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Chapter 39: Video Games Induce Labor
My brother and Star are still very much in love. They’ve both been pretty busy with work and other things, like their children. Hypnos sends a good chunk of his paycheck to his kids, even to Connor, who he hasn’t seen since he was a child. Despite their busy schedules, they always make time to have a little chat on the phone.
I loved that I got to talk to mom once again, to tell her that she’s going to have another grandchild before too long. But still, it’s sad. Ghosts are an echo, a shadow of their former self. So, it’s also a little painful to watch mom come back like that, to not remember small parts of her life. The only comfort is that once this is over, those who made it possible will be rewarded.
Though she isn’t technically my sister-in-law, Star is still a part of the family. Nox really loves her aunt Star and they love a good game of tag. I can’t believe that Woman is still around, though! It took both my brother and my husband to hold me back and keep me from fryin’ her butt! But Star and Nox don’t let her spoil their fun and just continue to have fun together.
Hypnos loves to ambush his woman; watching her play with Nox just makes him absolutely crazy for her. Then again, I think anything she does makes him absolutely crazy for her. She doesn’t let him get away with his ambush; she just pulls him back to her so she can finish with him herself.
The bigger I get, the more Star likes to feel my tummy and talk to her future niece or nephew. It’s really cute. And I can see a wistful gleam in her eye. My brother better watch it, or I’m gonna have more nieces and nephews running around before long.
I was a bit nervous how Nox would take the news that she was going to be a big sister. I shouldn’t have worried. She’s ecstatic that she’s going to have a new brother or sister. She’s absolutely fascinated with my tummy. “Hey in there,” she says seriously. “I’m Nox. I’m your big sister! You come on out and play!” It’s just so cute! I can only laugh and tell her that they’ll be here when the time is right.
To be honest, I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed of late. Maybe it’s just the fact that I’m now middle-aged, I’m pregnant again, and I don’t have my mom. I haven’t been out to her grave since she died, but I found myself out there late one night when I couldn’t sleep. As soon as I read the inscription, I just burst into tears. Oh Watcher, I miss her. I miss Grandpa Nick. They both were such a strong influence on my life.
After a little while, I can feel something like a hand brushing over my cheek. “We’re here my baby girl.” My mother’s voice is a soft whisper in my ear. Then I feel a hand tussle my hair. “You’ve gotten so big. Where’d my little Cupcake go?”
“Grandpa Nick?”
“Of course. We’re all here for you Clotho. We all believe you. It’ll be alright.”
I wipe my arm across my eyes to clear the tears and I can only smile. Yes, it’ll be alright.
Nox isn’t overly fond of school, but she enjoys her tutoring sessions with her uncle Hypnos. Somehow, he makes school seem a bit more fun to my daughter… either that, or he tells her the sooner she finishes, she sooner she can come home and play video games.
It’s a great feeling when you’ve mastered a craft you’ve been working on your whole life. I love cooking; my grandfather instilled that love in me when I was just a toddler. And mastering it means that I’m one step closer to meeting my requirements. I still have to complete the meal skill challenges, but I don’t see that as being a problem.
While my dad has been doing a little better, I still worry. He’s been doing a lot of thinking lately, a lot of contemplating of Time. Granted, it makes sense because he IS the Incarnation of Time, but like grandma Gaea, his powers aren’t fully restored. And I doubt they will be, not until we are all here, and all of us have completed what we were sent to do.
I was a bit bored, a bit sore, so Star challenged me to a friendly racing game. We were having a pretty good time and talking of things that mothers talk about: i.e. our children. But about halfway through the tenth lap, I felt a familiar pressure in my abdomen. I stood up and my water broke. Surprisingly, everyone remained more or less calm. A few hours later, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
Welcome to the world, Phobos Incarnation. For now, he’s going to share Nox’s room until we can get some contractors in to build a new addition. We’re debating how to go about it right now. And Nox is excited to share her room with her little brother.
As the birth of Phobos winds down, we get some more wonderful news. My brother’s going to be a daddy again! He and Star are all aglow. Everyone gather around Star to congratulate her as well as to get in the requisite tummy rub.
And amid all the excitement going on, both Nox and I pose for our respective sculptures and portraits for the museum. I think my slight crisis is over. I know what I have to do and every day brings me closer to my goal and to the time I can pass this one to Nox.
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