Jenaki blinked.“You can hear the family?”
“Yes.I heard them speaking softly at work.Heard the crying, the sniffles, the depression as attempt after attempt failed them.”She smiled.“They had a need.I answered it.”
Alody smiled.“You will hear that term a lot in our family.We act on need.That is the only way to get us to expose ourselves.”
“And you have seen that I will eventually be family; you are being honest with me?”
Diena stroked Ithal’s hair and the fin on his head.“We have always been honest.It is too complicated to lie.No one believes the truth.”
Ithal chuckled.“You believe me.”
“I believe you.”She stroked his hair, kissing his head.
Dr.Jenaki said softly, “Do you need a lift home tomorrow?”
She smiled and turned her head.“Alody?”
“I think that since it is after one, I am going to take Ithal home if you will be all right, Diena?”
Diena sighed.“I am tired.That was a workout.”
“Okay, we are going to our place, but I want to know the moment you head home.We are moving in until you are good.It will also let Ithal and Kessie go to school together.She starts school on Monday.”
Ithal perked up.“Nice.”
Diena laughed.“Thank you for being brave enough to stay with me.Go home and get some sleep.If Vaken is available when I get home, you can invite him to play, or Mom can take you both to the playpark again.I have endless passes.”
Ithal leaned up and kissed her cheek.“You did a good thing, sis.”
Diena smiled and nodded, swallowing.“I know.It is just strange to have it over.”
Alody smiled, got up, and kissed Diena on the forehead.“The baby was strong and healthy and huge.I am very glad my children have come to me the non-traditional method.”
Diena started laughing and was still laughing when her family left her to rest.
Jenaki moved into the bed next to her and held her as laughter turned to crying.She paused in her sniffling, “Are you clocked out?”
He laughed and held her.“I have been on call for you alone tonight.I knew it would be you when I was assigned your file.”
She felt the tears seeping down her cheeks and exhaled against him, inhaling the scent of heat and green and bright sunshine that made up his specific identifiers.
She muttered, “You are a good doctor.I barely felt a thing.”
“That would be the drugs.”
Diena sighed.“Drugs don’t work on me.Pain is pain.If I need it, I feel it; if I don’t, I don’t.”
Jenaki stroked her hair and kissed her forehead, as she had with Ithal.
It warmed part of her, and she felt something settle.“Don’t think just because you got me into bed on the first date that this is going to go smoothly.”
He chuckled.“I expect that I will have to use all my charm.I may need to borrow some.Just because I got your dress off, I don’t believe that is a frequent occurrence.”
She patted his chest, and a wave of fatigue swept through her.“Let’s not peak too soon.”
He kissed her again, and she let the deeds of the evening take her away.
* * * *
