Ithal smiled.“It just means you are ready to stop being strong for a bit.Like seeing the finish line after a long race.”
Diena chuckled.“Why am I feeling it before the finish line?”
Ithal looked at her with the wisdom of someone with rocket pyjamas.“Because the hardest part comes at the end.We will cheer you on if we can.”
Diena looked at Alody.“Really?”
“He has the week off, and he knows the baby isn’t yours to keep, so we thought it would be nice to have you at home healing and being spoiled.”
Diena smiled.“Thank you, but my place is bigger.”
Alody nodded.“We will put overnight bags together and be ready when you go to the birthing centre.You will leave that facility without the baby, but you will not leave that facility without family.”
Diena looked at her mother, looked down at her brother, and burst into tears.
Vaken paused his exercise, and his eyes went wide.“Do we need chocolate?”
Diena laughed.“No, but thank you.I am sorry to disrupt your day.I will get you additional passes for another time.”
Vaken looked upset.“We have to leave?”
“Of course not.I just feel bad for disrupting your first visit here.”
Ithal patted her belly.“It’s okay, but this place is lots of fun, and no one is recording the results, so we are safe to start experimenting here.”
Diena smiled.“That is the purpose of this place.To let you figure out what you can do before anyone gets hurt, including you.”
Alody looked at her.“This place is yours?”
“With a few others.Yes.I am the main shareholder, and I designed the different levels.”She smiled.“Did you want a complete tour?”
Ithal smiled.“I can wait until the next time.What do you need, sis?”
She looked at them, and she and Vaken laughed.“Chocolate.I will be in the food court.Please play out here.I will be fine doing businessy things.”
Alody nodded.“We will meet up with you in about forty minutes before we attack again.”
Diena grinned.“I will see you there.Don’t judge me for the amount of food I will have gone through.”
Alody chuckled.“I won’t.The boys will just be impressed.Are you good to go there on your own?”
“I am pregnant, not injured.I will be fine, and I have an unlimited snack account that is linked to your passes, so take your time.”She ruffled Ithal’s hair as the idea of unlimited snacks ran through him.
She laughed and returned to the lift, heading down to the main floor and to test the limits of her snack counters.She was nothing if not devoted to quality control.
She smiled.Going to her family was a need, and her family was good with need.
Thirty minutes later, Diena was sitting and talking to the day manager amidst the wreckage of three healthy juices, two sets of fries, and a bowl of chilli.
Roysos looked at the approaching group.“I can see those are yours.”
“Yup.Two eight-year-olds and unlimited snacks.I am testing our facility to the limit.”
She reached into her crossbody purse and pulled out three chits.“Scan these at every kiosk you are interested in, and we are not going to tell Vaken’s mother what he has eaten, so as long as he has no allergies, he can go nuts.Ithal, I send you off to find the tastiest thing you can find, after your lunch.”She turned to Alody.“You already know what you want.Go for it.”
Alody grinned, and they darted toward the different kiosks with all the various foods.
Roysos chuckled.“Your family is adorable.”
