Choosing Life

Chapter Twenty Eight

Uma sighed as she shifted in her seat, trying her best to get comfortable. She wasn't going to lie, she was slightly envious of Mal no longer being pregnant. Uma was only carrying one child and she thought she was going to go mad by December. She had no idea how Mal had lasted carrying twins.

"You okay?" Freddie asked, looking over at Uma.

"Just fine, just like when you asked half an hour ago," Uma told her. "Honestly Freddie, you don't have to ask if I'm okay every time I shift. These chairs just aren't friendly to a pregnant woman is all."

"Oh, right," Freddie nodded.

Uma sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap. Or bring up any negative feelings. I just...I want to be done being pregnant and we're only in June. Elle's so lucky her due date's soon; I've got til December to go unless the doctor's off on their due date."

Celia chuckled. "Honestly Uma, only you would find a way to complain about being pregnant."

"You just wait," Uma said before pausing and pointing a finger at her little sister. "We meet the guy first if you decide to go that route. Or girl."

"Obviously," Celia said, rolling her eyes. "If they can't handle you two or dad, they wouldn't exactly be able to handle the idea of parenthood now could he?"

"Wise words," Facilier said as he walked into the room with a tray in his arms; the girls having brought some of Mama Odie's gumbo and Queen Tiana's beignets for a snack. "I've taught you well."

"And you didn't even need to turn me into a frog to do it," Celia chuckled, teasing her father as he sat down. "Don't get me wrong, I am quite thankful for lacking any froggy qualities. Green is definitely not my color, according to Dizzy."

"How is that fireball?" Uma asked.

"She's good," Celia told her. "Mainly works over at Evie's shop with Gil though she'll hang out with Ava Tremaine or even Lacey LeGume when she gets the chance."

"Is that a bit of jealousy I hear? Upset that the fireball's got a new best friend?" Uma chuckled as she teased her little sister.

Celia rolled her eyes. "Please. I'm happy for Dizzy and so's Gil. He's happy one of his sisters has someone their age that they can hang out with but also understand why VKs are the way that they are."

"...Fatherhood has made that boy way too insightful,' Uma said, shaking her head.

"Wait, Gil LeGume is a father?" Facilier asked.

Freddie chuckled. "Proof positive you don't pay attention to announcements. He's got two kids, a daughter named Gwen and a son named Markos."

"Rather different in terms of the names aren't they?"

"Actually, Gil said that Gwen's full name is Gwendolyn but they just call her Gwen to make it easier," Uma said.

"Ah," Facilier nodded. "And speaking of fathers, or fathers to be, how is young Hook doing with the pregnancy? He hasn't announced disappointment over the gender of the baby has he?"

"No, because we don't know what the gender will be," Uma told her father. "We're doing this like we would if we were on the Isle. Just without the health risks and the Angels and Casters trying to kill us."

"And why in the world would you want to do it like here? When you're across the bridge and can have all the information you want at your fingertips?"

Uma shrugged. "We know that the guppy's going to be born in early December and that they're somehow healthy. That's really all we need to know honestly. Well that and the fact that I'm doing okay. In fact, Harry insists on asking that every time we go in for a check up."