Page 79 of Warrior's Captive
She couldn’t stop staring. The baby’s head was topped with a thick swath of blue-black hair, not surprising considering Vivian and Tai’ri were black haired. But under the sun subtle highlights of blue gleamed, echoing Tai’ri. The infant’s skin wasn’t the deep blue of Tai’ri’s, but closer to lavender. A baby blue with blushes of rose underneath.
“Yes, let’s do the reveal,” she said, mouth curving in a smile.
She gently delatched the baby from her nipple, then slid them out of the sling. Vivian settled the baby on her thighs, then undid the cloth diaper. After a few seconds, she refastened the diaper, then nestled the baby back into the sling, their bare skins touching.
Tai’ri’s fingertips touched Vivian’s cheek, gently urging her to turn her head. When she did, he lowered his head, his lips brushing hers.
“We have a daughter,” he said, then smiled.
She stared into his eyes, utterly captivated by the joy she saw therein. And realized his joy was only a reflection of her own.
* * *
Vivian tabbed through the documents on the thin tablet that had arrived by messenger an hour ago.
It was fortunate she was sitting, because shock momentarily stole all the sinew from her muscles. She rubbed Baby’s back as she read, then tapped her comm unit.
“Viv?” Tai’ri’s voice came immediately through the unit.
“Can you come down here, please? Ibukay sent me some documents.”
“She—I’m coming.”
Moments later Tai’ri emerged onto the balcony. He came immediately to Vivian and placed his hand over Baby’s head, bending down to kiss Vivian’s cheek.
“Let me see,” he said.
She waited as he skimmed the files. “I see,” he said finally, voice neutral.
“Are these what I think they are? An application to the court to approve my citizenship status based on Baby’s birth?”
“Pending the official registration of her birth. We have to choose a name.”
Two days after the birth, and she still hadn’t pulled the trigger. They’d spent the last several evenings compiling lists, debating meanings, respective cultural traditions, and were at an impasse.
Tai’ri wanted a traditional family name, of course, and so did she. They would have to compromise. Which wasn’t the problem, but Vivian was simply . . . waiting. Wasn’t she supposed to feel a click? Justknowwhat her child’s name was?
“You know you can literally pick any name on our list, Viv,” Tai’ri said, once again proving the strength of their burgeoning bond. It was stronger after the birth, even without consummation.
“A name is forever, it has to be the right one.”
He shrugged. “Whatever we pick, she’ll wind up choosing some trendy, anti-establishment use name when she’s in her rebellion phase, anyway.”
Vivian stiffened. “There’s no need to assume Baby will not be a responsible, productive member of society.”
He gave her a strange look. “I didn’t say she wouldn’t be. Don’t human children rebel against authority figures as a rite of passage into adulthood?”
She stared at him, expression stony. That had landed her in the pens. “That would be extremely foolish. A one-way ticket to a state run program and never seeing your family again. Especially if you are a Low or Mid Tier teenager with no connections or family wealth.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Well, it’s different here. Our young adults are encouraged to explore their developing identities, and that frequently involves changing names and . . . “ he ran his tongue around his teeth “ . . . some benign time spent in a repentance facility. Not much time,” he added hastily. “Minor disruptions are best handled with counseling and work sentences. But quiet and reflection sometimes is the best course for a child who has not learned to protest within the acceptable confines of law and order.”
“That’s anarchy. And you sound like you’re reciting a text.”
“I read. And it’s not anarchy. They have to get it out of their system young, so they can settle down.”
She rubbed her hand on her forehead. “We’re digressing. What are we naming the baby?”
He finally took a chair, stretching out his legs, eyeing the pitcher of iced tea. “I need something stronger for this conversation.”
