The Sign Of The Sun

EPILOUGE

Seven years later. . .

"Pixie, hurry up! We're gonna miss the boarding window!" Soleis yells. Pixie groans and lugs her heavy suitcase down the stairs of Taurus' house. Brady comes up behind her, taking the suitcase from her hand.
    "Let me take that." Pixie sighs.
    "What would I do without you?" Brady chuckles.
    "I'm not sure. Probably break your back."
     "Just come on," Soleis calls. "We can't miss our first cruise together!" Soleis stands impatiently next to the car,  Aries next to her, arm around Soleis' waist. A small head leans out of the car window.
     "Come on, Aunty Pixie!" Raymond's voice calls. Soleis turns and ruffles her son's hair with her free hand, the other occupied by a squirming one-year-old. Brady and Pixie make their way down the steps and get the bag into the car, so they all wait for Taurus and Monica.

Taurus and Monica walk out of the house, Monica clutching a six-year old- girl's hand.
   "Sorry," Monica calls as Taurus locks up. "Bekah forgot her Teddy Bear." The little girl, Bekah, holds up a cream colored bear triumphantly before skipping to the car. Raymond waves out the window, flashing his left wrist, reading 'Jesse'.  "C'mon, Bekah! C'mon!" He squeals. The remaining people get in the car, Taurus in the driver's seat.
   "Now who's ready to go?" He asks and honks the horn excitedly. The baby girl Soleis holds squeals and Soleis smiles.
      "Stacy's ready." Taurus starts driving and his soulmate and wife, Monica, turns on the radio.

The next morning, on the boat . . .
  
"TAG, YOU'RE IT!" Raymond calls and runs around the breakfast buffet. Bekah runs after him, laughing the whole time. When they get over to the tables, Soleis grabs Raymond by the back of his shirt.
    "Not so fast, mister. You have to finish your pancakes first." Raymond groans, but sits back in his chair, anyways. Stacy giggles from her high chair, and Aries sits, drinking coffee, next to Soleis.
    "Can I have some of that?" Bekah asks, pointing to the coffee.
     "No, not yet, coffee stunts your growth," Monica says. "You can have your milk instead." Bekah knits her eyebrows together.
    "Is that why Aunt Soleis is so short?" They all laugh, and Bekah looks around, even more confused.
    "What? It's not funny!" She stomps her foot, making the adults laugh harder. Soleis picks Bekah up and puts her on her lap.
    "No, honey, I'm short because that's how I was made. Aunt Aries is tall because that's how she was made. Everyone is different."
     "How was I made? Which one do I get to be?" Soleis giggles.
    "Depends. Your parents are both pretty tall, so you should at least get to be about average height."
    "What about me?" Raymond pipes up from his chair. "How tall will I be?" Aries picks him up and puts him on her lap, across from the other two.
    "I'm not sure." She looks over at Soleis. "You're a boy, so it's a bit different, but you'll most likely be about 5'10". Or somewhere in there." He nods, thinking. Stacy squeals from her spot, and Soleis puts Bekah back on the ground. She walks over to Stacy and picks her up, holding her tightly in her arms.
    "Shh, it's okay," Soleis boops Stacy's small nose, and smiles. "You're probably gonna be about 5'4", considering that I'm pretty short and Aries is pretty tall." Stacy laughs and grabs a chunk of Soleis' hair, pulling it.
    "Hey! That wasn't nice!" Raymond hops off of Aries and walks over to Soleis and Stacy. "Yeah, Stacy, that wasn't nice." He holds a hand up to Stacy and she grabs that instead.
     "See? This is better," he says. Bekah forked the last piece of Raymond's pancake and shoved it into her mouth.
      "We're done! Let's go play Raymond!" She grabs his hand and pulls him away. Monica follows them, and Taurus as well, leaving Pixie, Brady, Soleis, and Aries at the table with Stacy.
    Pixie clears her throat, and Brady smiles. Soleis is a bit distracted with Stacy, but Aries brings her to attention.
    "So, guys. . . We just found out. . . I'm pregnant!"
     "Ohmygosh, Pixie, that's great!" Aries squeals, grinning. Soleis grins.
    "Told you he was the one." Pixie rolls her eyes.
    "Yeah, yeah, whatever."
    "Love you too, Pix. Well, congrats! I'm happy for you! It's about time, though." Soleis smirks. Pixie rolls her eyes again, and stands up, tugging Brady along.
    "We're gonna go, but see you later." Soleis nods.
    "See you guys later." They walk away, leaving Soleis and Aries alone with the now-sleeping Stacy. Soleis walks over to Aries, and sits next to her, leaning against her chest.
    "This is gonna be fun." Aries comments, running a hand over Soleis' arm.
    "Yeah, it will," Soleis turns her head and looks up at Aries. "You have to have fun, though, and participate. I know how you can be, with stuff like this. But please give me this?" Aries smiles and shakes her head.
    "Fine. I'll have fun." Soleis grins.
    "Good." She kisses Aries' lips lightly and stands up. "I'm going to go back to the room and put Stacy down for a kip. Come on," she motions for Aries to follow and they walk back to the room, exactly how it's meant to be, with Aries' arm around Soleis.