Ithal smiled.“Then I can be an uncle?”
“That is when you will be an uncle.”
He looked at her and patted the bump.“About fourteen months then.”
Diena stared at him.“What?”
His eyes were glittering gold.“Fourteen months and I get a little niece.”
“Does your vision tell me who the father is?”
He frowned and blinked.“He’s sparkly.”
“That...is good information to have.”She checked her com.“Okay.One more hug, and then I will see you when I am done with morning appointments.”
Alody blinked.“Ithal, you have sight?”
“Well, Mom.Yes.It’s how I knew just when to call you, but I didn’t tell the investigators.Is that okay?”He looked concerned.“I needed to know if we would be all right, and I knew you had to come for that to happen.”
“That is fine.You answered all the questions that they asked.”She wrinkled her nose.“That is what honesty is good for.They stop asking questions when they have what they need.”
She smiled.Diena chuckled.“We have the weirdest activation.”
Alody nodded.“It is certainly unusual.”
They hugged again, and Diena headed for the door.“See you in a few hours.Enjoy the passes.”
As she left the house, Shisha and Vaken were on the sidewalk.They both stepped aside with stunned expressions.
Alody checked her com, and Shisha had sent a message.She was able to drop Vaken off.Alody chuckled and smiled.“Shisha, that is my daughter, Diena.Diena, this is Shisha and Vaken.”
Diena nodded.“Pleased to meet you.I will see you later at the park, Vaken.”
He looked at her and looked back at Alody.“You are the same.”
Diena inclined her head.“I am a clone.See you later.”
She walked to her automated transport, settled herself, and it glided away.
Alody watched her go and smiled at Shisha.“So that is my daughter.She’s surrogating.”
“She looks ready to pop.”
“There won’t be any popping noises, but the child will emerge fairly soon.”
Shisha smiled.“But she’s yours?”
“Yes.They grew her in the capitol.Nothing hidden there.She filed the correct paperwork and gained her freedom when she didn’t have any obvious activations.”
“I see.Thank you for taking on Vaken today.”
“No problem.Diena just gave us passes to the new playpark for kids with a young actives section.”
Vaken perked up.“Really?”
“Apparently, it opened this week.So we have three passes.”She held it out and blinked when it saidAll Access VIP.“I think I have to ask Diena a few questions when we see her again.”
Ithal smiled.“Can we go now?”
