Our kid.The words hung in the air, heavy with implications.Tula carefully handed the ultrasound images to Wonder. "Would you hold them for me while I get dressed?"
Wonder and Tony took the hint and stepped out, giving her privacy to change.
Alone in the exam room, Tula placed her hand on her belly.
"Hi," she whispered. "I got a peek at you just now, and you're perfect."
The baby didn't respond, of course, but Tula felt a warmth spread through her chest anyway, a fierce protective love that burned bright like the sun.
3
ESAG
Esag held Wonder's figurine up to the light, examining the delicate features he'd finally managed to capture correctly.
It had only taken him weeks of trying.
The wood had stubbornly refused to cooperate, manifesting Tula's face no matter how hard Esag had concentrated on Wonder's features, because the Fates had wanted to get his attention. They'd followed with visions, which had shown him Tula's plight, but he still wasn't sure what his role was in all of this.
He'd warned Wonder and Annani, telling them what he had seen in his visions of Tula and preparing them for the news that had finally arrived from Areana, but the truth was that the clan would have mounted a rescue regardless of his involvement.
His help hadn't been needed. He'd had to beg to be allowed to accompany the rescue team as an observer, and the emotional support he'd provided to Tula on the submarine had been negligible.
As usual, his role in the grand scheme of things was unimportant, superfluous. Worse, he was the reason Tula had ended things with Tony, and now, in addition to all the things he felt guilty about, he also felt guilty for breaking up an unborn child's home.
At least Wonder's figurine had come out beautifully. Anandur was going to be pleased with it, even though his present to his mate was no longer a surprise.
The big guy understood that Esag had to tell Wonder and Annani about Tula, and to do so, he'd had to reveal that Anandur had commissioned a figurine of Wonder. Still, his surprise had been ruined, and Esag wanted to compensate him in some way.
He set Wonder's figurine on the shelf with the others and stared at the various pieces of wood he kept on hand, trying to decide what else he could carve for her.
He could carve figurines of Wonder and Tula's parents. He still remembered their faces clearly, but that would only make the sisters sad, reminding them of what they'd lost.
Maybe he could carve the royal court instead?
He remembered Ahn and Nai vividly, the king and queen of the gods who had refused to be called king and queen. Ahn had preferred the title of head god, but to Esag, head god and king of the gods were one and the same.
He was a simple male, and he didn't care about semantics. A kettle could be called a pot and a pot a kettle, but it made little difference in how they were used. They were interchangeable.
Still, Wonder would probably get sad seeing figurines of Ahn and Nei, because they were gone.
Strangely, he'd dreamt of them living in a place where auroras were constantly in the sky, but that was just his mind seeking to find something positive to latch on to. At best, these visions were of the dead gods enjoying peace and tranquility beyond the veil.
He should carve figurines of the living instead, perhaps of Annani and Areana embracing each other. Wonder would like that. It would be meaningful to her, and celebratory rather than melancholy.
He picked up a larger piece of wood and examined it against the light, checking for blemishes. After all, goddesses were perfect, and he needed to depict them properly.
When the doorbell rang, he put the piece of wood on his workbench and wiped the dust from his hands with a rag. Walking toward the front door, he wondered who that could be. He wasn't expecting anyone, and his roommates would just walk in rather than ring the bell.
When he opened it, Tula stood on his doorstep, holding a large envelope and looking emotional. Not upset, though, more like excited and overwhelmed.
"What happened?" He opened the door wider, stepping aside to let her in. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." She clutched the envelope to her chest. "I had an ultrasound this morning. Julian did it. I have pictures."
An ultrasound. Esag knew what those were. Expectant mothers could get a glimpse of their babies while they were still in the womb.
That would explain why Tula was vibrating with emotions.
