Choosing Life

Chapter Six

"Okay, what is going on with you?"

"Welcome Uma, please come in," Mal said, shaking her head as she lifted it from the trash can she'd been previously bent over. "What are you even doing here? I thought you were off on another trading run?"

Uma snorted. "I came in last week, Mali. You'd remember that if you weren't always bent over a trash can."

"I...why does this continue to surprise me? I mean you guys did it back when we were in school so why should adulthood stop you?" Ben asked as he walked into the shared office to see Uma and Harry standing there. "Where's Jay?"

"Tourney game against the Arendelle Arctic Foxes," Harry said. "It's an away game otherwise he'd have been here too."

"And why isn't Lonnie here in his place?"

"R.O.A.R. match in the Northern Wei Provence. She's really making a name for herself there though it makes date nights with Jay hard unless their bye weeks match up."

Mal sighed as she took the ginger ale that Ben handed her. "Don't you guys have better things to deal with than asking about me or gossiping about Jay and Lonnie's love life?"

"Hmm...no not really," Uma said, shaking her head. "You're my cousin so you're the number two priority."

"Two?"

"You and I both know Harry's the number one priority."

Mal nodded. "Ah yeah, I can't even fault you for that."

"And you're changing the subject," Uma said as Harry shook his head at both of them. "You're never sick Mal. Like ever. But from what I've heard from Benny and Hadie, you've been sicker than a dog most days. Plus you've apparently been destroying your alarm clocks."

"You're talking about me to my husband and brother?"

"Considering you're sending the lovely sensation of nausea through the mental link? Yep, I'm going to talk about you to your husband and your brother. I'd talk about you to your sister as well but she's like three."

Ben chuckled. "Why don't you just tell them Mal? They're going to find out sooner or later and at least then you don't have to hide what's going on."

"Tell us what?" Harry asked.

"Ben, you know everyone says to wait," Mal said, ignoring Harry's question. "What if something happens?"

"What would happen?"

"Wouldn't it be better if they knew though? That way if something did happen, you'd have plenty of support to fall back on?"

"Ahem!" Uma exclaimed. "If you two could stop talking about us like we're not here? What is Benny referring to, Mal?"

Mal sighed, though whether that was to steady her nerves or just suppress a wave of nausea she wasn't sure.

Seriously pup, if you could stop that, I'd greatly appreciate it. I'd like to do my Queenly duties at some point without my head bent over a bucket, she thought.

"Mal?" Uma prompted. "You gonna answer or just stare at me?"

Mal chuckled softly. "Okay, okay Uma. But only because you're family. This has to stay a secret okay?"

"What about from the crew?"

"You know the laws of keeping a secret Uma. The only other people who know about this are my family and Ben's family."

Uma paused. "Wait a minute...nausea, your powers freaking out, only telling the family...are you pregnant?!"

Mal chuckled softly. "Nothing gets past you, Uma."