“Susan…no, not familiar.”

Paloma wanted to cry out in frustration, but bit her lip to avoid doing so. She had placed a call to Viktor to see if he knew anything about a woman named Susan, someone Dominic claimed was related to Atlas in some way aside from sharing the same last name, but it seemed like even he was not going to be any help this time.

“Alright, thanks for letting me know.” Paloma sighs in defeat. “Sorry.”

“Is okay, how is friend? The one with giant baby?”

“Oh, somewhat well, she looks ready to pop but we still have a few weeks left. Elizia said to call her in case we need help with the birth, it'd be good to have an extra set of hands.”

“Yes she deliver babies before war, very good at it. And after war too, I think.”

“I'm very sure she is. Good day Viktor.” Paloma hung the phone up and lets out a frustrated sigh. Of all the people she called up in hopes of figuring out who this Susan was, she really hoped Viktor would know since he worked with Atlas the longest since even Mordecai didn't know. Mitzi was just as baffled, but promised Paloma she'd ask around and look into it.

“Judging by your expression, your friend was no help?” She hears Nico ask and looks up to see him approaching with a plate covered with some sandwiches and holds it out to her. “Spam? Peekon didn't want any, something about it not being kosher, Kuura can't have too much salt, and Kalle isn't home. Can't eat it myself.”

“He has no idea who this Susan is. Mordecai can't even find anything, so we don't know if this is a family member, a friend who coincidentally has the same last name, or just a stranger with the same last name as my dead boss.” Paloma admits as she took a sandwich and bit into it, chewing a few times before swallowing it. “This Dominic guy doesn't know either, or maybe he does but he wants us to work for the information. Kinda shady in my opinion.”

“And that's why I don't like most law enforcement folks.” Nico says as he is finishing his sandwich before grabbing another. “Can you trust him?”

“I don't know, should I?”

“Not entirely, he's willing to help you two solve this case, but he can't be trusted. Perhaps we could ask my sister for help, consult with our patron to figure something out and get us on the right path.”

“Uh, maybe you do that. Dealing with spooky stuff like that makes me reeeeally uncomfortable, especially spirits.”

Nico raised a brow. “Really? Peekon mentioned where you're from is pretty rural, pretty sure you have some folks who practice stuff like that and believe in spirits. Like celebrating that thing for dead people.”

“We don't consult with the dead, we honor them and that's only for Day of the Dead.” Paloma says with a shake of her head. “Only pagan holiday my family does, everything else is related to Jesus, God and the saints. Perhaps your friends in your…group could be of help if they're from this city? Perhaps they know something?”

“I could ask Serafine to look into that, can't leave you all here while the other two are away. Otherwise they'd kill me. Or hang me by my knees and shoot me. Or something as awful. You sure Kuura isn't nine months yet? She looks ready to have that baby any day now.”

Paloma grimaces. “Yeah she's only around…seven months? I think? She wasn't showing when we first met and when we both came here she barely had a lump. I've told her we should go see a doctor to see if perhaps we should get the baby out of her sooner than waiting another two months.”

“What, carved it out of her or something?” Nico scoffs before he saw the annoyed face she was making. “Oh shit you're serious.”

“Only as an emergency, but she doesn't want to see a doctor for whatever reason and I am going to try and respect that decision. Hence why we are doing the birth here with a midwife I know instead of a hospital.”

“Is she any good, the midwife?”

“She was a war nurse in Europe before coming here, is that good enough for you?”

Nico shrugs. “I suppose, I'm just nervous about this, I've never had to deal with this before.”

“What, fatherhood?” Paloma asks as she starts to walk back towards the kitchen while Nico follows.

“Well yes, how does one…you know…”

“Know how to parent? Don't ask me, I'm not one. Closest I've come to raising kids was looking after my younger siblings and cousins before I moved here. I suppose it's different for everyone, not everyone is fit to be a parent.”

“You think I'll be a good parent?”

“That's not for me to say, but I'm sure you'll do fine.”

“Yeah but what if I mess up?” Nico asks once they reach the kitchen. “I didn't have a dad, I can hardly think someone like me is capable of being a proper father!”

“¡Dios mio Nico! I'm telling you, you're going to do just fine!” Paloma sighs as she takes the plate of sandwiches from him. “Look, as I've said before, not everyone is fit to be a parent, but that doesn't mean you can't try. My own grandparents went through the same thing, they were young when they had my uncle before they got married, and he turned out just fine! And it's not just you doing the parenting, Kuura is doing it too! You don't think she's nervous as well?”

“Well, yes?”

“You're both nervous, it's your first baby, it's okay to be scared! But all that fear is going to go away once that little fluffy bundle of joy is in your arms wailing their lungs out, stressing about it now is not good for either of you.”

“Well easy for you to say that, you and Peekon aren't having a kid. We can't help but stress!” Nico argues.

“Oh trust me, we are both stressed about this, Kalle too. Now, enough talk, I have lunch to work on. Go check on Kuura, she should be napping or reading in her room.”

Nico nods before he grabs another sandwich and exits the kitchen, leaving Paloma alone. She lets out a tired sigh as she slumped against the kitchen counter, feeling more frustrated than before. This new added stress about this Susan lady on top of the stress about Kuura was not doing her any good, and half the time she just wanted to scream, cry and rip her hair out in frustration from it. She could really use a nap, or do something that wasn't cleaning, something to take her mind off everything.

“Did Nico do or say something to upset you?” She looks up to see Mordecai approaching, newspaper tucked under his arm and holding an empty mug. “He did, didn't he? Would you like me to swiftly deal with him?”

“No, he just offered me a sandwich and I thought he was going to start crying while he was rambling about being a terrible father.” Paloma says with a tired laugh as she turns to hop onto the counter and leaned her head against the cabinets. “Viktor says he doesn't know any Susan, and Mitzi never heard of anyone in Atlas’ family by that name. So, back to square one, frustratingly.”

“The name is also unfamiliar to me, unfortunately. I've been working under Atlas since I was seventeen and I would have remembered a Susan May.” Mordecai admits as he sets his mug down on the counter and leans against it. “You think that man knows but wants us to uncover everything about it for ourselves?”

“Seems possible, maybe to see how serious we are about figuring out what happened to Atlas. You know…you never told me about what happened that night, when you came back all soaked from the rain after I got off the phone with Mitzi. You seemed to know what happened already before I told you.”

Mordecai grimaces and glances up at her. “I…I found him. I can't tell you what I was doing that night, but I was the one who found him. He…he was already dead by the time I found him, several stab wounds and bullet wounds to the chest and one to his forehead, it was too late to try and revive him. Mitzi also saw him. I'll never forget how awful and loud her cries were when I tried to shield her from the gruesome sight.”

“So…that's why you didn't look surprised when I told you?”

“Yes. To this day I don't know why he was out there so late, and what was weird was that he had asked me earlier in the day to meet with him so late. Perhaps if I was there earlier I…I could have saved him. Or I would have suffered the same fate in his place.”

“Mi amor, don't say that, you shouldn't blame yourself.” Paloma says as she takes his hand to pull him over to where she sat so he stood in front of her. She then gently cups his face before leaning forward to gently kiss his forehead. “I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you if you went earlier. Especially since I was still grieving for my grandfather at the time.”

“Still-”

“No. I mean it. Don't ever say something like that again.”

Mordecai nods before Paloma slides off the counter and pulls him into a tight hug.

“We really need a break from this, it's tiring.” She mumbles against him.

“I know, perhaps we should go to the living room to rest for a bit.” 

“Good idea, are you finally going to rest against me the way I've been letting Kalle and Kuura rest?”

“I am not about to lay my head on your bosom, it is highly inappropriate!” Mordecai says, now looking a bit flustered.

Paloma lets out a laugh. “I'm kidding amor, come on, we can rest and read together. Or you can read to me.”

They make their way into the living room, the radio was one and softly playing some quiet jazz music. Once they seat themselves on the couch with their own books in hand, Paloma finds herself glancing at Mordecai as he gets wrapped up in his book, barely able to pay any attention to hers.

“I can't do it!” She suddenly yells, tossing her book over the couch and jumps to her feet.

“Sounds like you've snapped.” Mordecai comments, not looking up from his book.

“I have not! I can't even focus, not even reading is helping!”

“Perhaps we should turn off the radio to help you?”

“No! Ugh, I don't know! I can't even relax and it's making me want to rip my hair out! I just want- I don't know! AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!”

There's the sound of multiple footsteps heard making their way to the living room before Nico bursts in with a fire poker in hand and Kalle bursts in a moment later with an axe in hand, both men looking around with angry looks before they realize no one else was in the room save for Paloma and Mordecai.

“The fuck was that?!” Nico exclaims and looks at Mordecai. “Did you make her scream?”

“No, she just did that out of the blue after freaking out!” Mordecai protests.

“You hurt?” Kalle asks Paloma, lowering his weapon.

“I'm…yes I'm fine, I was just feeling frustrated and needed to scream.” Paloma admits. “Sorry.”

“Use a pillow next time, I thought you got stabbed.” Nico groans as he lowers his weapon. “Ugh, I need a drink.”

“Okay you really have to stop using that awful scream, it's unnerving and there's a reason why everyone calls you Devil Dove.” Mordecai sighs once both men have left the room.

“Sorry.” Paloma mutters as she sits back down on the couch next to him. “I can't focus on reading, I feel too restless.”

“Then pace.”

“Dance with me.”

Mordecai looks up at her in surprise. “What?”

“You, me, dance.” Paloma extends a hand out to him. “Come on, I promise no one will bump into you hard enough to make you step on my feet this time.”

She could see he was trying to decide what to do, either reject her hand and go back to reading or take it and dance with her. After maybe a minute or so, Mordecai finally takes her hands, sets his book aside and gets up.

“Its been years.” He mutters as Paloma takes his hands to put them in position on her waist and her other hand.

“Its okay, it's just us and we are gonna take it slow.” She assures him. “No fancy dancing, no flapping limbs, just sort of shuffling in place. Back, forth, back forth, left, right, left right, back, forth, back, forth, left, right, left, right.”

Thankfully the song playing on the radio was calm and gentle, allowing them to dance at a slow pace. Paloma could see Mordecai was looking very focused as they danced, muttering the steps under his breath as they moved. She remembered how at their first holiday party together he did the same thing, only people kept bumping into them and he kept stepping on her bare feet, mumbling apologies before dragging her away back to the bar to avoid getting trampled again.

“You know, I think if they played a slower song like this, we would have had a more pleasant experience with dancing.” Paloma comments with a small chuckle.

“I'll have to agree with you on that.” Mordecai says quietly.

As the song plays and they gently sway, Paloma leans against Mordecai, resting her head on his shoulder as the female singer softly sings and she too sings along in a more softer tone.

“I found a dream, that I could speak to. A dream that I can call my own. I found a thrill to rest my cheek to.” She sings softly, smiling up at her beloved. “A thrill that I have never known! Ohh yeah yeah! You smile, you smile. Oh and then the spell was cast! And here we are in heaven, for you are mine…at last…”

God she practically melted into Mordecai when he smiles and leans forward, kissing her softly as they stop dancing, and enjoying the feeling of his arms around her. It was like something out of those silly romance novels she would pour over when she was barely dating him, only this was real and she was actually kissing an infamous triggerman in some dusty old cabin’s living room instead of a dashing young lord in his garden.

As they were barely breaking the kiss and leaning forward to do it again, a loud cry suddenly sounded from somewhere in the house.

“Paloma?” Kuura calls, her voice sounding a bit strained and faint. “I…I think it's time!”

Absolute dead silence. It only lasts for a few moments before Paloma is practically rushing back to where the phone was and rolling her sleeves up. No this was too early! Way too early!

“Wait now?! Now?!” Mordecai yells as he rushes after her.

“Yes now! I need to get Elizia!” She exclaims as she grabs the phone off the hook. “Hello? Can you connect me with Elizia Müller? Thank you! Elizia!”

“Paloma? It's late…” She hears the older woman yawn. “What-”

“Kuura is experiencing labor pains!”

“What?! But it's so early!”

“I know! Please help, this is not the same as helping cows, goats and horses give birth!”

“I'll come, I can't leave Iliose at home, could she come?”

“Sure, just get here as fast as possible.”

Once the call was cut, Paloma puts the phone back before grabbing it again, requesting for a different person to call. The second the person she called picked up, she could hear what sounded like loud drums, chanting, tambourines and other loud noises on the other end.

“Serafine! It's Paloma!” Paloma yells, hoping she would be heard over the noise of whatever ceremony the younger Savoy was holding.

“Ah devil dove girl, the one who bit my brother!” She hears Serafine yell back. “Can this wait? We're in the middle of a -”

“Kuura is having the baby and I need someone else to help with the birth!”

“Birth? Cher, it's too early!”

“Tell that to your niece or nephew! Look, Nico told me to call you when it happens, and it's happening! So get your tail here now before he freaks out over you not being here!”

“Alright I'll come! Make sure he ain't doing anything stupid!”

“Stupid how?” Paloma mutters once the call was cut and hurries to Kuura's room where the mother to be is laying on the bed groaning in pain. Nico is at her side, murmuring comforting words to her while trying to keep her hair out of her face and perks up when he sees Paloma.

“Did you call my sister?” He asks and sighs in relief when she nods. “Oh good, when is she coming?”

“Well it sounded like she was in the middle of a…something, not sure what. Tons of loud noises, but she promised to come.”

“Good, good. And the midwife?”

“On her way as well. We just have to be patient, and you sir need to be out of here.”

“What? Why?”

“Because men are not supposed to be in the room when a birth happens!”

“No…please…stay…” Kuura groans, trying to grab for his hand. “Please…”

“I'm sorry Kuura, but he can't be here. Men typically aren't allowed in the room when the birth happens, I think it's for health reasons. You boys go get Kalle and start gathering towels and water - warm water, not sure when help will get here but I'll do my best without their assistance for now.”

Mordecai, who was standing in the doorway nods and hurries in to grab Nico, ushering him out the door and leaving the two women alone.

“Paloma…I-I'm…I-” Kuura says and lets out a groan. “Oh why now!”

“Shhh, its okay, you're gonna be okay.” Paloma assures her, bending to carefully gather as much of her curly blonde hair as possible into a bun to keep it out of her face before doing the same to her own hair. “Alright, how do you want to do this? Standing up? Laying down? Whichever makes you comfortable is fine.”

“I think I'll stay on the bed…I can hardly move.” Kuura whimpers as the bedroom door opens and Kalle enters, still in his snow jacket and axe in hand. “Put that down!”

“Baby time?” He asks Paloma, ignoring his sister.

“Yes, I think. The midwife is coming, I need you and the boys to get as many towels as possible and lots of warm water.”

“Warm water it is, hopefully she be okay for now.” Kalle says, turning to look at his sister with a tired smile. “You be okay.”

Kuura mutters something in Finnish as he hurries out, grabbing Paloma’s hand to squeeze it tightly. After what felt like forever, she hears the doorbell ringing just as Nico and Mordecai are bringing in pots and buckets of water they probably heated from the stove to keep warm. Nico immediately bolts, returning a few moments later with Elizia hastily removing her coat and Serafine trying to warm her hands while removing her coat and gloves.

“Aw cher, you don't look too good!” The younger Savoy says as she approaches the bed and pats Kuura's cheek. “Don't worry, I've helped deliver a baby or two back in New Orleans, how far along are you?”

“I can see the head already.” Paloma comments as Elizia shooed the men out of the room. “She's having trouble pushing it out.”

“Let me check.” Serafine says as she lifts the blankets up. “Oh! I can see a pair of shoulders, we can pull this little one out sooner than expected. You're doing great Kuura.”

“Get it out now!” Kuura groans. “This hurts so much!”

“I know liebling, I know. I just need you to give me a good push or two while we work on pulling the baby out.” Elizia says as she rolls her sleeves up, dipping her hands in one of the buckets of warm water and Serafine does the same. “Paloma, hold her hand, remind her to breathe properly.”

Paloma nods as the older two women set about working, Kuura whimpering as gripping her hands tightly. With one good scream, Paloma hears the sound of snipping before she hears the faint cries of a baby that start to get louder.

“Its done, you did it Kuura!” She whispers to her friend as she flopped back on the bed with a tired sigh.

“It's a boy!” Serafine says, holding up the small wailing kit before wrapping it up in a blanket. “But he’s so small, how odd.”

“One?” Kuura asks, trying to sit up. “But…so heavy…”

“Maybe it's all the fluid still in you.” Elizia says with a shrug. “Here, you want to hold him?”

Kuura nods as she is handed the still wailing baby. He's small with blondish colored fur, though it was hard to tell with all the blood still left on him. Kuura smiles sleepily as she holds the newborn, stroking his still dirty face with one finger before looking at the door. “Nico, come say hi to your son.”

Nico pokes his head into the room, looking very nervous before Mordecai and Kalle shove him in. He glares at the two but proceeds to walk over to the bed where Kuura lays.

“Was that really in you?” He asks softly. “Thought he'd be bigger. Like…much bigger.”

“Well she never carried him to full term, so he's kinda runty.” Paloma explains. “Same thing happened with one of my brothers: born too early and was very small and weak growing up. Still short too.”

“Hey…why is she still leaking?” Serafine asks loudly, lifting the blanket as Kuura grimaces. “Holy shit! Nico, take the kid! Kuura, get back in the birthing position!”

“What are you talking about - oh god!” Paloma gasps when she looks under the blankets. “Kuura there's another!”

“Twins?!” Nico exclaims as the baby is pressed into his arms by Elizia before she starts to shove him and the other men out the door. “Wait! Can't I just-”

“No men! Stay out!” The older woman yells as she manages to shove them out. “And wait for now!”

“Twins?” Kuura asks in panic as she is moved back into the position she was in earlier.

“That probably explains why your stomach looked big, bet this next one is gonna be a bit bigger.” Paloma says, taking her hand. “Okay, take deep breaths and push!”

-----

“Should have known.” Kalle says as the door is slammed in their faces before they hear Kuura let out a scream.

“Is she gonna be okay?” Nico asks, hugging his son to his chest.

“I'm sure she will.” Mordecai tries to assure him. “Perhaps we should clean this little one up, we shouldn't leave him so dirty.”

Kalle managed to fill the kitchen sink with warm water where he and Nico carefully washed the baby to reveal his blonde colored fur, the small bits of grey on his hands and feet, and the start of some curls on his little head.

“There, all clean.” Nico sighs as he bundles his son up in a clean blanket. “You look just like your ma, but you might be as handsome as your pa when you get older.”

The baby says nothing, now asleep as he's snuggled against his father's chest. The three take him to the living room where Iliose is reading and they sit down and stoke the fire to keep the room warm.

“Baby here?” She asks.

“Yes, but there's another on the way.” Mordecai responds.

“That's gonna take a while.”

“No stupid names for baby.” Kalle warns as the men sit down.

“We…we haven't had any names picked out yet.” Nico admits. “Waiting to see if the baby is okay before naming them. I guess for now this one can be called Nico Jr until further notice.”

“Terrible name choice.” Mordecai comments as he picks up the book he had discarded earlier to continue reading.

“Well I'm sure you'd disagree if Paloma ever wants to name a baby after you.” The boxer scoffs.

“As if we'd have a child together, we still don't want to get married.”

“You'll change your mind in a few years Peekon, I've seen the look in your eyes when you look at her. You are so down bad for-”

“Child present.” Kalle interrupts, pointing at Iliose and the newborn kit who was now asleep. “Behave.”

Mordecai just rolls his eyes, trying to focus on his book. Did he want children? Before Paloma, he never did, even after dating her the thought of having even one never crossed his mind before. He had heard of people saying they developed “baby fever” after holding or seeing a child, which made no sense at all. Holding the kit while trying to clean him stirred no such thoughts in his brain, all he could think about was how smelly the poor thing was as he cried his little head off.

Right now he and Paloma were still fresh into their rekindled relationship, he was attempting to avoid how he used to act in the past and be more affectionate and open with her. They both had agreed marriage would never be in the table for them, but that was before the breakup, would…no, he shouldn't think of that.

As he's reading, he hears footsteps approaching and the crying of a baby before Paloma emerges with a wailing newborn in her arms swaddled in a towel.

“Another boy, you have twins.” She announces with a wide smile. “Kuura got to hold him, can you clean him?”

Nico nods and hands Mordecai the first baby to take the new one, still crying his lungs out. “Wow, now you're definitely your daddy's boy, got some good lungs.” He laughs as the baby grabs one of his fingers, still wailing. “Aw don't cry, your pa's right here, gonna clean you up and we'll go see your mama.”

“Here hold him.” Mordecai says as he hands the little blonde kitten to Kalle to put his book aside and stand up to walk over to Paloma. “So that's it?”

“I think so, she's looking very exhausted right now, but other than that she seems okay.” The Younger woman says with a tired smile. “No one expects twins. I remember my older brother telling me how happy my mama and relieved was to finally have a baby girl until they saw Gabriel's hand clinging to my ankle. Too bad that didn't stop my brothers from being so rowdy.”

“You haven't developed baby fever now, have you?”

“Of course not! Why, you want one all of a sudden now that you're “uncle Mordecai”?”

“N-no! I just-”

Paloma lets out a laugh and pats his arm. “I'm kidding! Goodness amor, neither of us are ready to be parents yet.”

“You'll both change your minds soon enough!” Nico laughs.

“Uh…Paloma?” They hear Serafine call out. “There's…a problem.”

Nico and Paloma stop smiling and look at each other in worry before the younger woman hurries out of the living room. What could be wrong now?”

“¡DIOS MIO!” The men hear Paloma suddenly yell. “THERE'S A THIRD?!”

“HOW?! SHE'S SO TINY!” Serafine yells.

“Less talking, more birthing!” Elizia yells.

Mordecai looks back to Nico, only to see him looking ready to faint, slowly rocking back and forth as he tries to keep himself upright. “Oh don't you-”

Nico almost fell right over if he didn't force himself to fall back onto the couch, blinking back tears as he tried taking deep breaths.

“Three…there were three?!” He asks in a whisper.

“Yes, triplets are a rare thing.” Mordecai says with an annoyed sigh. “Pull yourself together, what happened to the cocky and so sure man who wasn't afraid of taking on bigger opponents?”

“This is different! Oh god what if she dies?!”

“She won't!”

“Here, switch.” Kalle says, taking the new baby from Nico to hand him the other. “I go clean.”

“Triplets…fucking he'll, triplets…” The boxer mutters.

“Watch your tongue.” Mordecai warns.

“Three babies?” Iliose asks. “Mama never helped with that before.”

“Well I suppose this is a record for her.”

Kalle soon returns a few minutes later holding the second baby, this one sporting red fur with some grey fur on his little nose and on his hands. He hands him over to Nico, who looks down at both children in worry.

“I hope your ma is okay.” He mumbles. “I don’t think I'm ready to raise Nico Jr and Nico the third on my own.”

“What we say about weird names?” Kalle asks.

“Placeholder names! Unless Kuura is okay with calling them Nicolas and Nicodemus.”

“Or name with K like rest of family.”

“Who does that?!”

“My ma and pa.”

“Well that's stupid.”

“What you say-”

“Another boy!” They hear Serafine yell as she enters the living room with another wailing and bloody baby in her arms. “That's all for now! And it better be!”

“Oh finally.” Nico sighs in relief. “I-”

“I'll go clean him, you take the two to their mama.”

“But-”

“No buts, she really wants you.”

“Go on.” Mordecai says as the boxer nods and gets moving.

“I think we'll have to stay the night just in case.” Elizia says as she enters the living room, looking quite tired. “Is that okay?”

“Is fine, you take my room.” Kalle says with a nod. “I sleep here for now.”

“We stay?” Iliose asks her mother.

“Yes dear, for now. I feel too tired to walk home in the snow.”

“Thank you for coming on such short notice, how much do we need to pay you?” Mordecai asks.

“Nothing, this is a favor for Paloma.” Eliza says with a shake of her head and smiles. “Perhaps in a few years I'll be coming by to help you and Paloma out.”

“That won't happen.” The older man mutters as he walks out of the living room and to the kitchen where Sersfine is drying off the latest kit as he cries.

“Another blonde, thought we'd have a Nico lookalike.” She murmurs as she wrapI'the baby in a clean blanket. “Shhh, its okay, auntie is gonna take you back to mama right now.”

“Staying the night?” Mordecai asks.

“Nah, seems a bit too crowded here, I'm driving home. I suppose I should start fixing my brother's room to accommodate three babies. Unless the Sweets are letting them stay in this place forever.”

“No clue, but I'm exhausted and want to sleep.”

“And you barely did anything.”

“Hey I boiled water and made sure Nico didn't drop any of it.”

“And I pulled a baby out of my brother's baby mama, don't complain.”

Mordecai rolls his eyes but follows her to the bedroom where he sees Kuura sitting up in bed, holding two of her new kits as Nico is taking the third. Paloma stands nearby, smiling before saying something to the couple and exits the room with Serafine.

“Come by when you have time, and do let your congregation know.” The younger woman says as they shut the bedroom door behind them.

“Oh for sure they'll get to know. We're celebrating big time!” Serafine says with a grin before yawning. “But I'm going to sleep, I'll be back later. How you feel about good Cajun jambalaya? None of that extra spice my brother added.”

“Sounds good, I think everyone here is getting tired of spam sandwiches and my rice and beans.”

“It's not so bad.” Mordecai says with a shrug. “Let's head to bed, you've had a long night.”

“I’d ask you to carry me but you've got noodle arms like Rocky.” Paloma laughs.

“I'll have you know I am strong enough to use an axe to dismember a body!” Mordecai protests. “So I can do this!”

Paloma yelps as he tries to scoop her up, nearly crashing into a wall and flung her arms around him. “¡Amor!”

Mordecai grunts as he stumbles towards their room, shoving the partially opened door and kicking it shut behind them once they're inside. He manages to reach the bed before dropping Paloma down, almost collapsing on top of her.

“You're heavier than expected.” He groans, flopping down beside the younger woman.

“Any normal woman would be offended, but you got noodles for arms so I forgive you.” Paloma laughs, turning over to touch his cheek. “You know, if this works out between us, I'd like to have what Kuura and Nico have.”

“And that's…”

“Perhaps a family. We'd be married of course, but that's if we are still together and want to be more than what we are now.”

A family, did he want that? Well, maybe, if they were still together after a few years. A husband, he could be, but a father? He was hardly father material, but if Paloma thought he was…perhaps…

“We'll see.” He says quietly. “For now, let's see how we last as a couple before making any rash choices.”