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“You’re…”
“Pregnant.”
I can’t speak. I can barely breathe. I stare at her abdomen, trying desperately to see what is happening in there. A little piece of me and a little piece of her combined to…
“Oh. Oh, Iara. My love.”
I go to sweep her up in my arms but stop myself. I have to be gentle. We have to be careful. She –
“You shouldn’t have jumped off the ledge this morning. You can’t do that anymore.” I wince as I hear how harsh I sound, but I can’t help it.
She just nods. “I’ve been feeling really lousy. Worse every day. I just…”
I don’t know what she ‘justs,’ because she bursts into tears. She’s mumbling incoherently as I gather her in my arms. Then I pick her up, carry her back to the cabin, and tuck her in bed. Maybe she should stay in bed until the baby comes.
She’s still sobbing. I stroke her hair and try to get her to talk to me. Finally, I leave on the pretense of getting her a warm drink. When I come back with it, she’s composed herself. The bed is huge to accommodate my large frame. Alone in it, she looks ridiculously tiny.
I hold out the cup, but she shakes her head.
“I’m happy about the baby, I am.” She seems on the verge of tears again. “But what about us?”
“Us? We’re going to be three. I couldn’t be happier.” I gather her in my arms. “We are going to have lots of adventures.”
I place my hand lovingly on her stomach.“Get ready, kiddo. You are going to have a very exciting childhood.”
She laughs. I can see the love in her eyes, shining through the tears. I don’t know what the future will bring. But I’m positive we’ve just taken the first step on our best adventure yet.
30
IARA
“Juni? Bring Momma that pretty necklace from the dressing table.” My four-year-old fidgets in her stiff white dress on her way to retrieve the locket. She puts it in my palm with a sinister smile. “Why is it sticky?”
My mother swoops in the way she always does with her grandchild. “Now my sweet Juniper, go be a good girl and tell Daddy we’re almost ready.”
She shakes her head as Juni disappears down the stairs. “Let’s clean this up,” she says, stepping away from the standing mirror.
I can hardly stand here myself. There’s a beautiful woman in the glass wearing a long white dress. She’s about to get married. She knows she’ll spend the rest of her life with her fated mate.
Today she’s on just one of her many adventures.
My tummy flutters under my dress as my mother swings the locket around my neck, “Something old.”
“I can’t believe this day is finally here,” I tell her, pulling the veil over my face.
“I can,” she spurts. “Gracious me, I wondered if this day would ever come. Around here, people get married before the baby.” I know she’s only kidding.
Though we started planning this ceremony long ago, before Juni was even born, there was really no rush. It’s a symbolic gesture more than anything here on Kiphia.
We delayed it when I learned I was pregnant, and then one thing led to another. We’ve spent the past five years enjoying each other’s company, but we’re finally ready for the celebration we always said we’d have someday.
“Juni wanted to be the flower girl at Mommy and Daddy’s wedding,” I remind her.
“A lot of good that did her,” she mutters as she pins the veil in place.
Juni stamps back into my bedroom, looking ready to rip the dress to shreds. “Dad says it's time.”
Bending down to her level, I know my girl just can't help herself. She was born with hot blood like every woman who came before her.
