Shadowed(69)
“I know you two are close, but maybe she just needs a little space,” Liv said consolingly. “And Sophie and I will pick up the slack as much as we can.”
“No, I don’t want you guys to have to worry about it,” Kat demurred. “You’ve got a new baby, and Sophie’s about ready to pop. Lauren is already making the cake, Nadiah is stuck on First World, and Elise is off with Merrick exploring the universe, although she did promise to come back for the big event—if it ever happens.”
“It’ll happen,” Sophia said soothingly. “Honestly it will. And as long as your grandmother still has no idea that Kindred babies are carried for a whole year instead of nine months, there’s no reason she has to know you’re preggy on the big day.”
“Sophie’s right,” Liv said. “You can say you got pregnant on your honeymoon.”
“I hope you’re right,” Kat said. “Grandma will be scandalized otherwise. It’s bad enough me marrying two guys at once, but walking down the aisle knocked up…that might be the last straw.” She sighed. “Speaking of babies, where’s your adorable little guy today, Liv?”
“Off with his daddy. Apparently it’s ‘bring your baby to work and show him off while bragging unmercifully to the other warriors that you have the best son in the known universe day’.” Liv grinned.
“Seriously? Baird just decided to take him today?” Kat asked. “But he’s still so little.”
“Yeah, but he already loves his daddy, and Baird is really good with the little guy,” Liv said. “You know, from what I’ve seen all Kindred are pretty good dads, but I think the whole, um experience, Baird had during the last part of my pregnancy really forged a bond between the two of them.”
Kat raised an eyebrow. “You mean the experience where he was actually pregnant and had to give birth to his own son?”
“Yeah, that experience.” Liv laughed. “Seriously, though, Baird seems to feel extra close to Daniel because of it.” She popped a grape into her mouth from the fresh fruit and veggie tray which was sitting neglected on Kat’s coffee table. “I highly recommend it for all pregnancies.”
Sophia sighed. “If only. I’m getting so tired of being pregnant, and I’m not even into my last quadmester yet.”
“Hush.” Kat frowned at her. “Some of us are still in the first quadmester. I don’t want to hear anything except how wonderful it is.”
“At least you’re going to have two dads to help out when your boys get here,” Sophie pointed out. “Sylvan and I are having twins, and we don’t have a third parent to help us.”
“At least you won’t be outnumbered,” Liv said comfortingly. She turned to Kat. “And I’m sure Deep and Lock will make great dads.”
“Probably Lock more than Deep,” Kat said, grinning. “I think he’s got more maternal instinct than me. I’m all focused on the wedding, but he’s already decorating the nursery.”
“What about Deep?” Sophie asked.
“He’s building the crib. It’s going to be a double-wide, of course.” Kat’s face fell. “Only…”
“What? What’s wrong, hon?” Liv leaned forward. “Why do you look so sad all of a sudden?”
“Just thinking about being pregnant,” Kat said. “It’s not that I don’t want to be—I’m good with it now although I wasn’t for a while. It’s just…I can’t help Deep and Lock do the seeker-finder thing while I’m preggy.”
“Is it not safe for the babies?” Sophia asked.
Kat shook her head. “Not so much that as that their tiny little minds get in the way. It’s like being pregnant makes everything blurry—it throws off the accuracy. But I wish so much that I could still do it.”
“To find that girl Reddix kidnapped, right?” Liv said quietly. “You want to go looking for her the same way you went looking for Lauren when she was gone with Xairn.”
Kat nodded. “Exactly. Deep and Lock have tried using Saber as a focus, but his Touch Sense keeps him from being effective, and they’re so used to working with me now, they couldn’t find anything.”
“You can’t blame yourself for that,” Sophia said.
“I don’t. I just wish I could help some way.” Kat sighed. “Maybe it would make Lissa feel better if she knew that girl Reddix took is alive and all right.”
“Does anyone know where he was taking her?” Liv asked. “Or why?”