Alex met his gaze but didn’t say anything.
“There’s this voice inside my head saying to keep the pregnancy, but I don’t know if it’s because Qylar wants it so much—or I want it.”
“Have you told him this?” Alex asked.
“I asked him if I was making the right decision. He told me he couldn’t make it for me. Only I knew what was right for me. The problem is, Idon’tknow what’s right.”
Alex stared out into the ocean for a few seconds before turning back to Kenji. “He’s right, though. You’re the only one who can decide, Kenji. Either choice you make, I know Qylar will be there to support you in every way he can. We will, too. I know you’ve just met Cryss and I—and that might not mean much now—but whatever you need, Kenji. I’ll even go with you tomorrow and hold your hand if you want the extra company.”
“Thank you,” Kenji said, fighting back the sting of tears.
“Just let me know in enough time that I can waddle there,” Alex whispered.
Kenji chuckled, wiping away a little bit of moisture that escaped under his eye. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to go find Qylar.”
“Not at all.”
Kenji swung his legs around. “Do you want help? I don’t want to leave you someplace where you can’t get up.”
“I’m good right here for now, but if you don’t mind letting Cryss know where I am?”
“Will do,” Kenji said. “And thanks again.”
“No problem,” Alex replied, smiling warmly. “Just be honest with Q, hmm? Don’t hold back something because you’re scared to say it. This is too important to hold stuff back.”
Kenji nodded. “Yeah. You’re right.”
Alex grasped his hand. “Good luck.”
Kenji squeezed it back before going on the hunt for Qylar.
Qylar carried a freshly bathed Ael in the crook of his arm, trailing behind Cryss and Zaadi. The children shared a bedroom for now, but that would soon change. Once the new little one arrived and was ready for a crib, he’d move out of the bassinet in Cryss and Alex’s bedroom and into Ael’s crib. Ael would move into Zaadi’s toddler bed and Zaadi would be adventuring into a room of her very own.
Cryss had already enlisted his help in transforming the stark, white bedroom that would be hers into one fit for a princess. As soon as they returned home, work would commence.
“Daddy, can you read us a story?” Zaadi asked.
“Storytime!” Ael cried out, wriggling in Qylar’s arms to get down.
Qylar released the boy, and he ran across the room in his footie pajamas and jumped into Zaadi’s bed beside her. Cryss searched their bookcase for a title. While they waited, Qylar crossed to the bed and kissed them both once on the top of the head. “Night, little ones.”
“Noooo!”Zaadi said. “You need to stay, Uncle Q!”
“Daddy’s going to read. You don’t need us both.”
“Yes we do,” Zaadi said, grabbing two of his fingers and tugging him towards her bed.
“Cryss?!”Alex’s voice called through the apartment.
Cryss eyed Qylar. “Can you pick a book, get them started, and I’ll tag myself in when I get back?”
“Sure.”
Before Cryss reached the door, Kenji appeared.
“He’s on the balcony,” Kenji said to Cryss.
“Is he okay? In labor?”
