Page 21 of Between Fear and Favor

My sister turned, the sun gleaming on her white hair. Though she wore it pulled away from her face, it was nearly blinding. It made me grateful for Elora’s curls, knowing the wave of the strands would soften the refracting light.

Lucia and I had always looked different because of our hair, but even now, she’d stayed the same while my body had changed thanks to childbirth. It was strange to look at her—a walking and talking mirror into my past if I paid no heed to our other differences. I reminded myself to be thankful for everything my body had done for me; so many people didn’t survive childbirth, and I’d only been able to because of my divinity. The stretch marks and loose skin were worth it.

“Give me my niece,” Lucia demanded as she stomped closer. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen her last.”

“You couldn’t have been home for more than a fortnight before you turned right back around,” I argued. Lucia whipped her head to glare at me. I was not helping her cause, apparently. But I wasn’t lying. She’d visited us three times since Elora was born.

I snorted when I looked at Rainier to see he’d moved farther into the shade of the trees, going so far as to side-step behind a sapling which had taken root amongst the older giants. Elora’s hands covered her eyes, and I wondered if Rain had coerced her into a game to tease my sister.

“We can see you, you know,” I drawled.

“Peek a boo!” Rainier said, and Elora’s little hands flew away from her face, and she screeched in delight.

“Loo, loo, loo, loo,” she started babbling, hands clapping as she saw her aunt.

“That’s right, Elora. Iamyour favorite auntie.”

“Don’t let Ven hear you say that,” I said, and Lucia only laughed as she barreled toward my child.

“Come here,” she said, holding out her arms, and Elora nearly jumped out of Rain’s grasp to get to Lucia. My husband’s eyes narrowed, and he glared at my sister.

Throwing his arms out to the sides, he turned toward me. “See?” he yelled.

“Idosee,” I said, unable to stop my perusal of his sweaty abdomen, watching the way an errant drop rolled down the divot at his hip.

“Oh, gross. Stop.” My sister covered Elora’s eyes before mumbling to her quietly. “They’re so icky. Don’t evenlookat them.”

“You want more nieces and nephews, don’t you?” I asked sweetly, before closing the distance between me and my husband. “You should be glad we enjoy each other’s presence.”

Lucia made a sound spectacularly similar to a retch, making me chuckle. Elora smacked her aunt’s hand away from her face, irritated by the way she was limiting her vision, before reaching for her father. Children were so fickle.

“Ma ma ma ma ma,” she babbled, fidgeting in my sister’s grasp.

“Mama?” Lucia laughed, turning Elora in her arms to pepper her with kisses. “He’s not your mama, silly girl.”

Rainier stepped forward, mussing Elora’s curls as she squealed from her aunt’s attention. “She’s trying to say ‘my love,’” Rain informed her.

“She calls me Dada for ‘dear heart.’ We really ought to start referring to each other differently in front of her. Just so she’ll learn,” I said.

“Awww, why?” Rain asked, brows arching high. “I think it’s adorable.”

I huffed a laugh, turning to my sister for her assistance. But she only looked at the two of us with a soft smile.

“I’m so happy you’re happy,” Lucia said, reaching out to squeeze my hand before traipsing off with Elora after a butterfly. My sister had sacrificed so much to give me this life; I would forever be indebted to her.

“I missed her,” I said, putting my arm around Rain’s waist. “And my parents. I wish they would have come.”

Rainier pressed a kiss to the top of my head, chuckling as Elora accidentally smacked Lucia in the face while reaching for the butterfly above their heads. “We’ll visit them soon. Before our son arrives.”

“So, within the next twenty years?” I asked, grinning up at him. He squeezed my bottom, pulling me closer.

“I was thinking before the year ended,” he countered. “If we keep up this pace, we could gift Elora an army of siblings when she ascends.”

I snorted, pinching his backside. “We have all the time in the world, Rain.”

“I know, Em. I know.”

“Em? Em, wake up!”

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