The Moon and The Earth

The New Moon Pt. 13

The couple was now on their way to the island where Pema had agreed to look after Neoma while Lin and Kya were meeting with the attorney.

The pair stepped onto the dock and took their time going up the stone steps, hand in hand. Both women had to wipe away tears by the time they had reached the top although they had walked in silence.

They found Neoma in the family's living area, happily bouncing on Pema's lap. Just as the women entered there was a loud crash and Tenzin could be heard down the hall reprimanding the children for using their air-scooters inside. Pema welcomed the couple with a small smile when they walked in, and quickly studied their faces before opting to not ask how it went.

"Kya, Lin," She greeted. Pema volunteered information on their day as Lin immediately moved to hold the girl. "Neoma's been wonderful today, she's a very sweet girl. We had one incident, quite the mess on our hands after a mishap with a bottle and Meelo's air-scooter, but everything and everyone washed up just fine. Otherwise, we've had a fairly uneventful day."

"Thank you for taking her." Kya answered, though she never took her eyes from Neoma. She stood close against Lin's back, resting her chin on her wife's shoulder and softly brushed the girl's hair with her fingertips.

Tenzin walked in a moment later, hands full of books, looking slightly disheveled. He was probably the thing that the children had crashed into in the hall. "Oh, hello. The two of you are back earlier than Pema said. Everything went well then?"

Pema closed her eyes and sighed softly at her husband's lack of tact.

"Not really..." Kya trailed off, not sure she was ready to discuss it quite yet.

"Not at all, actually." Lin answered with a scoff. She gave Neoma to Kya, knowing that her wife would want to hold her as well. "Basically, our attorney said that we don't stand a chance against her biological family. Mostly because our case was given to Judge Yin, who sticks to "tradition" and based on the information we received today, is homophobic."

"I don't think you should speak about the Judge like that. Saying things like that could be very damaging to his reputation." Tenzin said quickly. Lin bristled and opened her mouth to speak, but Pema beat her to it.

"Tenzin, now is not the time-" Pema began.

"Saying that he's discriminating against the queer community is true. All of his verdicts give custody to a household that includes a man and a woman regardless of the circumstances; a mother and a father, because to him, family dynamics of same-sex couples do not make for a strong home life." Kya cut in.

"I don't think he is incorrect in this. A child should have a mother and a father." Tenzin pushed back.

"Enough, Tenzin." Lin said gruffly, clenching her shaking hands into fists. The stress of the day, the past week honestly, was beginning to catch up with her and it didn't help that Tenzin could infuriate Lin like no other.

He doesn't get what it feels like to be in our position. He doesn't get that he's dismissive of Kya and I's relationship. He doesn't get that he's also prejudiced.

Fuming and red-faced, Lin continued, "Families with two mothers or two fathers are no less caring or supportive than that of a nuclear family. You pride yourself on airbender culture and philosophies, constantly reading and educating yourself and others, but you are still so closed-minded and pigheaded. I don't understand it! Kya and I have just as much of a right to be parents as any other couple."

"What I don't understand is: why now? What-"

"For Spirit's sake, Tenzin-" Kya tried.

"What makes her special? Why are you fighting so hard for this child; why do you want to be her mother, Lin?! You never wanted children before!" Tenzin shot back and Pema looked at him with wide eyes.

The earth began to tremble.

Kya tried to get her wife's attention but-

"I can't have children!!" Lin shouted back at him, tears beginning to stream down her face.

A crack in the stone floor ran from under her feet and up the hearth as Lin clenched her fists impossibly tighter.

"I wanted to, I want to, but I... can't... I can't..."

Suddenly, Kya was in front of her, blocking her view of Tenzin and Pema. From under furrowed brows her eyes screamed with worriment and pain. She told Lin to breathe. Focus on her. Focus only on her and Neoma. Breathe.

"Slowly relax your hands, honey." Kya held out her free hand and the earth seemed to emit a low groan as Lin released it and grasped her wife's hand instead. "Sit, please."

Lin did as told, shakily sitting in the chair nearest her, not letting go of Kya. She stared at the crack in the floor, tears continuing to seep from her eyes. The room was still for a moment. Lin avoided looking at the airbender and instead looked to his wife.

"I'm sorry." She breathed. Pema shook her head, but there was no sign of ire.

"No, no, Lin. Really, it's okay." Concern coating her usually calm, sweet voice. Lin realized it was concern for Lin's own well-being. "If anything," suddenly Pema's tone shifted into anger as she looked at Tenzin. "I  should apologize for my husband."

Tenzin stood gaping like a fish, at some point he had dropped the stack of books he had held. Lin tried to wipe her eyes but was unable to stop crying.

"Let's go home, Lin." Kya said, irritation at her brother lacing her tone. Lin gave a small nod and stood. "Thank you again, Pema, for watching Neoma."

Lin again looked to the floor and let go of her wife's hand. She carefully pulled the stone back together, hoping her accidental earthquake hadn't damaged anything else. As the couple walked past Tenzin to get to the door, he brought a hand up as if to try to touch Lin but she pulled out of his reach.

"Lin, I didn't..." Tenzin said. Lin grabbed Neoma's belongings and stepped out of the door without looking back.

"You should be ashamed of yourself." Kya looked him in the eye and spoke quietly, despondent.

Lin, Kya, and Neoma caught the first ferry back to the city and went straight home. Kya talked softly to the baby the whole way, not missing how her wife still occasionally swiped at her cheeks.

---

Later that evening, Lin stood leaning against the doorframe of the nursery, while the older woman read to Neoma. She observed every detail of the both of them sitting there in that rocking chair, committing it to her memory.

After the girl was sound asleep in her crib, the women left the room, going downstairs to relax on the couch. Kya sat in her partner's lap, snuggled against her chest, and Lin held her tightly to her. Unable to sit in the silence with her thoughts, Lin flexed her fingers and the radio across the room flicked on quietly.

Minutes passed in each other's embrace, neither really listening to the radio host of whatever station it happened to be on.

"Linny," Kya said pulling back to look at her. She brought her hand to Lin's cheek.

"Don't apologize for your brother, Kya. His actions are not your fault." She sighed. "He's always been like this really, I just never realized that our own family would be against this, against us. Everyone seemed so excited when they met Neoma."

"I know, baby."

Another quiet moment.

"We should try to call the lawyer back in the morning. None of this is his fault either." Kya said and Lin hummed in agreement. They continued to sit entwined in each other, Lin carding her fingers gently through her wife's hair, until their minds finally grew tired and they headed to bed.