One Way or Another

Writers: Emma, Vix
Date Posted: 7th March 2008

Characters: Carlan, Nikanna
Description: Carlan and Nikanna react in differing ways to the possibility of a pregnancy.
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 8, day 27 of Turn 4

"There you go," Carlan deposited his daughter in her crib, complete with clean nappy. "Don't you go messing that one up again," he said waving a finger at her in mock disapproval. "I don't want to change you again quite so quickly."

"Nor do I," remarked his wife as she shuffled closer to the crib, still dressed in her night gown. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Thanks for changing her. For some reason I have no energy today."

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, as he put an arm around her. "Some of the children in my class have been in the past few days, I hope I haven't brought it home to you and Ryannae."

"No, I'm just tired," Nikanna told him, though her stomach seemed to be roiling at the moment. "What's been wrong with the children?"

"Some sort of sickness bug," he replied."Seems to be over with in a day."

"A day?" She shook her head. "I seem to be on the second or third day of it."

"Maybe you should book into the healers then love," he said. "Let them check you over."

She wrinkled her nose at that suggestion. "You know how much I hate to visit the healers - at least for myself." She glanced back toward the baby's crib. "For her I don't mind, but it's different with me. I dreaded each visit when I was pregnant with. . ." She stopped suddenly, staring straight ahead as she tried to make some mental calculations.

"It's possible? Isn't it?" He had to ask, there could be another child in that crib soon if she were expecting.

The dates were confusing her and she could not really tally the days, though whether from illness or from dread she could not say. "I suppose. . . I suppose it's possible."

"Then you really have to go to the healers and find out for certain." It was hard for Carlan to keep the potential excitement out of his voice, he could be a father again. It could be another girl, the image of her mother, or a strapping son to maybe follow in his craft, who would know?

She forced a smile for her husband, knowing that he had expressed an interest in having another child, an interest that she did not share - at least, not at this time. "Yes, we really should find out, shouldn't we?"

"Tomorrow?"

Nikanna nodded, glancing down thoughtfully. "I suppose the sooner the better."

"Whatever the healers say, I'm here for you, you know that don't you?" Carlan said.

"Of course I do," she responded, quickly and with sincerity. She had no doubts of his loyalty to her and to their child. She had to admit that she was lucky in that respect, with her husband helping with the baby more than many other fathers did. Still, was _she_ ready for another child?

"Do you think she'd like a brother or sister to play with?"

"That's difficult to say. So far when she's around other children she seems to grab toys from both boys and girls."

"Maybe one day she'll have both," a note of hope crept into the Harper's voice. "Then she'll have to learn to share."

She forced a laugh. "Can we take it one baby at a time? This one has barely learned to walk and already you want a houseful of little ones?"

"I suppose I am jumping ahead of myself," he admitted. "And we do have to wait and see what the Healer says in the morning."

"Yes. Hopefully the results there will be favorable." Of course, she did not admit aloud that her ideas of 'favorable' were far different from his.

"Tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow," she agreed. After all, one way or another, she needed to know.

Last updated on the March 9th 2008

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One Way or Another