The First Flame part 21

I’m so sorry this is late. I’ve had a pretty bad fever (don’t worry, it’s not COVID). My energy has been pretty down, but I’m back to write about sexy Aliens and Russians!

She walked through the jungle. She and Neil had to take down a squar on their way. Other than a nasty bump to her head, she went unscratched. To save Neil from Vrox’s wrath, she would have to cover it well.

Once they arrived home, she jogged over to Kira and Nebula. “Hey auntie. Hi mom.”

“Hey. How was your date?” Nebula asked, knowing all about their farce.

“Gross. Ran has cooties.”

Neil chuckled when Nebula’s harmless hand slapped his chest. He hugged her tight and kissed her cheek beside her protests. Kira was much more welcoming and hugged him back.

“I’ll see you ladies around!” he said before jogging to his father’s side.

“So?” Ran turned to Kira. “Did you get any new information out of dad?”

“He plans on moving him to The Icelands in five days.”

Ran sighed. “That’s soon.”

“I can try to delay him but I can’t make any promises.”

“Thanks,” Ran smiled. “I’m almost through to him. I know it.”

After parting with the women, Ran tracked down Terra in her room.

“Hey what’s–”

“I’m telling mom about the pregnancy,” Terra blurted.

“Oh, wow. That’s great.”

“Yeah. After seeing you be so brave, I think I should stop being a baby about the whole deal. Mom will help me figure out how to navigate this mess.”

Ran joined her on the bed. “I think that’s the best idea. I want to help you, but there’s not much I know about motherhood. Mom will definitely give you better advice.”

“I’ll tell her today. Will you join me? Apollo and Eve are afraid mom will be mad at them, so they’re hiding.”

Ran laughed. “Typical. Yeah, of course I will. Did you plan the speech? Tell the medic to prepare to receive a passed out mom?”

“No. Planning it would only unnerve me further.”

“I’m so proud of you.” Ran hugged her tight.

“Thanks. It’s good to know that at least one of my sisters isn’t a coward. So how was Eon?”

“Dreamy,” Ran sighed. “I want to kiss him until the planet stops spinning.”

“That’s sweet. I can’t wait to see you two together.”

“Me either.”

They waited for dinner time to look to Kira. She was alarmed when Terra led her to her room.

“What’s wrong? Is it Eon? Oh, did something happen to the poor kid? Is it Apollo? Eve? Vrox?”

“No, no. This is about me,” Terra said.

“What’s wrong?”

Ran waited against the wall and smiled encouragingly at Terra.

“Nothing’s wrong with me. I’ve just– er, I’m pregnant.”

Kira blinked a few times as if the words didn’t compute. “You?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh! That’s wonderful.” She threw her arms around Terra. “I’m so happy for you. There hasn’t been a young one born in so long. A grandmother! Oh, I’m getting old.”

“Dad might…”

Kira snorted. “What’s he going to do? Please, tell me. There’s nothing that stubborn mule can do you to or that baby’s father.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I am. Oh! Let me get the needles. I can’t wait to knit. It’s been so long since I’ve made baby clothes.”

“Hey let’s relax,” Ran interjected. “Dad can’t find out. Not yet. The situation with the baby’s father is… unstable.”

“I don’t care about the baby’s father, and you shouldn’t either, Terra.” Kira squeezed her hands. “You don’t need a male to raise it. Not when you have all of us. So don’t worry about any of that. Okay, baby?” She swept her thumbs over Terra’s teary cheeks.

“I’m trying to tell him,” Terra said. “I don’t know how.”

“You can tell him when you’re ready, and if he rejects it, then he can get the fuck out of my Capital and away from my baby and grandbaby.” Kira took her hand and began dragging her away. “Let’s go knitting!”

Ran waved at the two and then went down to get dinner. She glared at her sisters, who sheepishly asked if Kira was out for their blood. After giving the two quick swats to their heads, she asked Vrox if he wanted to spar in the afternoon. She was surprised when he rejected her. After their disagreements, she figured he would be desperate to spend more time with her.

This had to do with his plans to move Eon from the spaceship and off the continent. If it would happen in five days, then he had a lot of planning to do.

Ran had to convince him quickly, or she’d have to rely on Plan B and break Eon out. She would prefer to avoid that option, because if she broke Eon out, then they would be on the run. She didn’t want to abandon her family a second time.

She went to bed with a headache and woke up to the sound of Kira busting her door down.

“Ran!”

“Geez, woman.”

Kira walked around her and dumped a basket of baby clothes on the bed.

“Mom, when did you make all this stuff?”

“I stayed up all night,” Kira waved her off. “Now sit down and help me decide which colors Terra would like best.”

“Yes ma’am,” Ran groaned. She sorted through the cute little socks and hats. Kira still had some baby blankets from when the girls were younger.

“Are you sure dad won’t see all this?”

“No. I’m still sleeping in a separate room.”

“So that’s why he’s still grumpy in the mornings.”

“Isn’t this yellow adorable?”

Ran laughed. “Yes. It’s wonderful.”

“I miss that baby smell. I can’t wait to hold one again.”

“What about us? Aren’t we your babies?"

Ran slid onto her lap, but was smacked away.

“You’re wrinkling the hats!”

Ran laughed and help her fold. Kira left soon later, ranting something about getting the women to help her knit more clothes. She was quite the sight. Ran hadn’t seen her mother this animated in a very long time.

She picked up a sock from the floor and smiled at it. Placing it in a drawer, she went about cleaning her room. Only an hour later, a much softer knock came from the door.

“Oh no, what’s wrong?” she asked a tear-eyed Kira, who clutched a little hat to her chest.

“Sorry. I’m just being… can you hide the clothes for me? I got a little ahead of myself.” Kira forced a laugh and wiped a stay tear.

“Why would I hide them? Do you think they’re not good enough? They’re awesome, mom.”

Kira shook her head. “They’re no longer needed. I had Terra take some tests just to make sure she was pregnant. They all came negative. Over and over again. Something else must have made her miss her period. Maybe stress.”

“Fuck… is she okay?”

“Don’t worry. She’s happy. She wasn’t ready for a baby yet.”

Kira wiped another tear and placed the basket down. “I should’ve thought more rationally before getting excited for nothing.”

Ran’s heart broke. “Aww, I’m so sorry.”

“I– I… I just thought a baby would help around here. You and the girls are all grown up, and I think Vrox is acting out because he’s so upset about that. I thought he would calm down if he got another baby. And– and I really wanted one, too. Doing paperwork all day gets boring… I want more. I want a little baby to cuddle.”

Her shoulders were trembling, and her face was drowned in tears.

Ran kissed her cheek. “It’s alright.”

“Don’t– don’t tell Terra about the baby clothes, okay? She’s happy, and I don’t want to change that by making her feel guilty.”

“I won’t.”

“Ah, let me go wash up. Geez, I’m acting like a baby myself. Will you hide or destroy the clothes for me, honey?” She stared longingly at the basket and left.

Ran stared at the basket. “No, I don’t think I will destroy them.” She looked down at her flat belly and touched it.

Was she crazy for even considering it?

A baby would end all of this. Vrox would snap out of his blind rage and free Eon to avoid separating them. Kira would be happy, and Ran would become a mother.

Earth proved to her that she was ready to settle down and explore a different adventure.

How would Eon feel about a baby?

She took out the sock from her drawer and placed it on her palm.

“Well, I guess it’s time to find out.”