house on Yonnie Six. It has the simulator room where our son could run and play as he grows up, just like J’are did.”
“But what an awful culture to raise a child in!” Kat exclaimed. “You don’t want to raise your little boy in a place where he’s considered a second-class citizen.”
“No, I don’t…” Imani bit her lip. “But I hate to move to an alien jungle planet where neither J’are or I know anybody, either. Which is why this is such a tough choice!”
“And it’s all because you’re probably pregnant with a boy, right?” Kat asked sympathetically. “I mean, if you were having a girl, you could either stay on the Mother Ship or move down to Earth.”
“Exactly,” Imani said sadly. “But I know that’s not going to happen. I’ve been praying about it, of course. Praying that the Goddess will help me make the right choice and accept whatever comes…”
At that moment, the little machine dinged musically.
“Oh, the test is done!” Liv exclaimed. She reached into the little slot at the bottom of the coffee-maker-sized machine and curled her fingers around something. “Are you ready to find out?”
“Yes.” Imani gripped Kat’s hand tighter and nodded her head. She knew it was going to be a boy—or, well, she was ninety-five percent sure it was going to be, anyway. That was the way it was with the Kindred—they almost always fathered sons. But still…
“Here you go.” Liv opened her hand, revealing… a small, delicate flower with a lovely pink bloom.
“Oh! Oh my God!” Kat exclaimed excitedly. “Imani, it’s pink—that means a girl! You’re going to have a girl!”
Imani stared with disbelief at the lovely little pink flower.
“A girl?” she whispered, cradling it in her hand. “But…but this means we can live wherever we want!”
“You can sell the place on Yonnie Six and buy a big farm by a forest on Earth and then you can commute to the Mother Ship by shuttle if you want to,” Kat suggested.
“That…that sounds just perfect.” Imani’s heart flooded with joy and relief. It wasn’t that she didn’t want a son—but this made things so much easier. And she loved the idea of a delicate little daughter to raise and love. Her mom and dad would be overjoyed too, that she didn’t have to leave Earth and her family.
“I think the Goddess heard your prayers,” Liv said, giving her a smile. “I’m glad—we don’t want to lose you around here!”
“Thank you.” Imani swiped at her eyes which were suddenly filled with tears of relief and gratitude. “Thank you so much,” she murmured.
For a moment, she felt a warm presence enfolding her—as though some powerful, invisible being was giving her a hug.
“You are welcome, daughter,” whispered a soft voice in her ear. “Be well and grow in love and laughter for you are one of my children…one of the Brides of the Kindred.”
Then the warm presence was gone but Imani knew she would never forget it. For the rest of her life whenever she felt worried or upset or sad she could close her eyes and remember that hug and know that the Goddess was watching over her, as she watches over all of her children.
The End?
OF COURSE NOT!
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Thanks for being such an awesome reader!
Hugs,
Evangeline
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