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Page 20 of Kranow (Brides of the Mylos #4)

Marley sniffled. Damn it, I wanted him to take this promotion. So why am I bawling like a baby? At least I managed to hold it in until I got back to our quarters. She reached for the tissue box next to their bed. It was empty, of course. She put it back down and made her way into their bathroom, where she splashed her face with some water before drying it. No more tears leaked through her lids, but her eyes were red and her face splotchy from crying. Fantabulous. Might as well pee while I ’ m in here.

She sat down and emptied her bladder of that morning ’ s coffee and juice. She stood up and flushed, pulling up her panties, and moved to wash her hands, all on autopilot. I look a sight right now, but last night, he certainly made me feel beautiful. She gave herself a faint smile, losing herself in the memories of their tender lovemaking. It hadn ’ t been their first time, but it certainly was not a time she thought she ’ d ever forget. It had been a celebration of their ever deepening affection for one another, a good-bye, and a promise to return all rolled into one.

“ Marley, I wish to extend congratulations, ” a voice broke in, startling her. Marley ’ s hand had flown to her heart and she laughed at herself. It was merely the bathroom ’ s AI, which ran the set routines in charge of their water preferences, did their laundry, and monitored their health among other things too numerous for her to recall right off the bat.

“ Congratulations? Oh, yes! Isn ’ t his promotion wonderful? I ’ m so proud of him, ” Marley replied.

A pause as Marley waited for it to reply. The bathroom AI wasn ’ t as socially adept as Xero, nor as complex. It sometimes had to consult Xero ’ s database to give her a response. “ Oh, yes, that is fantastic news! However, I am referring to your test results. Ship ’ s stores will be delivering your prescribed vitamins. I am scheduling your first check up with medical now. ”

Marley blinked. Vitamins? Check up? The blood drained from her face. Test results … “ I ’ m pregnant? ” she whispered.

“ Yes, indeed! Congratulations, again! ” the AI chirped.

Marley gaped at herself in the mirror. Pregnant. She shook herself. Kranow will be over the moon! But should I tell him now or wait? He ’ s only just left for training! I don ’ t want to distract him. I can ’ t be that far along. What if I told him now, only I lost it before he got back? Marley ’ s mind raced as tried to come to terms with this revelation and her current circumstances. Oh my God! We are going to have a baby! She grinned at herself, deciding to wait until after her appointment to tell Kranow.

She smoothed her hair down and went to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of orange juice in anticipation of the vitamins imminent arrival. As if on cue, the door to their quarters chimed and a midshipman stood at her door. “ I was asked to deliver these, ” he said. Marley signed his data pad to acknowledge that she ’ d received them and went back inside. She smiled happily at the small bottle. With everything that happened over the past couple of years, this was something she had failed to imagine. She removed the cap and shook out an oblong tablet. Popping it into her mouth, she grimaced as the tang of iron hit her tongue, hurriedly taking a sip of the orange juice to rid herself of it. One tablet down, another six months of them to go. She replaced the lid and pushed the bottle to the far end of the breakfast bar, next to the wall.

Standing still, she pondered what to do next. She had the day off thanks to Kranow ’ s departure. She thought briefly about going in to class anyway, then decided against it. It was coming up towards lunchtime. Deciding to celebrate her secret news, she hurried to freshen up her make up and make the next scheduled shuttle. Lunch at Rosa ’ s, all on her own, followed by a stroll in the park, was simply perfect. Time to herself, to simply be and step into her new role as mother-to-be and waiting wife, before class schedules and planning and other events swept her along once more.

“ Oh, hey! ” Darla said to her, coming out of the elevator. “ Kranow left today, didn ’ t he? You okay? ”

“ Yep, and I ’ m doing all right. Just about to go grab some lunch and go for a walk, ” Marley said, hoping just this once that her friend didn ’ t want to come along.

“ I ’ m just getting some lunch too, ” Darla said pulling a face, “ before heading back to class. We ’ re studying this star cluster that ’ s just been born. ”

“ That sounds really cool, ” Marley told her friend as she got into the elevator. “ Sorry, I gotta dash if I ’ m going to make my shuttle! ”

“ Oh! Okay, catch you later! ” Darla called after her. The doors slid shut and Marley gave a sigh of relief. She just didn ’ t want to be with people today. Be surrounded by them, yes. Be social with them, no. “ Shuttle Bay 4, ” she told the elevator, knowing it would deposit her on the deck it was on. The elevator began to hum and she felt an almost imperceptible movement as it began its journey. Moments later she was exiting and beginning the short walk to the shuttle bay. Cannoli, here I come.