Page 14 of Defiance
The doctor blew a stray clump of sweaty silk from her forehead. “Mel, please. And Ezra.” Then that same sweet smile crawled over her lips and she nodded to a holopuck on the counter. “And yes, all of our vitals are excellent.” She grimaced and to Novak’s extreme surprise, her rounded belly tightened.
“Six beats,” themidwaifsaid, restarting a new timer on her holotab. “If you’d like any other visitors, you might want to call them, mamau.”
Mel gave a tense nod, breathing in short huffs. Several agonizing bits later, her stomach relaxed and she sighed, holding the weight of her belly. Ezra and Novak let out a breath in unison and shared a helpless look.
“I understand why you look such a mess now. Is that normal?”
“All of her levels have plummeted,” Ezra grumbled, his ultramarine speckles glowing in a fit of exhausted frustration. “She’s severely deficient in iron and glucose, but refuses to eat. Andallof their heartbeats are erratic.”
“Yes, it’s normal,” Mel assured them both, probably for the dozenth time. She nodded to the counter. “Show him, Ezra. And I think I’ll take that anesthetic now, Dr Singh.”
Themidwaifchuckled, her knees popping as she knelt on a towel at Mel’s side. Ezra pulled Novak towards the counter where three pucks were lined up, their holoscreens minimized.A multi-vitals deck glowed off to the side where three distinct heartbeats raced in place accompanied by meters for oxygen levels and blood pressure.
Novak stared at the two heartbeats that were lighter, faster, and fluttered like bird wings. His plume mail rose across his hackles, catching the dim light. Ezra glanced at him, enlarging the displays at the other pucks.
“It’s not the best set-up. I would have preferred going to Samridve—”
“Secret babies, remember?” Amelia called.
“But yes, right.” He took a deep breath. “Mypriyais courageous and stubborn.”
Novak grinned, smacking the backs of Ezra’s calves with his tail like one might shove a friend’s shoulder.
“Brave enough to keep you calm while she goes throughthat.”He nodded to her and Ezra exhaled, leaning his palms on the counter like the weight of the world was on his back. He gave Novak a human nod.
“All I’m good for today is entertaining her with my nerves. I’ve read so much and made so many plans, but this waiting while she’s in pain is killing me. Someday you’ll—”
The delegate cut himself short, catching Novak’s eye. The agent kept his smile intact. It wasn’t the first time someone had slipped up in casual conversation, talking as if he had the same opportunities to build a life that they did even if they knew that wasn’t true. He raised one brow nonchalantly and leaned his elbow on the counter.
“I don’t think parenting is for me, so how about I spoil yours rotten from afar?” he teased, releasing the tension. Maybe he could redirect Ezra’s focus. A dangerous thought, but his nerves were frayed anyway. A little tussle would be good for him. “Especially since she smells like me. Will the neolates, I wonder? Perhaps my donations are more potent than I thought.”
As expected, Ezra’s nervous twisting instantly focused. His striped pupils narrowed on Novak, jaw ticking. “It’s a human phenomenon. The spats leave genetic markers in their maan’s blood. She’ll have that scent the rest of her life.”
“Must drive you wild.”
Ezra’s smirk was dark as he tapped each of the pucks to maximize their displays. Blue light bathed their faces and Novak stood up straight, his ears forward. Each puck was focused on a little bundle of limbs and tendrils that could fit in Novak’s palms. His plume mail shot straight up, showing off the orange downy beneath.
“I’m pretty confident that they’re mine,” Ezra said in a smug tone, crossing his arms.
“Mm,” Novak hummed in agreement, entranced by one little face with squashed shilpakaari gills and human fringe around its closed eyes. He wanted to reach out and touch that little cheek. Would he be able to see himself in their features at all? “But at least you aren’t a nervous wreck now.”
Then his eyes latched onto the mini vitals hovering beneath the neolates. Their names glowed against the counter, accompanied by a ribbon of ongoing data and meters.
Novit and Matteo.
“Both boys. Believe it or not, I insisted on Novit,” Ezra said, pushing the little one’s holopuck closer. “It means ‘Little Novak’ in Dharateen. Mel doesn’t know how dangerous it was for you to help us. We owe you our family and want you to feel welcome.”
Novak’s silk-tongued teasing suddenly felt cheap. He stared at the little one with a crease in his brow, ears turned back.
“Thank you,” he said with simple seriousness. He met Ezra’s eyes and told him the plain truth. “She smells like a sister. Which means I’m looking forward to being an uncle again.”
Ezra smiled, scraping his palm over his jaw. “Speaking of your niece, Pom Pom has put together an entire afternoon of activities for you. Starting with teaching you how to play frisbee.”
Novak’s holotab vibrated with a notification.
“I suppose I’m being summoned then.”
“Oh good,” Mel called and both men turned towards her. “Because as much as I want to get to know you better, Novak, I’m about at the stage where I start screaming, so…” She grimaced as themidwaifhelped her sit up a little straighter. “I’m afraid I have to kick you out anyway.”
