handle his near-constant demands to be sent home. Zac was insistent on the subject. Telling him over and over it was dangerous outside of the site had made scant, if any, impression on him.
Tina sighed with relief when he finally succumbed to sleep. She edged off the bed under the glow of the nightlight that had been in one of their goody bags and crept out of the room.
The apartment building nearest to the hospital was nice, with two bedrooms and an open floor plan. The extra bedroom was now Zac and Callie’s. Before their arrival, it had become a catch-all for Yorso’s growing book collection, recreational items gathered for the amusement of the refugees, Tukui’s paint supplies, and Osopa’s handcrafted weapons. Yorso had taken off work to spend the afternoon making the bedroom a child-friendly environment. Tukui and Osopa had left their duties as early as they’d been able to.
Tina found the trio in the large kitchen. Yorso was cleaning up after dinner, while the other two helped by putting dishes away. As soon as Tina stepped into the living area where they could see her, they stopped and offered her worried smiles. Osopa came around the dividing bar between the rooms to hold her.
“They’re asleep?”
“Out like lights. I’m sorry Zac yelled such awful things at you.” Her apology was for all of them.
Tukui waved the matter off. “He’s a child. He’s frightened to be among those he was taught would do him harm.”
“And he’s lost his parents. Of course he’s going to be upset,” Yorso added.
“How am I supposed to explain to him they’re dead?” Tina fretted.
Osopa’s concern matched hers. “Psychological counselors won’t be here for quite some time. These children need professional support after what they’ve been through.”
“Don’t panic,” Yorso insisted. “We’ll treat them with patience, kindness, and understanding, acknowledging there’ll be a period of adjustment. It might take a while, but they’ll calm down. As for giving them the news—it can wait a few days until they acclimate to the present situation better.”
Tina was relieved that he agreed that they could put off the worst of the news. Making Zac confront his orphaned status would be terrible. She admitted to herself her cowardice in delaying to do so.
Yorso and Tukui completed the kitchen chores and joined Tina and Osopa. The four huddled together, taking a moment to enjoy their closeness.
After a minute, Tina smirked at her Dramok. “It would seem you got everything you were looking for.”
He regarded her with smiling uncertainty. “What do you mean?”
“A Matara and kids. Congratulations on your family.”
That spurred nervous chuckles. Though the men had relaxed a touch, Tina couldn’t keep herself from worrying. This isn’t what they bargained for. Though it was true they’d brought the current situation on themselves, having chosen her as their lifemate, she wondered if they blamed her.
First, they’d had to give up their chosen careers. Now they were responsible for two small children. She studied them, trying to discern if their smiles were forced. “Life just became a lot more complicated.”
“They’re your family. That makes them ours too,” Yorso asserted.
“I’m officially a parent, aren’t I?” Tukui mused.
“We should send Captain—I mean, Admiral Tranis a message. Imagine the look on his face,” Osopa told him.
That cracked Tukui up for real, so much so that he had to cover his mouth for fear of waking the children.
“I don’t get it,” Tina said when he’d recovered.
“I hadn’t exactly impressed my former commanding officer with my ability to take on responsibility. He’d fall over in shock if he could see me now.”
“He noticed the strides you’d made before we transferred. You’ve come even farther since we left the ship. I’ve been meaning to tell you, I’m proud.” Osopa patted his shoulder.
At Tukui’s surprised reaction, Yorso nodded in agreement. “You’re fulfilling all the potential we knew you had. Well done, my Dramok.”
Tina weighed in. “I have no complaints. My siblings are in good hands.”
They were. She was grateful she’d been chosen by her clan. Hopefully, they weren’t regretting it.
Because of the children, the clan agreed the next morning that Tina would adjust her schedule around them. “Don’t worry about your usual tasks,” Yorso said, taking a moment to hold her. “Admiral Jes can’t order you to go on duty since you’re technically a refugee yourself. If you can’t assist me for a while, that’s perfectly fine. The kids come first.”
Tina burrowed against him, indulging in the warmth of his shelter. Changes were already happening. She had to show her clanmates