Keeping Fantasia: The Third Book of the Fantasia Series

Chapter 16: Neverland Misadventures - Miscarriage

Chapter 16: Neverland Misadventures – Miscarriage

(When: 15 Years Ago)

"Knock, knock, knock." Jim waved behind the nursery door, his head down and eyes averted. "Wen, you descent in there or what?"

He heard a quiet laugh. "You can come in. I'm just tucking Gwendolyn in bed."

"Thank god." Jim entered. He dropped Peter's bouncy ball in the toy box. "Every time I turn around you're breast feeding. Have you seen Jon? Ariel and I can't find...oh Jesus Christ. Wendy why aren't you wearing your graphene suit?"

Wendy tightened her bathrobe sash. She continued to arrange the baby bassinet, speaking to Gwendolyn in a soft, sugary voice. "Because Gwendolyn doesn't like the texture of graphene, does she? And it's so hard for mother to breast-feed in that horrible jumpsuit, isn't it? Isn't it my darling?"

Gwendolyn cooed. Wendy popped her collar triumphantly at Jim. "Told you so."

Jim tried to stay stern. "Come on Wen, you know I can't be lenient about this. We could get attacked by pirates at any minute. You need to be ready for surprise attack. That includes wearing your graphene suit at all times. Do you realize how hard it would be to fight a pirate in your pajamas and bathrobe?"

Wendy smiled pragmatically. "I have three arguments for that."

"I'm sure you do."

"First, it's perfectly acceptable that I wear night clothes at bedtime—"

"—pirates don't have a bedtime—"

"—especially since it helps with Gwendolyn's late night feeding. Second..." Wendy raised her right wrist. "I always wear my shadow working hand guard. See? Magical needle, spool, and thread are ready to spring into action!"

"I bet that makes breast feeding a heck of a lot easier."

"And third..." Wendy began swaddling Gwendolyn in a pink blanket. "There hasn't been a pirate attack for months, ever since I became pregnant! Remember our second year in Neverland – the year after Jon was born? We fought pirates incessantly! But now...there's nothing. Jim I think that we've weeded out all the pirates!"

Jim considered, weighing Wendy's observations against his knowledge of intergalactic piracy.

"Maybe." he finally consented. "Pirates tend to be showy, it's unlikely they would stay dormant for so long. It's also impractical – pirates need to pillage, that's how they make money. If the pirates were active, we would hear about it from some galaxy or another. But...since we haven't...maybe all the pirates...are gone. Maybe...Neverland is safe."

Jim was a little amazed. "Damn. Maybe I'll wear pajamas and a bathrobe to bed."

Wendy tucked Gwendolyn's blanket, leaving plenty of space for her feet. "Wouldn't it be nice to go back home." Wistfully, she gazed over her daughter. "I miss Fantasia."

"Aw. Wen." Jim rubbed Gwendolyn's toes through the blanket. "You're homesick."

Wendy tickled Gwendolyn's opposite foot. "A little." she admitted, smiling as Gwendolyn squirmed. "But I'm homesick for people...Sarah, Michael, John...Tony, Rapunzel, Flynn...Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid... Dr. Doppler, Master Merlin, Headmaster Mickey...King Arthur."

"Don't miss the Underworld, huh?"

"Oh goodness no, not one bit."

"Ha, I know, just teasing."