“Maybe things blew up last night and Feral and Ty are trying to keep them quiet,”my cat yawned into my thoughts. That was it, I had to ask someone what went down last night. I sent a quick text to Bernard. He was on the farm and if anyone knew if something had gone wrong, it’d be him. He might’ve yanked Nashen off his feet and flown away with him, though.
ME:What’s up with the link? Everything cool there?
BERNARD:No more haunted well. Nashen is in the early stages of labor. Too much to explain over text. Pami’sgone too. She wasn’t the woman in the well but she’s gone. We’ve heard rumors that Clarence and Medwin are close to finishing whatever they’re doing in the Burrow.
My heart skipped a beat. Wasn’t it too soon for Nashen to be in labor? Had whatever happened the night before put the baby in distress?
ME:Isn’t it too soon?
BERNARD:By a week or so. We’ve had everyone from Doctor Collin to Philip in the house. Apparently, the baby is ready and turned and all of that. They’d like us to go to the hospital but- It’s just complicated. Nashen has a complicated relationship with hospitals.
ME:Do I need to come back?
The next text came too quickly.
BERNARD:NO!
ME:Did I do something to offend you? Is Nashen still hissy about me?
BERNARD:No. Just stay and enjoy the lake, okay? Childbirth isn’t a spectator sport.
ME:I’m going to drop it because your mate is in early labor but something is up and eventually we will be back. If something’s wrong we deserve a head’s up.
BERNARD:Ask your mate if you really want to know.
I almost texted him again but let it go. If something horrible had happened, surely, I’d have felt it over the group link. I scrolled through my contacts, pondering who else mightbe awake at this hour and might be more forthcoming than Bernard. I couldn’t hammer him for info while his mate was in labor. His life was changing forever and if Vatten was in labor I wouldn’t give a text the time of day unless it was life or death.
“Why are you up already, Uncle Eran?” a tiny voice came from behind me on the pier. I jumped, catching myself before I faceplanted right off.
“Shit! I mean crap! I mean poop! I mean… Are you alright, buddy?” I asked, twisting around.
“Do you need to go to the bathroom?” he asked, looking at me with big eyes.
His little blanket was tied around his neck like a cape. He lifted it up as he sat down next to me. The night before, Jade and I grilled while he and Vatten played in the water. Their maritime adventure meant that another box of rocks was going home in Jade’s green Wing Minivan, but that was par for the course when living with an otter who was always on the lookout for the perfect rock.
“No. I was just startled. I thought everyone was asleep,” I said.
“I had to pee.”
“Did you pee?” I asked, because sometimes he wouldn’t go to the bathroom unless someone stood guard. He nodded and yawned.
“You were gone. So I came to look for you. Did you pee outside? We’re not really supposed to do that, but I won’t tell.”
“No, I didn’t pee outside,” I said, trying not to laugh.
“You’re going to move.”
“Move where?” I blinked, worried that he thought I was leaving him behind. Between Jade and Vatten there were enough worries that I was going to abandon someone.
“Closer to us. Your dog man was on the phone last night. He thought I was asleep. He called Mister Canton. He changed his mind about where to live. You might not move until after he has your five babies. Will that take a long time? Being pregnant five times seems like a long time to me,” he yawned again.
I wasn’t about to give him anything more than the barebones facts.
“Five babies are living in Vatten’s belly right now. They’re just too small to come out with the rest of us yet,” I said.
“Is he having all his babies at once because it’ll save time later? Grandpa Carmine is always pregnant or sitting on an egg.”
I chuckled. Jade’s carrier, Carmine, had been sitting on the same egg for the last six months. Still, I wasn’t going to explain reproduction to a five-year-old who wasn’t my kid.
