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They had taken all the kids to the first wedding, but the twins had been fussy, and Idina turned into a terror, so Gilbert had offered Cheryl five hundred dollars for each night she stayed to babysit even though he could have hired one of the human staff to watch over the kids for much less than that.
Cheryl was more than happy to babysit for that outrageous amount and watch the weddings on the ship's closed-circuit broadcast.
"Are they still broadcasting?" Karen took off her high-heeled shoes.
"Yeah. But it's boring. People eating and dancing."
"That's what weddings are all about."
"Nah, they are about the ceremony and the vows. I think it's cool that the Clan Mother makes every ceremony unique." Cheryl yawned. "So, how are we going to carry the little ones over to Kaia's cabin? Do you want to put them in their strollers?"
"You can wheel the twins' crib, and I'll carry Idina."
Cheryl nodded. "First, help me pack a bag for them."
As they organized everything the kids would need tomorrow morning, Cheryl put the bag inside the crib and pushed it toward the door.
"Do you remember the code to Kaia's cabin?" Karen asked as she crouched next to Idina.
"Naturally." Cheryl opened the door. "The code is Kaia's birthday. I'll leave the door open for you."
"Thanks."
As Karen scooped Idina into her arms, she opened a pair of sleepy eyes. "Is everything okay, Mommy?"
Karen dipped her head and kissed Idina's warm cheek. "Everything's fine, sweetheart. You're going for a sleepover in Kaia's cabin, and tomorrow morning, you'll have fun with your big sister."
"Yay." Idina yawned. "Will you come to have fun with us, Mommy?"
"I will, sweetie." Karen carried her to the next cabin over and walked straight to the bedroom where Cheryl had already prepared the bed.
Cheryl covered her little sister with a blanket and kissed her forehead. "She's so adorable when she’s asleep. I wish she was that cute when she's awake." She smiled at Karen. "Can you stay for a few minutes so I can get my things?"
"Of course."
As she waited for Cheryl to return, Karen looked at the sleeping faces of her children and wondered for the umpteenth time whether she was doing the right thing. Despite giving her transition the best possible tools for success, there was still a small chance that her gamble wouldn't pay off, and she might leave her children motherless.
On the other hand, nothing in life was guaranteed, especially for a mortal, and Karen would rather grab destiny by the horns and drive it to where she wanted it to go rather than be jostled through life by its whims.
"Qué será, será."
Gilbert
Gilbert tried not to dwell on what was about to transpire as he made his way to the cabin.
It was better that way.
He couldn't afford to be overwhelmed by irrational jealousy or fear for Karen's life.
As he opened the door, he was greeted by the familiar aftermath of his kids' chaos. There were toys strewn about, a few scattered pieces of clothing, and half-empty sippy cups on the coffee table.
"Given how much I'm paying Cheryl to babysit, she could've at least cleaned up," he murmured as he started picking up stuff off the floor.
"She would have if I didn't practically shove her out the door." Karen came out of the bedroom with a large bag and started picking up things on the other side of the room. "I think she knows what's going on."
He arched a brow. "Do you think Kaia told her?"
Karen shrugged. "Cheryl is just too smart for her own good. I bet she had it figured out, but thankfully, she had enough tact not to say anything and pretended to believe my story about inviting friends over after the wedding."
