1:05 am A Novel

Almost Two

     "I got a little girl at home, and a new baby boy."

     "Spare me the negotiation tactics. You're not getting more." Karma sighed.

     Hawk shrugged. "Can't blame a harvester for trying."

     Karma chuckled and headed back into the water base.

     Once she was back in the halls, she started jogging. It was the middle of the night and she figured that no one was going to be awake. She had to hurry back so Rea wouldn't wonder where she'd gone. If he woke up without her, she would get twenty questions. She couldn't have that. Particularly with a human lie detector. She didn't want him to find out about his present until tomorrow night when she gave it to him at their anniversary dinner.

     Switching to a full run, she spun around the corner. She ran directly into Gears. He reeled backward and then righted himself. She dropped her blanket on the floor. Gears recovered his balance and adjusted his glasses. He gave her a wide-eyed stare.

     "What're you doing?" Gears asked her. "Do you know what time it is? You should be asleep. You need more rest now."

     "I got this blanket for Rea." Karma picked up the blanket. "I wanted to give it to him at our anniversary dinner tomorrow. I'm going to hide it. But I have to hurry back before he catches me. Wait, why are you up?" She paused. In a mocking tone, she added, "Do you know what time it is?"

     Gears adjusted his glasses again. "I'm up because of my rabbits."

     "Rabbits?" She could never keep up with what Gears was working on.

     "They keep reproducing. I have to get this figured out. They just keep..." Gears put his hands together and intertwined his fingers. He then pulled his hands apart again and stared at her. "Never mind what they do. I just have a lot of bunnies."

     Karma laughed at the anxious look on his face. She also thought his way of explaining his rabbit's mating amusing.

     "I get it. You're an odd duck, Gears."

     Gears' face brightened. "Ducks. That's a much better idea than rabbits."

     Karma shrugged. She needed to get back to bed before Rea sent out people looking for her. Even though Rea was a builder now, The Seemyah still respected him highly. He could get a search party together quicker than anyone she'd ever met—including her father.

     "I've got to go. I'll talk with you later about ducks."

     Gears nodded. "Let me take the blanket. I'll hide it in my room until your dinner tomorrow."

     That was good luck. "Thank you."

     As soon as Gears took the bundle, she dashed down the hall again. From behind her, she heard Gears call out the word "rest."

     When she got to their bedroom, she opened the door as silently as possible and entered.

     Rea sat on the side of the bed. He'd put on a pair of pants, and a shirt was in his hands. He looked up when she came in.

     "I was coming to look for you. I was..." He trailed off.

     "Worried?" She finished his sentence.

     "Fucking scared out of my mind. I'm trying, but I don't know what I'll do if you get hurt, or if the baby gets hurt. Gears said women can die in childbirth. He also said if you fall you can lose the baby."

     Karma crossed the room to stand between his legs. She took the shirt from his hands and tossed the top to a nearby chair. "Gears should've never talked to you about me having this child. The baby and I will be okay. I love you."