“I didn’t know it was possible either. Apparently human and Cire physiology are more compatible than I realized.” She twisted her hands together. “I know this is a lot to process. I wanted to tell you first because it affects you too. If you’re not comfortable with this, if you want to?—”
“Are you keeping it?”
The blunt question caught her off guard. “I… yes. I’m keeping it.”
“Then what does it matter if I’m comfortable or not?” Anya shrugged. “It’s happening either way.”
“It matters because you’re my daughter and your feelings matter to me.” Corinne reached for Anya’s hand, relieved when the girl didn’t pull away. “I know you didn’t ask for any of this. You didn’t ask to be taken from Earth, or to end up on a colony world, or to have an alien stepfather and a hybrid half-sibling on the way. If you’re angry or upset or?—”
“I’m not angry.” Anya looked down at their joined hands. “I was when you and Dad got married. I felt like you were taking him away from me, like everything was changing and I didn’t get a say in it.”
“That’s understandable.”
“But then Dad died and you were all I had.” Her voice got quieter. “And you stayed. Even when things were awful, even when we were prisoners, even when you could have just focusedon saving yourself. You protected me. You made sure I was fed and safe and you never once made me feel like I was a burden.”
Tears pricked her eyes. “You’re not a burden. You never were.”
“I know. That’s what I’m saying.” Anya looked up, her blue eyes serious beyond her years. “You chose me even when you didn’t have to. So if you’re having a baby with Selik, then I’m happy for you. Both of you. You deserve to be happy.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” She pulled her into a hug, and Anya came willingly, pressing her face against Corinne’s shoulder. “Thank you.”
“Besides, it’ll be nice to have a baby around. As long as I don’t have to change diapers.”
“No promises.”
Anya pulled back with a mock groan. “Great. I’m going to be the free babysitter, aren’t I?”
“Probably.”
“Well, at least Jarrek will think it’s cute. He’s weirdly into babies.” She stood, stretching. “Are you going to tell Selik tonight?”
“I… yes. I should tell him tonight.”
“He’s going to freak out.”
“Probably.”
“The good kind of freak out though. He’ll be happy.” Anya headed toward her room, then paused at the doorway. “For what it’s worth, I think you’ll be a great mom.”
She disappeared before Corinne could respond, leaving her alone with tears streaming down her face and her heart too full to speak.
A great mom.
She’d been a stepmother to Anya for less than two years before David died, and she’d tried so hard to find the right balance. Not too distant, not too familiar. Respectful of Anya’s relationship with her absent mother, but present and engaged. It had been exhausting and uncertain and she’d never quite felt like she was doing it right.
But apparently she’d done something right, because Anya had just given her the greatest compliment she could imagine.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of nervous energy. She picked up Mikoz from Liara’s, grateful when the toddler immediately demanded to be held. She carried him around the house, pointing out various objects and teaching him the words in both Standard and Ciresian.
He was walking more steadily now, his vocabulary expanding daily. Soon he’d be running and talking in full sentences and she’d have two children to keep track of instead of one.
Three children, she corrected herself, pressing a hand against her stomach.Three.
Anya helped with dinner, chattering about her day and Jarrek and the book she’d been reading. She kept shooting Corinne meaningful looks, clearly dying to know when and how she planned to tell Selik.
She had no idea.
“Hey, Selik, funny thing happened today. Remember all those times we had sex? Well, one of them took. Surprise!”
