Choosing Life

Chapter Forty Six

Time seemed to go by in the blink of an eye as Stephanie, Maurice, Emily, Helena, and Caroline had soon celebrated their second birthdays. Every milestone had been celebrated by all of the parents—walking, talking, potty training (well at least the beginnings)... though there was one milestone no one had been prepared for.

"Papa!" Emily called as she toddled to Akiho.

"Hey there my little snow angel!" Akiho smiled as he picked Emily up into his arms. "How are you?"

"I'm good papa! I made icies!"

Akiho paused as he heard that and Elle looked over at her husband, as if she was double checking with him that she'd heard the same thing he had.

"Emily? What do you mean you made 'icies'?" Akiho asked.

"Like this papa," Emily said, showing Akiho her hand with her palm facing toward the ceiling. There, Akiho could see small flurries floating around his daughter's palm almost like moths being drawn to a light.

Akiho and Elle locked eyes with each other, both of them coming to the same conclusion. Emily had ice powers.

"Elle, my darling wife? Would you mind holding our daughter for a minute?" Akiho asked.

"I mean...of course I'd love to hold Emily but...why?" Elle asked as Emily grinned at the chance to cuddle with her mama. Akiho didn't answer but, after making sure Emily was secure on Elle's lap, whipped out his phone and pressed a button on his speed dial.

"Ben? Um...how would one handle having a magical child? Specially one who can drown me in snow?" Akiho whispered, turning his head so that Emily couldn't see the panic on his face.

Of course he didn't mind that Emily had ice powers, he knew it was a high possibility considering his mother's family tradition of the eldest daughter getting them. However he also had to think about the safety of his wife. He didn't know how wheelchairs would react on ice so if he had to call in the calvary of his best friend, then as the Gods as his witness he would.

"I'm sorry? You'll have to speak up Akiho because I just found out...ouch! Effy, darling, papa is not flammable! Mal!"

"Ben, do you have me on speaker?" Akiho asked.

"Yes because my daughter recently discovered she could turn into a dragon and has decided she covets shiny things like my buttons!"

Elle shook her head, unable to hear any of what Ben had said but she was still amused by the whole thing. "I love how your first reaction to this is to call Ben instead of discussing it with me," she said with a small chuckle.

"Hey if Ben hadn't picked up, I'd be calling my Aunt Elsa," Akiho told her, putting his hand over the speaker as to prevent Ben from hearing.

"Dude, I'd like to just say that you're kinda getting the easy end of the stick," Ben said. "I'm dealing with a baby dragon here but please vent away...wait hang on, Harry's calling. I'll add him to the call."

"Go ahead Ben but don't deny the fact that you're loving having a baby dragon in your life."

"I mean yeah of course I do...I'd just love it more if she wasn't attacking my buttons! Oh hey Harry, you're on the call with me and Akiho."

"Can one of you lot give me a life boat?! My daughter is flooding the kitchen!"

"Okay, did not expect that to be the first thing out of Harry's mouth," Akiho said, shaking his head.

"Harry? Are you okay?" Ben asked.

"No! Uma's off on a trading route and Helena apparently thinks 'terrible twos' means 'time to drown papa'! Ben, I might need to use your speedboat in my kitchen!"