel possibilities abound! (Particularly since you've created such a charming web of social ties for this 'family of choice'.)

Then again, after completing this novel-length WIP, you've earned the right to rest on your laurels for awhile. LOL Brava!!!