Chapter Eleven #3
Diena’s bearing said she would burn the world if she got a hangnail. Kritz was suddenly glad that the baby had been confirmed his and Arcady’s. That family was scary.
* * * *
Diena looked at Keska and said, “You are part Nelith and part Aluhara, right?”
“Yes. No other pieces.”
“Aluhara is Alody’s cousin. Like actual cousin. Like they have met cousin.”
Keska stared at Alody. “No way.”
“Way.”
Keska grinned. “This makes holiday meals so much fun.”
Diena blinked. “Oh. Right. Caska and Avagail.”
Keska opened her arms. “Cousin!”
Keska got up and ran around the table to hug Diena and then Alody. “Kessie is going to be so happy. Ithal is her cousin.”
Alody said softly, “Can you see if Aluhara remembers Alodihan?”
Keska sobered and nodded. “Of course.”
Keska made a call and smiled. “Hey, Aluhara, or rather, Mom. I have a question for you. Do you remember Alodihan?”
There was silence, and Keska teared up. “She’s crying. She said her little cousin was taken by fever when she was eight.”
Alody got up and walked around the table, leaning over Keska’s shoulder. “Hello, most elegant cousin. I am sorry about the berry tarts, but they were always my favourite.”
Keska smiled. “She remembers. Mom, this is her number. Go.”
Alody had tears in her eyes when her com alerted. She sat down on a bench against the wall and answered. “Hey, cousin.”
Diena smiled. “Thank you for doing that. She was sold so young. Now we know what the cover story was.”
“Like you, I was lab-raised. The family dynamic does not come easily.”
“No. I know it kept you from Kessie and Sorooth.”
“Well, the Sethir edict against Nelith did that. Her genes pop up every time I have a scan, and I didn’t want that for Kessie. You have no idea how relieved I was when Sorooth said he was coming here as an instructor or professor or something.”
Diena smiled. “And you found the way, and Kessie doesn’t hold it against you.”
Alody was crying happy tears as she talked to her cousin.
Diena laughed. “I wonder how long before Sorooth asks if he can play in the paintball range.”
Keska chuckled. “He’s already asked. I told him he has to find another boy his size to play with. I am not hunting a minder on the range.”
“Oh. Shoot. Right. We need a blocker in the helmets.”
Keska nodded. “I am on it.”
“Okay, so late-night hours for adults. More suits. Trackers, self-destructs if someone wears the suits offsite.” She grinned. “This is so much fun.”
“I think playparks are supposed to be.”
They laughed and chatted about plans for expansion and an adult-themed playpark, as well as kids’ parks in other places and countries. The arrangements would have to change depending on where they were. Local traditions and information about activations would be tailored for the local museums.
Diena would be going from country to country to country to persuade them to allow the parks. She would bring one or two ladies from the ancient city as backup. One per year would be sufficient.
“I have a strange idea for the next one.”
“What?”
Keska paused. “The Sethir. But less of a park and more of a training ground for the ladies. They are building a girls’ school and purchasing the children from parents who would otherwise have shipped them out of the country.”
Diena thought. “They want to try.”
“Correct. They have plenty of male training outlets, but I think our methods are a little less threatening for the girls. At the worst, they end up with some really fit omegas.”
Diena looked at her. “Wow. That’s a thought.”
“I am imagining a poster. I think Salat should draw it.”
“Oh, the ads are nearly done.”
“Nice. When can I see them?”
“We just need footage from the paintball course.”
Keska grinned. “And that we got today.”
“Wait. Us?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, dang.” Diena grimaced.
Keska showed her some of the footage on a tablet, and objectively, the suits looked great, and Diena looked amazing.
“That suit makes my butt look really good.” Diena nodded. She had a thought and went to whisper a sentence into Alody’s ear.
Alody grinned and spoke to Aluhara, finally ending with, “It’s your choice.”
Alody looked at Diena. “That shut her up.”
She laughed, and Diena realized that Jenaki was missing. She looked at Keska. “Did Jenaki want to play with the boxing simulator?”
Keska grinned. “He took off while you were chewing on Kritz. Sorooth wanted to square off against someone in a fair fight.”
“Ah. The professor and the OBGYN. That’s a fair fight.”
Keska laughed. “We can’t use that on the advertisements.”
Diena smiled and sighed, thinking about dinner.
The sound in the building rose and fell, excited children and parents who kept wishing this sort of thing had been available for them. That was the point.
Diena had been forced to train on adult equipment with adults competing against her. She wanted something bright, something that didn’t have stakes, something that wasn’t recorded in her file. She had desperately wanted fun, so she was seeing fun now.
Eskin came and sat next to her. “So do you want to be called daughter or junior?”
Diena laughed. “Really?”
“Yup. She’s already said yes, so it is just a matter of time before we formalize things.” Eskin grinned. “My mom is so excited to get a daughter-in-law and two grandchildren in one union.”
“So you are going to propose?”
He laughed. “Of course. You don’t wait thirty years for a woman and then not lock her down.”
“You have a ring?”
He nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Wow. You are prepared.”
“Indeed. I don’t suppose that you could watch Ithal one night this week.”
She nodded. “I can do that. Are you moving in?”
“Once she accepts my proposal. How did you settle on Jenaki so swiftly?”
“Ah, he delivered my baby. He’s an excellent physician and knows when to be serious and stop flirting.
He also knows to hold me when I need it and just be there.
” Diena smiled. “I can respect that, and it felt good simply to be taken care of in the lull between battles. Plus, Ithal saw him and me and our child fourteen months from now. Though the description was a little vague, it was enough for me to recognize him when I saw him.”
“How vague?”
“He was shiny, and the baby had gold marks on her cheeks.”
He grinned. “Ah, that explains the comment of another shiny one.”
“Yes, apparently, the ladies of my family have a type.”
He snickered and then sobered. “What would you recommend?”