by Magus Tor
“Okay, I'll be back in a tick,” he said.
All these people, Aurelia thought with wonder. All these people who had believed enough in equality and fairness to want to risk their lives to give freedom to others. All these people who had put the needs of Workers above their own, who had fought and won the right for everyone to do as they pleased. She still found it incredible that there was so much goodness in the world, even now, even after centuries of warfare and chemical weapons, inequity, and slavery. And with a lump in her throat, she thought of all those who wouldn't return home. She remembered surveying the troops as they’d waited to board the shuttles to Earth, and wondering how many would come back. And she knew that over a quarter of them hadn't. It was a huge price to pay. She swallowed and blinked. She was getting overemotional, she knew.
Music had started playing, and she could see Nicholas and Elza taking a turn around the dance floor. Nicholas's lips moved as he patiently explained to Elza what she was supposed to do with her feet. She smiled. Poor Elza was going to have a lot of information to take in, with Nicholas's constant interest in learning new things. But she knew that Elza was happy, that this was everything she'd ever wanted and had thought that she’d never have.
“They do look happy, don't they?” Jonathon said, returning and placing a glass of water in front of her before sitting down.
Aurelia nodded, still watching and smiling.
“You know, I talked over a lot of this wedding stuff with Nicholas,” Jonathon said. “He wanted a church wedding, but I talked him out of it.”
“We don't have any churches,” Aurelia pointed out.
“Exactly,” said Jonathon. “That's what I said. And I said that the government wasn't about to build a church just for him to get married in. Though I did rescind the religious buildings ban, so if anyone wishes to build one in the future, they're free to do so.”
He was silent for a moment.
“Anyway, that wasn't my point. My point was that Nicholas told me all about these old ceremonies, and, well, I have something I want to give you.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.
“I'm sorry we didn't have a wedding like this,” he told her. “And I hope you forgive me for that. I want you to have this.”
He slid the box over, and Aurelia caught it and opened it. Inside was a simple gold band.
“Put it on,” Jonathon said gently.
Taking the ring out of its box, Aurelia slid it onto her finger, and Jonathon reached for her hand, showing that he too was wearing a golden ring.
“It's a symbol,” he said. “Of marriage, of love.”
Aurelia could feel the tears trickling from her eyes, but didn't wipe them away. “Thank you,” she said simply.
Jonathon handed her a napkin from the table. “There's no need to cry,” he said teasingly. “Are you really so mad that I didn't give you a big wedding?”
Aurelia shook her head and laughed. “No, I'm not mad at all. In fact, I'm very, very happy.”
“Happy that I didn't give you a wedding?” He was raising his eyebrows at her now, and she shook her head.
She'd known for weeks now but hadn't wanted to say anything until the time was right. And now it seemed like the words were difficult to find. Saying it would make it real. Not that she didn't want it to be real—she'd just become used to keeping her little secret.
“Then why are you happy?”
She took a deep breath. Then another. Looking down at the slim gold ring on her finger, she said: “Because we're going to have a baby.”
There was no reaction, and Aurelia glanced up to see Jonathon's face completely white, his eyes and mouth wide open.
“Are...are you sure?” he stammered.
“Jonathon.” She laid her hand over his. “I'm a doctor.”
He jumped up, pulling her out of her chair and holding her tight.
“A baby,” he said, with wonder.
“A baby,” she agreed, liking the sound of the words.
Jonathon looked down at her, his blue eyes full of emotion. “Aurelia, I love you.”
She tilted back her head and laughed. He hadn't needed to say the words; she knew just from looking at him. “And I love you,” she whispered, bringing her face closer so that she could kiss him.
Epilogue
Aurelia and Jonathon sat on a blanket in the middle of Lunar City Public Park, watching Stefan running after falling leaves.
“He's getting so big,” said Aurelia, shaking her head.
“He's a child; he's supposed to grow,” teased Jonathon.
At two years old, little Stefan was fast enough on his legs to outrun his grandmother, who was trying desperately to capture him to put a sweater on him.
“Mum, let him be. He'll be warm enough,” Aurelia shouted, but she knew that her mother wouldn't be satisfied until she'd caught the boy and given him a cuddle at least.
“You know,” said Jonathon, pulling the cap off a water canister and offering it Aurelia, “I was thinking just the other day about all the changes we've seen. Changes that Stefan won't even remember, probably won't notice by the time he's our age.”
“You'll be sure to remind him,” Aurelia said.
“I will,” said Jonathon, staring after his son. There was a pause before he asked her: “Do you remember your identification number?”
Aurelia thought for a second, almost beginning the number twice before shaking her head. “No.”
“Neither do I,” said Jonathon, getting up. “And Stefan has never had one.”
He offered his hand to Aurelia, who took it gratefully. Her swollen stomach made it tough to get up off the ground these days.
“He does have the perfect name, though,” Jonathon was saying. “He looks so much like your father that it's uncanny.”
“Yes, well,” Aurelia said, putting her hands on her lower back and stretching. “We're going to have to come up with an equally good name for our daughter soon.”
Jonathon stopped folding the blanket. “Daughter?”
Aurelia nodded. “I had the scan this morning. Elza said it's definitely a girl.”
Jonathon gave a whoop of delight, kissed Aurelia on the cheek, and ran off to catch his son, yelling to him that he was going to have a sister.
Aurelia smiled and closed her eyes, smelling the fresh scent of grass and trees and feeling the warm Lunar air on her face.
“Tired?” asked her mother, coming over.
“No,” said Aurelia. “Just happy.”
