Dr. Albert Clarke is an accomplished man. He survived a difficult childhood-by the age of five, he had lived through two family deaths and a house full of loneliness and grieving. Now in his thirties, Albert has achieved contentment. He has a successful career in alien biology, a beautiful wife, and a few good friends. This is about to change, and Albert will need to manage another devastating loss, an expedition to an unexplored planet, and the biggest challenge of his life. This novella is included in Stories in the Okay Future, an anthology of short fiction by C.C. Alma.