A Tribe United Again

Chapter 11

"We didn't plan this out right..."

Mal looked at Marcy. "What?"

"We didn't plan this out right." She repeated.

"Plan what?" They were in a cab heading towards their home.

"We don't have nurseries set up for them."

"I doubt Xindi wants a nursery."

She looked down at the little girl in the middle of them, asleep and lying on Mal's arm. "You never know."

"Baby." He broke out a smile.

"Seriously. Where will they sleep? We should have made up rooms before we left."

"We didn't know what ages we were getting. Xindi was a surprise as well."

"I know but I should have known."

He took her hand, careful not to dislodge Xindi or Cerise, who was napping on his chest or Rajah, who was on Xindi's lap. "Baby."

She pouted.

"Our marriage counseling session is coming up. Will we talk about how you view your capabilities?"

"No."

He played with her bottom lip.

She swatted him away, careful not to disrupt Sola. "Stop."

"Did they used to do that?" He stopped.

"No. I just don't like it."

He relaxed. "Halloween is really soon."

Marcy knew that. She was hoping not to think about it. Donald and Po had promised news by Christmas on the abuse Marcy, Jude and Yuria had endured. She wanted it in the past.

He took in her worried countenance and sighed lightly. "Things will get better. I promise."

She wished she could believe that.

ATUA

Laura peeked in on the boys but they were still asleep. She tiptoed down the hall to Maddie's room but she, too, was sleeping peacefully.

Marc followed behind her, holding the sleeping herself Wen. "Where are we going to put her?"

"In a guest. I'll have the girls come over and help me put together the black room for her." Wen had said her favorite color was black so there went the upstairs playroom.

He stopped in front of a random door and opened it to put the little girl on the bed. He put her under the covers then tiptoed out.

Laura waited for him to shut the door to say, "I have my daughter."

ATUA

"We have to throw this thing away." Quinn held her new daughter on her lap. She'd picked out a dark skinned, black haired, violet eyed little girl in England. She was proud of herself but more than that, she adored the month old little girl.

"Oh Quinn." Mercedes fussed with her blanket.

"I'm serious." Quinn pulled on the plastic binky in the baby's mouth to see if she'd give it up. "You know Grandmother would die if she saw her sucking on this filthy thing."

"It is a bit unclean." Mercedes tried to be fair and honest. "But it wasn't like the orphanage had much money. They needed our donation."

"Excuses." Quinn gave no quarter. "Right, Mikey?"

Mike snored, asleep just that quickly. The little boy on his lap was, too.

The girls looked at each other dryly, hoping they could wake him by the time they got to the house.