by H. M. Gooden
Mai opened her eyes once more, watching as he crooned over a small pile of eggs, three beautiful eggs in metallic shades of green, blue, and gold. Covered cozily in a velvet throw, they looked almost like Easter eggs, Mai thought with amusement. She closed her eyes again and slept.
CHAPTER 20 AFTERMATH
Mai opened her eyes to sun streaming through an open window and birdsong filling the air. She stretched instinctively, sore in places that she hadn't expected to be sore, then suddenly her memory came flooding back. She sat up, noticing that sometime during the night she'd returned to her human form and that someone, most likely Jake, had redressed her in her house coat. Looking around in panic, she sighed in relief when she saw the eggs next to her in the nest then curled her body around them protectively. She stayed in her human shape, content to just look at the eggs in awe. They were the most beautiful things she'd ever seen. Rich, shiny, metallic jewel tones. And inside them, her heart rested, waiting to wake up.
A quiet knock broke the silence and Mai looked at the door to see the elegant shape of her mother-in-law entering the room.
"How are you feeling today, dear?" Astrid spoke quietly, but not without concern.
"I'm fine."
Mai looked at the eggs again with wonder, and Astrid smiled, with fondness this time.
"I remember that feeling. When you see your child for the first time. There's nothing quite like that moment. And when they hatch, things will never be this quiet, ever again."
Astrid shook her head and laughed ruefully. Mai looked at her, eyebrows knitting together in worry.
"Don't worry Mai, I'll help. Aud will also be happy to help as well." Astrid laughed again. "We most likely won't get much help from Anders or Christian, but that's not really what I expect from them. Jake will be good, though. He's always loved children and babysat often when he was growing up."
Mai nodded, grateful she'd be able to count on the help of other women, as she'd heard that newborns were exhausting. She had three now and was pretty sure that meant life would be three times as exhausting. Unless it was a factor thing, then it would be nine times more exhausting. She groaned at the thought.
"How long until they hatch? Will it be very long?"
Astrid shook her head. "No, likely only a day or so. Now that they're out, the rest is fast. In the meantime, we need to get you ready. They'll be hungry and very busy. Dragon babies are a handful. And I've only ever had one at a time!"
Astrid spoke while she continued moving around the room, tidying and freshening as she went. Mai watched, feeling the small amount of energy she had leaving her as Astrid cleaned. Mai was eager to meet her babies, but afraid of how she'd cope, given this kind of reassurance.
As Astrid had promised, it wasn't long before she found out. The very next day, she felt the crack of a shell as she rested on top of the eggs. She leaned back into Jake, who'd been helping keep them warm, and they sat and watched as the three small dragons hatched. It began slowly at first, with cracks appearing in the shells, followed by bigger and deeper grooves. The gold egg went first, with a piece of shell flying several inches into the air when a tiny clawed foot punched its way out. It was followed quickly by another foot, then a wing, and lastly a small head with a pointed chin and topaz eyes that peaked out curiously.
Mai felt her heart explode with love.
"Oh! Jake! Look at it!"
Jake smiled and grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers through hers and squeezing. The green egg followed next, with the blue one last, seeming to almost flow gently out into the world. In only moments, Jake and Mai found themselves in a cozy nest with three two foot long dragons that were crawling all over them and each other.
Jake laughed joyfully and Mai joined in. The dragons were almost like puppies in the way they gamboled over everything. Mai felt happier than she'd ever been. She'd thought that her wedding had been the happiest moment of her life, but that was before this.
"We did it Jake. We're parents." Mai whispered, almost reverently. "Now what?"
Jake kissed her forehead and whispered back, trying not to disturb the babies.
"Now we have to feed and raise these little guys. Mom said she'd help, right?"
He went from reassuring Mai to sounding nervous. Mai found herself laughing again.
"Yes, you big wuss. And she volunteered your sister as well. I guess we're staying here for now. The decision seems to have been made for us."
Jake smiled back at her with a mixture of embarrassment and uncertainty. "Um, yeah, I think so. Unless you don't want to?"
Mai shook her head, smiling back without hesitation.
"Oh, heck no. I'm going to take as much help as I can. I'm not completely delusional. We'll need a lot of help with three kids. I'm staying until they're a little older, at the bare minimum a year. But maybe it's okay if we stay longer too. Like maybe when they're ready to graduate."
Jake looked at her with confusion. "What do you mean?"
Mai shrugged. "Well, it's not like either of us has family back in San Francisco. I may have grown up there, but it's changed from my childhood into a place that doesn't really feel like home. It would be nice to raise the kids near your family, so that they have the connection that I've been missing for so long."
Jake held her hands and looked at her intently for several minutes, before he finally sighed.
"I didn't want to influence you, but I'm glad you want to stay here. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather raise my kids than the village I grew up in. They'll learn the old ways from the elders of the village and grow up loved by everyone."
Mai felt tears well in her eyes as she thought about the difference between her childhood and what her children would experience.
"I'd really like that, especially if they're going to have to save the world someday. It'll be good if they learn as much as they can and grow into their powers in a place where they won't be freaks."
Jake nodded. "The old ways are alive and well here. Of course, it won't be for awhile, but it's nice that if we lose a dragon, which I'm sure will happen at least once, they won’t end up in a zoo or a science lab somewhere."
Mai grimaced. "I hadn't even though of that. But yeah, I guess that's something that could happen with three busy kids. Oh dear. We should have a contingency plan for that, just in case."
As they talked and planned the future of their little dragons, a thought crossed her mind.
"We need names. Jake, I never considered that! But I'm not sure what we have here. Are they girls or boys?"
Jake raised his eyebrows. "I don't know. I've never learned how to gender a baby dragon. But do we care? I mean, boy or girl, it doesn't matter to me. Any names that you like in particular?"
Mai thought for a moment. "Well, we have a water, an earth, and a fire, if Cat is correct. Maybe if we name them for their natures?"
"Sure." Jake agreed. "Although I'd like to name at least one Freya."
“That's fine with me, but maybe let's wait until we see which one's a girl? That's not a name I want for a boy."
Jake laughed. "Of course! There's no rush, other than people bugging us for names. It's not like they'll answer to us yet anyway."
Mai sighed and leaned back into his arms.
"Jake, I love you. I'm so glad we met when we did. And I'm so happy to be the mother of your dragons."
He squeezed her back tightly and they sat together, in awe of the new life that had brightened their lives.
CHAPTER 21 FAMILY AND FRIENDS
The following days and months passed in a blur of sleep deprivation and tears. Some tears were even from the children, but most came from Mai and Jake being completely overwhelmed with the challenges brought by their offspring. As they'd expected, they had needed a village. Baby dragons may start out small, but they didn't stay put for long. Mai and Jake had a hard time keeping up with them most of the time.
It turned out that they had two girls and a boy. The boy was a water power, so he'd been named Peter, a
fter Cat's father, a man they both respected who had water gifts of his own. The girls were earth and fire, so they'd been named Freya and Gaia to match their abilities. Each child lived up to their elemental nature in more ways than one, and before long, fires had to be put out, or water drained from one room or another. In human form, they'd become active and loveable toddlers, and Mai couldn't believe how fast time was moving.
Although there was no such thing as sleep most nights for her, Mai wouldn't have changed any of it for the world. Which was why, tired from another night of next to no sleep, she was surprised to walk into the kitchen of their small house to see Evelyn sitting at the table with a cup of coffee, waiting for her.
"Evelyn? Oh my god! When did you get here? It's so good to see you!"
Mai rushed to give her friend a hug, gratified to feel that she was hugged back every bit as tightly. She stepped back to look at Evelyn, realizing quickly that she looked every bit as tired as Mai felt.
"Is something wrong? You look, well, you look great as always, but kind of... tired. How is everything?"
Evelyn smiled at Mai, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"I'm fine, Mai. Thanks for asking. But yeah, I'm sure you know that things have been a little tough lately. The world isn't a safe place most of the time, but it seems like things are getting worse. Or maybe I just feel it more, now that I've got more jacked up powers."
Mai nodded. Before Evelyn had regained some of her memories and the powers that went along with them, she'd been a relatively normal teenage girl with a small amount of precognitive ability. But since they had returned from Scotland, she'd been overwhelmed with the need to help those who suffered. And because she could feel the emotions of others, Mai knew that Evelyn felt all their pain as well.
"Is there anything I can do?" Mai asked.
Evelyn shook her head, smiling gratefully.
"Thanks, Mai. The only thing I want is for you and Jake to focus on raising your children to be strong and kind. That's the best gift that anyone can give the world."
"I'll do my best," Mai promised. "So, when did you get here? How long are you going to stay?"
Evelyn smiled, raising a shoulder diffidently. "I just got here about ten minutes ago. I was making sure that things were ready for your other guests."
Mai blinked. "Other guests?" Mai gasped, "Did you bring the girls?"
Evelyn nodded, smiling smugly. "Maybe."
Mai shrieked and clapped her hands with delight.
"Oh thank you! Thank you! I'm tired, but I'm so excited to see everyone! And I can't wait until they meet my children," she said then paused, adding mischievously, "I hope they're here to babysit so that I can get a nap."
Evelyn guffawed. "Of course. That's why I told them to come."
Evelyn let out a piercing whistle as if she were calling a cab. Mai winced at the noise, hoping that it wouldn't wake the babies, but her concerns were quickly forgotten the moment the door opened and she saw her friends. There was a round of hugs, tears, and garbled conversation where everyone spoke at once. Eventually the melee damped down and they all sat and began to catch up, one person at a time.
"What's it like?" Vanessa asked curiously, inclining her head towards the room where the dragon babies were sleeping.
Mai smiled, shrugging noncommittally.
"It's exhausting, but they're amazing. I never knew it was possible to love something so much. It's completely different from what I feel for Jake, of course, but every bit as powerful, if not more so. I can't wait to see how they grow up."
Mai paused then continued somberly. "I am worried about their future, after reading the letter my father wrote."
Vanessa furrowed her brow. "Letter? From your father? What letter?"
Mai briefly outlined the contents of the letter Astrid had given her a few short weeks earlier to general interest and silence, broken by Cat.
"That's amazing. It must have been reassuring to get it though, like your parents had given you their blessing. How crazy that the letter found you over a hundred years later. It does sound like something that was destined to be. You know, the more I see, the less in control of my life I feel. Do you guys ever feel that you're part of a bigger plan?"
Vanessa and Mai nodded, while Zahara replied with laughter.
"You guys are silly. I've never felt in control, but I guess that's likely because I grew up with Robin in my life."
Vanessa snorted.
"Oh yeah, nothing like growing up with a crazy earth god for a family friend. I can see how that would contribute to a feeling of being out of control."
Evelyn smiled fondly as she listened to them speak about her man. "If I'd known even two years ago what I know now, I'd likely have done my best to stay asleep forever. Well, except for that man, of course."
Mai smiled at her. "You have the greatest responsibility with your power. I don't envy you, but I think you've been amazing. If anyone is capable of it managing it all, you are. I'm worried that my little guys will be called to do the same type of work, and when I see how it tires you out, I worry even more.
"Well, you won't have to do it alone. We'll always be here to help, whenever you need us. Are you planning on coming back to the States soon?"
Vanessa looked at Mai hopefully, looking disappointed when Mai shook her head.
"I don't think so. This feels like home now. And I want to raise my kids close to family. Plus, this is a small town where many people follow the old ways and understand and accept magic. A lot of people here have their own powers as well, while those that don't are comfortable with them the way they are. It'll be nice to not worry about discrimination, or having the kids put in a zoo by people that don't understand what we are."
Zahara nodded approvingly at Mai's words. "That's a good call. Growing up, we had a close community where we could be ourselves. It would have been a lot harder without that. It was hard enough being stuck next to a big city as an earth magic."
"We'll miss you, but I understand," said Vanessa. "Hopefully, you guys will visit often. Although with my career finally taking off, I should be able to afford to come out now and then."
Vanessa smiled at Mai and she smiled back. Friends forever. It was nice still having that connection, even if their friendship would have to be long distance for awhile. While Mai felt close to all of the girls, Vanessa was as close to a sister as she could imagine, and she was the one that Mai had missed the most over the last few months.
"You better. I fully expect to hear from you at least once a week and I'll be ticked if you don't come and see the kids at least once every few months. You're their godmother, after all."
Although not a tradition for Mai, she'd jumped at the chance to formally name the girls as protectors, based on Jake's heritage. The more protection she could give her children, the better.
"Promise."
Vanessa nodded as though she was confirming a business transaction and the other girls added their assents as well.
"So, how long are you guys staying this time?" Mai asked, curious and not sure what she wanted to hear.
On one hand, she always loved to see her friends, but on the other hand, she was tired and unsure if she wanted company right now. Evelyn must have known her thoughts, because she smoothly answered before the others could.
"We've just come to say hi and give our blessing. The gate to Summerland is only open tonight, so we'll go back. But I promise we'll come back again soon."
Mai sighed, with mixture of relief and disappointment.
"Of course. Do you guys want to see the kids? We can take a peek, but I don't mind if you wake them if you have to leave right away," Mai said, then added wryly, "assuming they're sleeping, of course."
She already knew from experience that the minute she opened the door three pairs of sparkling eyes would be looking back at her, suggesting that the small demons...er, dragons, didn't actually require sleep like other creatures.
"If it's not a bother. Honestly, please don't wake th
em on our account," Cat protested, but Mai waved off her objections and the girls eagerly followed her to the children's room.
Inside, as expected, were three rambunctious and not at all sleepy small children. They were taking turns playing a game that involved two of the children turning into human form to ride the third one in dragon form. They stopped the moment the door opened, frozen in place and wearing guilty expressions.
Mai sighed and shook her head.
"You guys are supposed to be sleeping. Naughty, naughty!"
As she'd expected, her words flew completely over their heads and they swarmed her with sticky toddler hands and scratchy dragon scales.
"Girls, these are my talented, but not very obedient, offspring. We're obviously working on basic social behaviors still." Mai's warnings and self-deprecation went unheeded, as her friends sat on the floor to play with the children. The dragons allowed the girls to join in the game that they were inventing, with much confusion and hilarity. Mai watched with a full heart as her friends enjoyed her children, feeling as though her life had reached its full capacity in that moment.
MAI HUGGED VANESSA as they waited for the gate to open. The others had left to chat with Jake and catch up, while the two women had a private moment.
"I miss you, you know," said Vanessa, as she looked at Mai intently. "No one will ever replace you in my life, or in the kitchen. Cat's just not the homemaker that you are."
Vanessa winked, looking surreptitiously over her shoulder to where her sister stood laughing at something Jake was saying.
Mai snorted. "No kidding. I couldn't leave you to your own devices. That place was atrocious until I cleaned things up for you. And we likely wouldn't ever have had food in the house if I hadn't taken over grocery shopping. And cooking."
Mai looked at Vanessa with mock disapproval that didn't bother her friend in the slightest.
