from Allexor in New Jersey. Rachel had joined us in the dining hall the next morning, feeling lost and useless without her ability.
Hey, it looks like Rachel’s put on a little weight. She’s still hot, though.
Rachel had caught his visual appraisal and her eyes had gone cold. “You think I look fat, don’t you?”
Drew recognized a minefield when he’d walked into one. “What? I—I wasn’t—No! Of course not!”
“Maddie, tell me. What did he think?”
I raised my hands defensively. Hey! Why am I being put in the middle of this?
Her chin had risen in defiance as she stared him down. “I’m not getting fat. I’m pregnant.” He’ll probably just say something thoughtless or make a dirty joke .
Drew opened and closed his mouth twice, but no sound came out. That explains the super-hormonal stuff. Aw, crap. She’s having Sean’s kid! This has gotta be hell for her. He put a thick arm around her shoulders. “Well, I guess that makes you one of the family now.”
Rachel had started to cry.
Tears? Not tears! His eyes went wide as he searched for an escape route. Geez! Just shoot at me or something! I know how to stop that!
Trevor and Drew arrived faster than I would’ve imagined. I started briefing them as soon as they got in range. The baby’s an active spark, even without dodecamine. I guess now we know how the drug affected fetal development. Yikes! We need to calm Rachel down, and then get her fire-proofed somehow.
Drew seemed to fill the room as he banged open the door. “Rach? You okay?”
“No.” She’d drawn into herself, biting her lip and hugging her arms across her belly as she rocked on the table. Can my life suck any more right now?
“So, Maddie says the kid’s taking after her dad?”
Rachel’s eyes flashed to me. “What did you tell them?” This is my private life you’re throwing out to everyone!
Just that the kid’s already a spark. Sorry. I should’ve asked first, but it seemed a little urgent.
As if to prove my point, a flame shot up from the cotton ball dispenser. Drew glanced at it and it died.
Look, Rachel, you’re going to need to hang around with at least one spark for the next couple of months. Probably day and night.
“There’s plenty of space down with the rest of us,” said Drew. “We could put you in with Ellen or Mel—neither has a roommate anymore. Maybe we can take shifts or something, the way we do for sleeping on missions, to prevent accidental flare-ups.”
“Rachel? Can I take a quick blood sample?” Heather frowned in concentration—her McFee standard-issue freckles seemed to stand out more strongly against her pale skin. I have a theory I want to test.
My jaw dropped. Really? You think the baby might be naturally producing dodecamine?
Trevor’s eyes went wide. “Is that possible?”
“That’s what I want to check,” said Heather.
“So I’m going to need a spark babysitter twenty-four-seven?” Rachel’s voice had gone icy. The fear was gone—she felt more in control when she was angry. I’m not going to get a moment’s privacy for what? Months?
“And your kid will need one for the next dozen years or so,” Drew said. “Whoa, a spark baby. Intense.”
At least you can teach her to play Fireball.
“Excellent.” Drew was already rolling with the new development.
“Rachel can have my place.” Ellen started stripping the bed. “I can double up with Katie. She won’t mind.” She glanced at me and pinked up. I hadn’t known they were a couple, and it seemed none of her cousins knew, either.
Don’t ask, don’t tell.
“Good idea.” Drew shepherded Rachel through the collection of cousins. “Rachel’s going to need someone awake with her at all times. After the baby’s born, she’ll need the extra space, too.”
Trevor carried her belongings down to the locker outside the little cinderblock building that would be her new home. “Most of this stuff is flammable, Rachel. It probably needs to stay outside
Hey, it looks like Rachel’s put on a little weight. She’s still hot, though.
Rachel had caught his visual appraisal and her eyes had gone cold. “You think I look fat, don’t you?”
Drew recognized a minefield when he’d walked into one. “What? I—I wasn’t—No! Of course not!”
“Maddie, tell me. What did he think?”
I raised my hands defensively. Hey! Why am I being put in the middle of this?
Her chin had risen in defiance as she stared him down. “I’m not getting fat. I’m pregnant.” He’ll probably just say something thoughtless or make a dirty joke .
Drew opened and closed his mouth twice, but no sound came out. That explains the super-hormonal stuff. Aw, crap. She’s having Sean’s kid! This has gotta be hell for her. He put a thick arm around her shoulders. “Well, I guess that makes you one of the family now.”
Rachel had started to cry.
Tears? Not tears! His eyes went wide as he searched for an escape route. Geez! Just shoot at me or something! I know how to stop that!
Trevor and Drew arrived faster than I would’ve imagined. I started briefing them as soon as they got in range. The baby’s an active spark, even without dodecamine. I guess now we know how the drug affected fetal development. Yikes! We need to calm Rachel down, and then get her fire-proofed somehow.
Drew seemed to fill the room as he banged open the door. “Rach? You okay?”
“No.” She’d drawn into herself, biting her lip and hugging her arms across her belly as she rocked on the table. Can my life suck any more right now?
“So, Maddie says the kid’s taking after her dad?”
Rachel’s eyes flashed to me. “What did you tell them?” This is my private life you’re throwing out to everyone!
Just that the kid’s already a spark. Sorry. I should’ve asked first, but it seemed a little urgent.
As if to prove my point, a flame shot up from the cotton ball dispenser. Drew glanced at it and it died.
Look, Rachel, you’re going to need to hang around with at least one spark for the next couple of months. Probably day and night.
“There’s plenty of space down with the rest of us,” said Drew. “We could put you in with Ellen or Mel—neither has a roommate anymore. Maybe we can take shifts or something, the way we do for sleeping on missions, to prevent accidental flare-ups.”
“Rachel? Can I take a quick blood sample?” Heather frowned in concentration—her McFee standard-issue freckles seemed to stand out more strongly against her pale skin. I have a theory I want to test.
My jaw dropped. Really? You think the baby might be naturally producing dodecamine?
Trevor’s eyes went wide. “Is that possible?”
“That’s what I want to check,” said Heather.
“So I’m going to need a spark babysitter twenty-four-seven?” Rachel’s voice had gone icy. The fear was gone—she felt more in control when she was angry. I’m not going to get a moment’s privacy for what? Months?
“And your kid will need one for the next dozen years or so,” Drew said. “Whoa, a spark baby. Intense.”
At least you can teach her to play Fireball.
“Excellent.” Drew was already rolling with the new development.
“Rachel can have my place.” Ellen started stripping the bed. “I can double up with Katie. She won’t mind.” She glanced at me and pinked up. I hadn’t known they were a couple, and it seemed none of her cousins knew, either.
Don’t ask, don’t tell.
“Good idea.” Drew shepherded Rachel through the collection of cousins. “Rachel’s going to need someone awake with her at all times. After the baby’s born, she’ll need the extra space, too.”
Trevor carried her belongings down to the locker outside the little cinderblock building that would be her new home. “Most of this stuff is flammable, Rachel. It probably needs to stay outside
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