Calysta tossed and turned, pulling the covers over her ears and then back down again because it was too warm with Illya laying by her side. No matter what she did, she couldn’t sleep. Her mind kept wandering to the idea of getting off Kaereal for a day and going to the beach. She hadn’t been swimming in so long and the kids were going to love it. It was barely 6am when Calysta couldn’t stand it anymore and rolled over to face Illya. He was still sleeping. A mischievous little grin came to her face as she inches her cold little toes over to his side, sliding them up his one toasty leg. He must have been tired enough that he slept through the first few tickles until she finally got a groggy ‘Hey’ followed by a pair of strong arms capturing her for a kiss. “Mmm…g’morning,” she whispered, going in for another kiss. She rubbed at his back and shoulders, waking him up nice and easy for a few minutes and then, gave him an excited grin. “Ready? You get the kids up and I’ll get the packing part done yeah?”
That plan was agreeable and they both rolled out of bed. The first thing Calysta did was scurry over to the closet and pick out a tunic for herself. As she picked through which one she wanted, her eyes fell on Illya’s tunic hanging in the closet. This was a civilian trip and he didn’t need to look like a soldier, it would be perfect for him to wear out and about while being nice and comfortable. Plucking it from the closet, Calysta held it up to him with a smile. “It would be a good day for this one.”
He didn’t seem thrilled, but he didn’t argue either as he took the tunic from her to put on. He would look handsome in it and that simply added to the excitement of the day. Dashing into the bathroom, Calysta started to comb her hair only to find something stuck in the curled ends of it. “What in the Wilds…” The brush was hung in whatever had crusted in her hair. When had that even gotten there? She cringed, trying to brush through it, but it was so dried in that there was no other option but a quick shower. It was a bit moot considering they were going swimming but she couldn’t go around with some mystery substance gunked in her hair, plus an extra shave wouldn’t hurt anyways. "Ok I get dah kids up and yah make sure we get oter tings?"
“Aye!” she called from the bathroom as she turned the knob in the shower, “I’ll be down in a few.”
It took 5 minutes to get the water warm and another 10 to wash her hair before shaving off any possible strays from her legs and arms. Diving out of the shower, she brushed her teeth and then dressed in her usual tunic, but wore her simply black bathing suit underneath. She had ordered a little something to go over the suit when they arrived, but her old suit still fit quite nicely and it was comfortable. Once she was dressed, she pulled out a large, cloth bag from their closet to pack.
5 towels, one picnic mat, a few toys for Cypher, a plastic baggy for their info pads just in case they need to use them, her floppy hat and sunglasses along with a small radio went into the bag. Hauling the bag down stairs, she flopped it onto the couch and found Rose pulling out her own bag from her cave…which was stuffed full of things. Raising her brow, Calysta stopped the girl. “Rose, what is all of that?”
Rose was dragging the bulging backpack across the floor, but stopped to look up at Kalizda. She had packed all on her own and brought everything she thought they might need. “This is all of my stuff for the beach. I brought my bucket and shovel, my pad, and some other stuff.”
There was an indignant squeaking coming from the bag and Calysta had an idea what ‘other stuff’ was.
“Your pail and shovel can go…Hairy is not going though,” she told her, “Take him out and leave him inside Skunky, yeah?”
“But he wanted to go too,” Rose said, her bottom lip poking out just so.
Calysta gave Rose a pointed look. “Not this time. It’s going to be hot and Hairy will roast. You don’t want to hurt him. Go put him back and then go get breakfast.” Even if they do taste delicious roasted.
When Kalizda put it that way, taking Hairy didn’t seem like such a good idea. Rose opened up her bag and scooped up the round fluff ball from the inside pocket to put him back into his miniature bed.
Satisfied, Calysta walked into the kitchen where her father was finishing making the pancakes. She stole one from the stack and chewed on it while she snagged both boxes of medicine from the cabin. One was Illya’s seizure medicine and the other was Cypher’s seizure medication. She wasn’t going anywhere without that. Stowing those in their bag, she finished off the pancake and then turned her attention to Illya for a moment. He was chewing his pancakes, but she couldn’t resist walking over and slipping her hands over his shoulders, rubbing just a little before pecking him on the cheek. “The bags are ready. I just need to dress Cypher.” Her baby boy was looking at his empty plate with a grin, his tiny white teeth stained blue from the berries “Time to get you dressed big man,” she chuckled, scooping him up.
She picked him up and then took him into the living room to change him in the floor. The boy squirmed and kept trying to roll over like a feisty little crocodile every time she started to change the diaper. “Alright wiggle worm, hold still. The faster its done the faster you can go.” When she managed to get the diaper undone, it revealed a sodden heap and a strangely purple stain under his chubby belly. She stared quizzically at the drippy mark just below his belly button. “What the…” Another strange substance stuck everywhere. What was the deal today?
Blinking a few times, she grabbed a baby wipe and swabbed him down, much to his distaste, and then packaged him back in a fresh diaper before wrangling him into a tiny orange tunic to match his father. “There you go.” When he was free he wiggled and rolled until he was on his hands and knees making a break for the kitchen again.
**********
The flight was a short one, but it was good to be at the helm of their small transport again. She took them up and out of the atmosphere, breaking into a jump as soon as she had the clearance. With the autopilot headed towards Fiyara, a moon orbiting a larger planet filled with high salinity water and dotted with luxurious islands.
While Illya took a nap with Cypher and her father dozed in the sitting room, Calysta read with Rose for a little while. It was hard for the girl to sit still, but a good story seem to capture her attention long enough for most of the flight to pass in peace. When they arrived, Calysta had their ordered items waiting on the dock, and brought them inside to dress everyone up. Cypher’s red shorts were so tiny, but they were a little snug around his belly until she let out the draw string. “I suppose I’ll be ordering you another size up,” she chuckled, as she slathered him in sun screen. His soft, baby skin would need some protection from the sun.
“You’re up next Rose!”
The girl came bounding out of the bathroom wearing her pink two piece bathing suit with ruffles and her flip flops. Calysta captured her up and poured on the sunscreen. The bottle Illya had ordered was nearly big as Cypher and was SPF 200. Nobody would be getting burned today…or for a very long time considering it would take a year to use an entire bottle of it between the 5 of them.
Swabbing down Rose was almost as hard as getting Cypher into his clothes. She was eager to go see the water and couldn’t stand still for more than two seconds. “You’re almost done…let me just get your neck…”
“Kalizda…I wont burn..I promise!”
“I know you won’t because I’m covering you in sunscreen,” she chirped back to her daughter with a grin.
Her father came trotting out of the back with his trunks on, a odd floral shirt and his strapped sandals. The old professor looked down at his toes which were a bit gnarled and sported more than a few grey hairs sprouted on top. There had been a time when he went to the beach with ladies for a date and looked a bit more in his prime and now he was in his late fifties with grey hair on his toes. When had that happened? Glancing up to Calysta, he gave his daughter a smile and then went for the bottle of sunscreen to put a slick over his nose and cheeks. Illya came out in his red shorts and Calysta grinned. He looked good in them without a doubt and his prosthetic was barely recognizable compared to the other leg. His scars were a bit brighter, but nobody would know it unless he wanted them to.
With everyone else ready, Calysta stripped off her own tunic and wrapped her new sarong around her waist with a neat knot before dropping her floppy hat onto her head, and putting on her sun glasses on top of that. Then she layered up with sun screen, careful not to miss an inch.
She carried one bag while Illya carried another on one shoulder and Cypher in his arms as they made it to the beach. Rose took off toward the surf, dropping her bag in the sand with a wild yell while Illya helped Cypher toddle through the warm sands on his own pudgy feet. “I’ll get the umbrella up,” she chuckled to Illya, as their boy insisted on going further toward the water, “Take him on down there.”
With the help of her father, she got the massive umbrella in the ground and the picnic mat out for them to lay on. The radio began playing the regional music which was a strange sort of relaxing instrumental with a lazy beat. Perfect for the beach. Once that was done, Calysta pulled off her sarong, her shoes and then looked up to check on the rest of the family. Rose was in waist high water, but Illya and Cypher were roaming around in the shallows. Her Chip was holding on to his boy’s hands, looking down at him. From this far away, it looked like Illya was walking along with a miniature version of himself.
“Dad, quick, get me the hologram capture.”
He dug it out of the bag and tossed it to her. Quickly turning on the imaging machine, she held it up to capture the scene. Illya holding on to his son’s hands and guiding him through the waters while Cypher occasionally glanced up to his father and squealed in delight. Both of their backs were turned to the camera, but she almost liked that part. This was her husband and her son together with no one watching. Suddenly, Illya dipped down, having found the end of the sandbar and Calysta gasped a little. If he panicked, she’d have to go get him.
Her Chip bobbed for a moment and then popped back up with Cypher in his arms, making her relax. She had been right at least. The man really could float here. After a few good minutes, Calysta clipped the imager to her wrist and then joined them in the water. It was good and cool compared to the hot sun, all the more motivation to hit the waves with a good dive.
“I tink ets sort of strange eh?" She chuckled at the sight of her Chip and son floating together, happy as can be and then took a few more captures of them side by side. He had never even been able to float before so, she imagined it did feel strange to him. “Aye, it does, but not so bad, right? The water is nice when its this cool with the sun being so warm.” Cypher giggled as the waves bobbed him up and down like a ride of sorts. “He seems to like it too. Maybe you two wil before Rose called out to her. “Kalizda! Come look!”
Calysta paddled her way over to Rose who was pointing to the sands below the surface. “There’s stuff down there!”
How well could Rose swim? Calysta had no idea, but it was good for the girl to know how. “Can you dive? Do you know how?”
Rose shrugged and said she would try it. Calysta grinned at her answer and the showed Rose how to dip down below the surface, using her entire body to push further against the water. “Use your arms an d your legs, there you go…like that!”
Soon, she and Rose were diving down into the waves with ease, the girl’s powerful prosthetic helping her reach the sandy bottom. Calysta showed her the shelled creatures living at the bottom, stuck to the rocks as if they were rooted to the spot. Tugging a few from their homes, she helped Rose who was struggling to get a big, fat shell free from bottom of the rock shelf.
When they surfaced, arms full of the grimy shells, she grinned at Rose. “Papa Thomas will show you how to open them and find the treasures inside.”
At the prospect of treasure, Rose was off toward the shore to find her Papa who was stretched out in the shallows, a blue colored drink cooling down his palm. Calysta took a few hologram captures of her father and Rose working on the clam-type creatures. The first one they opened was a dud, and Rose frowned, but the second one was full of crystalized sands formed into a teal bauble of sorts. “Oh, they’re pretty!” After that, the girl was in the sand trying to pry them apart to find the jewels. Thomas sat with her and grinned the whole time as she discovered more of them. Seeing his daughter, her husband and his grandchildren out and about, playing as he wished he could have done more with Calysta was a treat. He didn’t like going too deep in the water, but he was enjoying the shallows nonetheless. “Aye, clean those off in the water Rose, and I’ll find a bag for you to put them in,” he nodded to his granddaughter.
“Aye!”
The afternoon passed by and after a good diving session, Calysta returned to shore, finding Illya had stretched out in the sun with Cypher. Both of them were covered in the white powder of dried salt, and were snoozing contentedly. She stretched out beside Illya, and moved a stiffened curl from his forehead with a gentle touch. To her surprise, he stirred some and then woke to give her a wink. "Dah kids are still sleeping, yah wanna try going out to dah water togeter?"
Calysta grinned. She still had plenty of energy to spare and even if she didn’t she would find some for her Chip. “C’mon and lets go,” she giggled.
They took off over the sand and into the cool waters again. She splashed him a few times, soaking down his curls again and then floated along side him with her hand in his until he mentioned a rock nearby being good for kissing. With a playful grin, she nodded and the made their way over to the sneaky spot.
Illya backed up against the rock as she kicked forward and slid a little hand up his tan chest. It was exciting to have snuck away for a little while to play with just the two of them for a little awhile and she was feeling a bit bold, never having done something quite like this. Leaning up, she barely grazed her lips over his and the giggled lightly, gazing up at him a dare in her eyes. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you're the first Chip ever to like swimming."
A smirk came to Illya's face when Kalizda paddled in closer and she rubbed her hands along his chest. It felt good with the cool water. For the first time he found himself enjoying the fact that water could be cool. It was a little hot outside, but then again it could be related to the fact that he had become more comfortable with weather that wasn't scorching like the desert. "I might be dah first Chip tah make a successful swim."
Calysta laughed, her head dropping back some, making her hair swirl like a pool of ink in the water around her shoulders. "I think you just might be. Of course, there's always a way to really test if your swimming...." Settling her hands over his shoulders, she drifted up to his ear and whispered. "Come catch me." The phrase was meant to be her attempt at seduction, but the fact that it ended with a giddy sort of giggle gave away the mood some. Still, she shimmied away from him and began back stroking, teasing him just out of reach.
Swimming was still a little frightening in a way and Illya cautiously pushed away from the rock. Kalizda was keeping herself out of reach on purpose and he kicked a few times and started with the heart stroke. He didn't like getting his face in the water for a few reasons. One being that it felt like he was closer to sinking and the second being that this water really made his eyes sting. "I'll catch yah eventually." With a large stroke he reached out and almost caught her ankle. Only a few more and he would be close enough to catch her.
"Are you sure?" she chuckled, seeing him brave enough to give chase. His fingers brushed at her ankles and she laughed again before letting all her air out and sinking below the surface with a flick of her feet. She dove, though it was harder to do in such highly concentrated salt water and swam underneath him between the schools of silver scaled fish. His shadow made a large dot on the sandy rocks below them. Loosing a few bubbles, she grinned and kicked from sea bed to the surface behind him. It was much easier to rise than it was to dive, and before he could even turn in the water, she wrapped her arms around his waist with a breathless chuckle. "I think I have you instead."
When she ducked Illya couldn't help panicking for just a moment. She could swim, but it didn't stop his instinct from kicking in momentarily. Shifting to be in the upright position Illya tried to peer into the water, but it was too dark beneath the surface with the sun reflecting off of it. Suddenly a cool pair of arms wrapped around his waist and he stiffened. "Gah!" Peering over his shoulder he saw her snuggling into his back and he turned himself around while holding onto an arm so she couldn't sneak away again. "Onleh cause yah use cheap tricks."
He stiffed under her grip and actually yelped a little as she tried to hold him close. Rather than relaxing back, he was wiggling all about so he could turn in the water, capturing up her arm in his own large hand. "I can hold my breath for much longer than that, no tricks at all," she joked, pulling him closer. He was warm and the water was cool, making a sort of wild swirl of both on her skin. "I'll show you." He was sitting higher in the water than she was, so she kicked up with fast pedals until their lips met and she could kiss him outright for a long moment before pulling back. Gazing into his green eyes, she smiled. "You always have a lot of ideas, and this is a good one."
Having her swim up and throw her arms around his shoulders made both of them sink a little lower in the water. Illya met her kiss with another one and he leaned onto his back pulling her with him. Kalizda resting on his chest wasn't so bad and he pulled them along with his arms. "Dun fall off." They were going to head for the keystone opening in the rock just a ways out. "I tink ef we climb up dat rock we have good place tah watch water for a bit. Maybe kiss a little more. Den I can ask yah an important question or two."
A little splash accompanied his flip backward and she found herself laying over his chest as if her were a sun-warmed pool float. Chuckling, she nodded when he said not to fall off. She wouldn't be in any danger if she happened to fall off, but it might make him worry if she took a dive into the water. He was going to take the out to the keystone not to too far from their kissing rock, and she just floated along, enjoying the ride. What sort of important questions he had, she didn't know, but watching the water for awhile sounded nice and if it was something serious, they would work it out together. The waves bobbed them along as they stroked their way at a somewhat lazy pace to the rocks over looking the water which stretched into the horizon. She let go of him only to grab the craggy side and start climbing up to the top.
When they eventually reached the rock Illya felt Kalizda slide off and she began to climb up the side of the rock. There were little salt deposits that sometimes made the rock seem to be a bit sharp. Illya grabbed hold of a portion of the rock and made his way up next to Kalizda. With his longer legs he was able to make it up a little bit faster then Kalizda and he got himself stabilized in the keyhole before he reached down and offered a hand to her. "Yah come up here eh?" A smile came to his face and he scooted over so there was a space for her to sit next to him. "I tink maybe I ask dah important question now." Illya had been thinking about it for a while, but he didn't know how she would feel about it. "All dis time I start tinking about anoter baby. I dun know how yah feel, but I know we agree when tah have baby."
Calysta climbed along, but Illya quickly outpaced her with his long limbs, sending water dripping all over her in the breeze. She took his hand and guided herself up the rocks and he hoisted up to sit next to him in the hallow. "Aye," she smiled. Water from the waves sprayed at their toes and the wind was a little chilly above the water despite the sun staying strong in the afternoon. Out of instinct, she leaned close to her Chip and looked out over the waters dancing with sunlight until Illya announced he was ready to talk about his important question. Calysta shifted so she could see him better, then listened. As he spoke a jolt went through her nerves almost as if she had been electrocuted, every molecule buzzing. Was he serious? Staring at him for a long moment, her hand kept over to his and burrowed into his palm while her grey eyes scanned over his face. "Is that what you want, right now?"
It was hard to tell with the look on her face if it was a good or bad thing he'd just said. Illya nodded. "I tink about et, but we bot should agree. Yah have tah be dah one pregnant, nut meh." Now all he could do was wait to see what she was thinking about that particular subject. "Kalizda, I dun need answer now. Jes tink about et and yah answer when yah feel ready. We talk about agree wit dis before and ets best we do."
All she had wanted was a straight answer...then again would he be asking if that's not what he wanted? Was it something that she wanted? She thought of her joyful baby boy, and her beautiful daughter. How proud and lucky she was to have them. How quickly they were growing. Why was there any hesitation at all in making more? The first time she had been scared that she wouldn't be a good mother, or that something would go terribly wrong. Cypher was proof that her children could be healthy, happy, and now she could keep them safe too. Tears of a different sort were welling in her eyes and she chuckled at herself. "Illya, I think another baby would be wonderful," she replied with an excited sort of sniffle, after a long moment, "I think we're ready."
The answer came much more quickly than Illya anticipate and he sat up quickly enough he almost sent Kalizda tumbling off him. "Really?" Wrapping one arm protectively around her, he did his best to catch her before she did tumble off of him. "I tink dat maybe yah would want tah tink longer." There was still a half dazed grin on his face. "We jes take our time eh? Yah have baby when yah have baby." Gently kissing her he grinned again like a lovestruck goon. "Dat was meh only important question I tink." He couldn't even remember if he'd even said that, but he figured it would hurt to let her know that was all the more serious he was going to get tonight.
Calysta let out a small, yip of surprise when sat up, nearly toppling her into the water. He caught her up under his arm just as fast, jerking her back to his chest, and leaving her in a fit of breathless giggles. Those little chuckles only increased when he admitted he thought it would have taken longer. Why he thought that, she didn't know. Couldn't he see how much she loved him and their children? Of course she wanted more. He kissed her merrily and she kissed him back, her fingers curling into his damp hair before pulling back to see him grinning such a smile that the joy was about to burst through in every way imaginable. "We'll take our time and he...or she...will come at the right moment," she laughed, drawing him in for a kiss again, "That's all the important questions, eh? Well, I do have one caveat. I want to keep it a secret until we're pregnant...just to surprise everyone, yeah?"
It was rare that they had moments when they were both feeling so giddy and it was one that Illya was determined to enjoy while he could. "I tink dat sounds good." Waiting wasn't so hard. He'd never run around telling folks he was trying to get his agreed pregnant. Never....Why would he even do something like that? Then again there were a few things that he wasn't so good at remembering and Illya grinned sheepishly. "I do et before?”
"No, not at all," she laughed lightly, "Last time was different...we didn't really talk about it and you just..um...worked hard, yeah? This time is different in many ways." He would be with her and they would be together with the pregnancy this time. She wrapped her hands around his waist and hugged him close, just trying to express some measure of the joy she was feeling, though the move seemed inadequate.
***********
Rose showered off while Calysta bathed Cypher down from the salty leftovers their visit to the beach had given them. “Make sure to get it all out of your hair,” Calysta called to Rose. Cypher was so tired by the time they made it back he was half asleep for his bath. His head lulled back in the 3 inch high warm water, as his mother’s soft hands massaged a cleansing oil into his skin, rinsed him down, and then patted him dry. Snuggled in his warm footie pajama’s he suckled at his thumb when Calysta placed him in his crib. Her father had gone next in the spare bathroom and then Illya would go after him, She scurried into the bathroom and rinsed herself down, using the same vanilla scented oil Illya said he liked the smell of in her hair. Anticipation was buzzing through her veins and she wanted to make everything just right if they were going to start trying to have another baby. This time it would be an adventure together.
She finished bathing and then dried off before hitting up their closet. The red satin kimono had not been used yet, and it would be just the thing to get the night started. Illya was already swapping places with Thomas in the spare bathroom, so she didn’t have much time. Taking the garment from the hanger, she put on a white lace nightie and then pulled the red robe over it, letting it fall off her shoulders. Surely that would be enticing? The last touch was to comb out her damp, sweet smelling hair and then settle on the bed to wait for Illya.
Calysta crawled to the back near the bedboard and then leaned against it, her legs tucked neatly underneath her, robe hanging off her shoulder. This was going to be a good night. She could hear the shower going, with all the hot water being splashed around. The bed was soft and warm too. A heaviness settled into her limbs at the thought as her head dropped back. It wouldn’t hurt to close her eyes for just a few minutes before they started. She wanted to have plenty of energy…
Her eyes closed and she fell asleep propped against the head board with her mouth slightly open.
*********
When she woke it was morning and the red kimono was tangled around her like a satin trap, and Illya was snoozing next her, snoring lightly with his wild curls stuck out in every direction. Puffing out a little sigh, she realized she must have fallen asleep before Illya came back to bed. Struggling out of the robe, she lurched backward and bumped her head on the wooden head board with a heavy thunk. “Ow…”
She rubbed at the crown of her skull, then rolled over to cuddle up to her Chip. “Hmm…morning..” Her mind drifted over the thought of another baby as Cyphers airy sniffles could be heard from his crib at the foot of the bed. It gave her a thought that she had considered before. Slipping a hand over Illya’s chest, Calysta burrowed in to his shoulder with her cheek. His eyes opened a little and he shifted to hold her close. “Hmm…handsome Chip…” she whispered, in Qouti as she played with his hair some.
The feeling over it running over her fingers was something she loved. “Love you.”
When he seemed more awake, she chuckled and kissed him on the lips. “I was thinking…we should look into expanding the house. Cypher will need a room of his own soon and so will Rose. Then we will have someone else coming along too.”
Her pad alarm started to blare and she searched blindly with her hand trying to turn it off. It was only a Saturday, which meant many of her meetings wouldn’t occur until Monday. All except for her flight class which would meet on Saturday.
It was Saturday.
Calysta’s eyes went wide and she scrambled out of bed. “I have the flight class today,” she told him, “And so do you!” Gyllie and Amil would beat her to the airfield and she hated to look late in front of her students. Especially when she impressed upon them the importance of being on time in the air. “Dad can look after the kids while we’re gone.”
Tossing on her tunic, she pulled on her pants and then thrust on her socks. Illya was moving a bit slower, but that was alright. It least it gave her a small excuse to be running late.
That plan was agreeable and they both rolled out of bed. The first thing Calysta did was scurry over to the closet and pick out a tunic for herself. As she picked through which one she wanted, her eyes fell on Illya’s tunic hanging in the closet. This was a civilian trip and he didn’t need to look like a soldier, it would be perfect for him to wear out and about while being nice and comfortable. Plucking it from the closet, Calysta held it up to him with a smile. “It would be a good day for this one.”
He didn’t seem thrilled, but he didn’t argue either as he took the tunic from her to put on. He would look handsome in it and that simply added to the excitement of the day. Dashing into the bathroom, Calysta started to comb her hair only to find something stuck in the curled ends of it. “What in the Wilds…” The brush was hung in whatever had crusted in her hair. When had that even gotten there? She cringed, trying to brush through it, but it was so dried in that there was no other option but a quick shower. It was a bit moot considering they were going swimming but she couldn’t go around with some mystery substance gunked in her hair, plus an extra shave wouldn’t hurt anyways. "Ok I get dah kids up and yah make sure we get oter tings?"
“Aye!” she called from the bathroom as she turned the knob in the shower, “I’ll be down in a few.”
It took 5 minutes to get the water warm and another 10 to wash her hair before shaving off any possible strays from her legs and arms. Diving out of the shower, she brushed her teeth and then dressed in her usual tunic, but wore her simply black bathing suit underneath. She had ordered a little something to go over the suit when they arrived, but her old suit still fit quite nicely and it was comfortable. Once she was dressed, she pulled out a large, cloth bag from their closet to pack.
5 towels, one picnic mat, a few toys for Cypher, a plastic baggy for their info pads just in case they need to use them, her floppy hat and sunglasses along with a small radio went into the bag. Hauling the bag down stairs, she flopped it onto the couch and found Rose pulling out her own bag from her cave…which was stuffed full of things. Raising her brow, Calysta stopped the girl. “Rose, what is all of that?”
Rose was dragging the bulging backpack across the floor, but stopped to look up at Kalizda. She had packed all on her own and brought everything she thought they might need. “This is all of my stuff for the beach. I brought my bucket and shovel, my pad, and some other stuff.”
There was an indignant squeaking coming from the bag and Calysta had an idea what ‘other stuff’ was.
“Your pail and shovel can go…Hairy is not going though,” she told her, “Take him out and leave him inside Skunky, yeah?”
“But he wanted to go too,” Rose said, her bottom lip poking out just so.
Calysta gave Rose a pointed look. “Not this time. It’s going to be hot and Hairy will roast. You don’t want to hurt him. Go put him back and then go get breakfast.” Even if they do taste delicious roasted.
When Kalizda put it that way, taking Hairy didn’t seem like such a good idea. Rose opened up her bag and scooped up the round fluff ball from the inside pocket to put him back into his miniature bed.
Satisfied, Calysta walked into the kitchen where her father was finishing making the pancakes. She stole one from the stack and chewed on it while she snagged both boxes of medicine from the cabin. One was Illya’s seizure medicine and the other was Cypher’s seizure medication. She wasn’t going anywhere without that. Stowing those in their bag, she finished off the pancake and then turned her attention to Illya for a moment. He was chewing his pancakes, but she couldn’t resist walking over and slipping her hands over his shoulders, rubbing just a little before pecking him on the cheek. “The bags are ready. I just need to dress Cypher.” Her baby boy was looking at his empty plate with a grin, his tiny white teeth stained blue from the berries “Time to get you dressed big man,” she chuckled, scooping him up.
She picked him up and then took him into the living room to change him in the floor. The boy squirmed and kept trying to roll over like a feisty little crocodile every time she started to change the diaper. “Alright wiggle worm, hold still. The faster its done the faster you can go.” When she managed to get the diaper undone, it revealed a sodden heap and a strangely purple stain under his chubby belly. She stared quizzically at the drippy mark just below his belly button. “What the…” Another strange substance stuck everywhere. What was the deal today?
Blinking a few times, she grabbed a baby wipe and swabbed him down, much to his distaste, and then packaged him back in a fresh diaper before wrangling him into a tiny orange tunic to match his father. “There you go.” When he was free he wiggled and rolled until he was on his hands and knees making a break for the kitchen again.
**********
The flight was a short one, but it was good to be at the helm of their small transport again. She took them up and out of the atmosphere, breaking into a jump as soon as she had the clearance. With the autopilot headed towards Fiyara, a moon orbiting a larger planet filled with high salinity water and dotted with luxurious islands.
While Illya took a nap with Cypher and her father dozed in the sitting room, Calysta read with Rose for a little while. It was hard for the girl to sit still, but a good story seem to capture her attention long enough for most of the flight to pass in peace. When they arrived, Calysta had their ordered items waiting on the dock, and brought them inside to dress everyone up. Cypher’s red shorts were so tiny, but they were a little snug around his belly until she let out the draw string. “I suppose I’ll be ordering you another size up,” she chuckled, as she slathered him in sun screen. His soft, baby skin would need some protection from the sun.
“You’re up next Rose!”
The girl came bounding out of the bathroom wearing her pink two piece bathing suit with ruffles and her flip flops. Calysta captured her up and poured on the sunscreen. The bottle Illya had ordered was nearly big as Cypher and was SPF 200. Nobody would be getting burned today…or for a very long time considering it would take a year to use an entire bottle of it between the 5 of them.
Swabbing down Rose was almost as hard as getting Cypher into his clothes. She was eager to go see the water and couldn’t stand still for more than two seconds. “You’re almost done…let me just get your neck…”
“Kalizda…I wont burn..I promise!”
“I know you won’t because I’m covering you in sunscreen,” she chirped back to her daughter with a grin.
Her father came trotting out of the back with his trunks on, a odd floral shirt and his strapped sandals. The old professor looked down at his toes which were a bit gnarled and sported more than a few grey hairs sprouted on top. There had been a time when he went to the beach with ladies for a date and looked a bit more in his prime and now he was in his late fifties with grey hair on his toes. When had that happened? Glancing up to Calysta, he gave his daughter a smile and then went for the bottle of sunscreen to put a slick over his nose and cheeks. Illya came out in his red shorts and Calysta grinned. He looked good in them without a doubt and his prosthetic was barely recognizable compared to the other leg. His scars were a bit brighter, but nobody would know it unless he wanted them to.
With everyone else ready, Calysta stripped off her own tunic and wrapped her new sarong around her waist with a neat knot before dropping her floppy hat onto her head, and putting on her sun glasses on top of that. Then she layered up with sun screen, careful not to miss an inch.
She carried one bag while Illya carried another on one shoulder and Cypher in his arms as they made it to the beach. Rose took off toward the surf, dropping her bag in the sand with a wild yell while Illya helped Cypher toddle through the warm sands on his own pudgy feet. “I’ll get the umbrella up,” she chuckled to Illya, as their boy insisted on going further toward the water, “Take him on down there.”
With the help of her father, she got the massive umbrella in the ground and the picnic mat out for them to lay on. The radio began playing the regional music which was a strange sort of relaxing instrumental with a lazy beat. Perfect for the beach. Once that was done, Calysta pulled off her sarong, her shoes and then looked up to check on the rest of the family. Rose was in waist high water, but Illya and Cypher were roaming around in the shallows. Her Chip was holding on to his boy’s hands, looking down at him. From this far away, it looked like Illya was walking along with a miniature version of himself.
“Dad, quick, get me the hologram capture.”
He dug it out of the bag and tossed it to her. Quickly turning on the imaging machine, she held it up to capture the scene. Illya holding on to his son’s hands and guiding him through the waters while Cypher occasionally glanced up to his father and squealed in delight. Both of their backs were turned to the camera, but she almost liked that part. This was her husband and her son together with no one watching. Suddenly, Illya dipped down, having found the end of the sandbar and Calysta gasped a little. If he panicked, she’d have to go get him.
Her Chip bobbed for a moment and then popped back up with Cypher in his arms, making her relax. She had been right at least. The man really could float here. After a few good minutes, Calysta clipped the imager to her wrist and then joined them in the water. It was good and cool compared to the hot sun, all the more motivation to hit the waves with a good dive.
“I tink ets sort of strange eh?" She chuckled at the sight of her Chip and son floating together, happy as can be and then took a few more captures of them side by side. He had never even been able to float before so, she imagined it did feel strange to him. “Aye, it does, but not so bad, right? The water is nice when its this cool with the sun being so warm.” Cypher giggled as the waves bobbed him up and down like a ride of sorts. “He seems to like it too. Maybe you two wil before Rose called out to her. “Kalizda! Come look!”
Calysta paddled her way over to Rose who was pointing to the sands below the surface. “There’s stuff down there!”
How well could Rose swim? Calysta had no idea, but it was good for the girl to know how. “Can you dive? Do you know how?”
Rose shrugged and said she would try it. Calysta grinned at her answer and the showed Rose how to dip down below the surface, using her entire body to push further against the water. “Use your arms an d your legs, there you go…like that!”
Soon, she and Rose were diving down into the waves with ease, the girl’s powerful prosthetic helping her reach the sandy bottom. Calysta showed her the shelled creatures living at the bottom, stuck to the rocks as if they were rooted to the spot. Tugging a few from their homes, she helped Rose who was struggling to get a big, fat shell free from bottom of the rock shelf.
When they surfaced, arms full of the grimy shells, she grinned at Rose. “Papa Thomas will show you how to open them and find the treasures inside.”
At the prospect of treasure, Rose was off toward the shore to find her Papa who was stretched out in the shallows, a blue colored drink cooling down his palm. Calysta took a few hologram captures of her father and Rose working on the clam-type creatures. The first one they opened was a dud, and Rose frowned, but the second one was full of crystalized sands formed into a teal bauble of sorts. “Oh, they’re pretty!” After that, the girl was in the sand trying to pry them apart to find the jewels. Thomas sat with her and grinned the whole time as she discovered more of them. Seeing his daughter, her husband and his grandchildren out and about, playing as he wished he could have done more with Calysta was a treat. He didn’t like going too deep in the water, but he was enjoying the shallows nonetheless. “Aye, clean those off in the water Rose, and I’ll find a bag for you to put them in,” he nodded to his granddaughter.
“Aye!”
The afternoon passed by and after a good diving session, Calysta returned to shore, finding Illya had stretched out in the sun with Cypher. Both of them were covered in the white powder of dried salt, and were snoozing contentedly. She stretched out beside Illya, and moved a stiffened curl from his forehead with a gentle touch. To her surprise, he stirred some and then woke to give her a wink. "Dah kids are still sleeping, yah wanna try going out to dah water togeter?"
Calysta grinned. She still had plenty of energy to spare and even if she didn’t she would find some for her Chip. “C’mon and lets go,” she giggled.
They took off over the sand and into the cool waters again. She splashed him a few times, soaking down his curls again and then floated along side him with her hand in his until he mentioned a rock nearby being good for kissing. With a playful grin, she nodded and the made their way over to the sneaky spot.
Illya backed up against the rock as she kicked forward and slid a little hand up his tan chest. It was exciting to have snuck away for a little while to play with just the two of them for a little awhile and she was feeling a bit bold, never having done something quite like this. Leaning up, she barely grazed her lips over his and the giggled lightly, gazing up at him a dare in her eyes. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you're the first Chip ever to like swimming."
A smirk came to Illya's face when Kalizda paddled in closer and she rubbed her hands along his chest. It felt good with the cool water. For the first time he found himself enjoying the fact that water could be cool. It was a little hot outside, but then again it could be related to the fact that he had become more comfortable with weather that wasn't scorching like the desert. "I might be dah first Chip tah make a successful swim."
Calysta laughed, her head dropping back some, making her hair swirl like a pool of ink in the water around her shoulders. "I think you just might be. Of course, there's always a way to really test if your swimming...." Settling her hands over his shoulders, she drifted up to his ear and whispered. "Come catch me." The phrase was meant to be her attempt at seduction, but the fact that it ended with a giddy sort of giggle gave away the mood some. Still, she shimmied away from him and began back stroking, teasing him just out of reach.
Swimming was still a little frightening in a way and Illya cautiously pushed away from the rock. Kalizda was keeping herself out of reach on purpose and he kicked a few times and started with the heart stroke. He didn't like getting his face in the water for a few reasons. One being that it felt like he was closer to sinking and the second being that this water really made his eyes sting. "I'll catch yah eventually." With a large stroke he reached out and almost caught her ankle. Only a few more and he would be close enough to catch her.
"Are you sure?" she chuckled, seeing him brave enough to give chase. His fingers brushed at her ankles and she laughed again before letting all her air out and sinking below the surface with a flick of her feet. She dove, though it was harder to do in such highly concentrated salt water and swam underneath him between the schools of silver scaled fish. His shadow made a large dot on the sandy rocks below them. Loosing a few bubbles, she grinned and kicked from sea bed to the surface behind him. It was much easier to rise than it was to dive, and before he could even turn in the water, she wrapped her arms around his waist with a breathless chuckle. "I think I have you instead."
When she ducked Illya couldn't help panicking for just a moment. She could swim, but it didn't stop his instinct from kicking in momentarily. Shifting to be in the upright position Illya tried to peer into the water, but it was too dark beneath the surface with the sun reflecting off of it. Suddenly a cool pair of arms wrapped around his waist and he stiffened. "Gah!" Peering over his shoulder he saw her snuggling into his back and he turned himself around while holding onto an arm so she couldn't sneak away again. "Onleh cause yah use cheap tricks."
He stiffed under her grip and actually yelped a little as she tried to hold him close. Rather than relaxing back, he was wiggling all about so he could turn in the water, capturing up her arm in his own large hand. "I can hold my breath for much longer than that, no tricks at all," she joked, pulling him closer. He was warm and the water was cool, making a sort of wild swirl of both on her skin. "I'll show you." He was sitting higher in the water than she was, so she kicked up with fast pedals until their lips met and she could kiss him outright for a long moment before pulling back. Gazing into his green eyes, she smiled. "You always have a lot of ideas, and this is a good one."
Having her swim up and throw her arms around his shoulders made both of them sink a little lower in the water. Illya met her kiss with another one and he leaned onto his back pulling her with him. Kalizda resting on his chest wasn't so bad and he pulled them along with his arms. "Dun fall off." They were going to head for the keystone opening in the rock just a ways out. "I tink ef we climb up dat rock we have good place tah watch water for a bit. Maybe kiss a little more. Den I can ask yah an important question or two."
A little splash accompanied his flip backward and she found herself laying over his chest as if her were a sun-warmed pool float. Chuckling, she nodded when he said not to fall off. She wouldn't be in any danger if she happened to fall off, but it might make him worry if she took a dive into the water. He was going to take the out to the keystone not to too far from their kissing rock, and she just floated along, enjoying the ride. What sort of important questions he had, she didn't know, but watching the water for awhile sounded nice and if it was something serious, they would work it out together. The waves bobbed them along as they stroked their way at a somewhat lazy pace to the rocks over looking the water which stretched into the horizon. She let go of him only to grab the craggy side and start climbing up to the top.
When they eventually reached the rock Illya felt Kalizda slide off and she began to climb up the side of the rock. There were little salt deposits that sometimes made the rock seem to be a bit sharp. Illya grabbed hold of a portion of the rock and made his way up next to Kalizda. With his longer legs he was able to make it up a little bit faster then Kalizda and he got himself stabilized in the keyhole before he reached down and offered a hand to her. "Yah come up here eh?" A smile came to his face and he scooted over so there was a space for her to sit next to him. "I tink maybe I ask dah important question now." Illya had been thinking about it for a while, but he didn't know how she would feel about it. "All dis time I start tinking about anoter baby. I dun know how yah feel, but I know we agree when tah have baby."
Calysta climbed along, but Illya quickly outpaced her with his long limbs, sending water dripping all over her in the breeze. She took his hand and guided herself up the rocks and he hoisted up to sit next to him in the hallow. "Aye," she smiled. Water from the waves sprayed at their toes and the wind was a little chilly above the water despite the sun staying strong in the afternoon. Out of instinct, she leaned close to her Chip and looked out over the waters dancing with sunlight until Illya announced he was ready to talk about his important question. Calysta shifted so she could see him better, then listened. As he spoke a jolt went through her nerves almost as if she had been electrocuted, every molecule buzzing. Was he serious? Staring at him for a long moment, her hand kept over to his and burrowed into his palm while her grey eyes scanned over his face. "Is that what you want, right now?"
It was hard to tell with the look on her face if it was a good or bad thing he'd just said. Illya nodded. "I tink about et, but we bot should agree. Yah have tah be dah one pregnant, nut meh." Now all he could do was wait to see what she was thinking about that particular subject. "Kalizda, I dun need answer now. Jes tink about et and yah answer when yah feel ready. We talk about agree wit dis before and ets best we do."
All she had wanted was a straight answer...then again would he be asking if that's not what he wanted? Was it something that she wanted? She thought of her joyful baby boy, and her beautiful daughter. How proud and lucky she was to have them. How quickly they were growing. Why was there any hesitation at all in making more? The first time she had been scared that she wouldn't be a good mother, or that something would go terribly wrong. Cypher was proof that her children could be healthy, happy, and now she could keep them safe too. Tears of a different sort were welling in her eyes and she chuckled at herself. "Illya, I think another baby would be wonderful," she replied with an excited sort of sniffle, after a long moment, "I think we're ready."
The answer came much more quickly than Illya anticipate and he sat up quickly enough he almost sent Kalizda tumbling off him. "Really?" Wrapping one arm protectively around her, he did his best to catch her before she did tumble off of him. "I tink dat maybe yah would want tah tink longer." There was still a half dazed grin on his face. "We jes take our time eh? Yah have baby when yah have baby." Gently kissing her he grinned again like a lovestruck goon. "Dat was meh only important question I tink." He couldn't even remember if he'd even said that, but he figured it would hurt to let her know that was all the more serious he was going to get tonight.
Calysta let out a small, yip of surprise when sat up, nearly toppling her into the water. He caught her up under his arm just as fast, jerking her back to his chest, and leaving her in a fit of breathless giggles. Those little chuckles only increased when he admitted he thought it would have taken longer. Why he thought that, she didn't know. Couldn't he see how much she loved him and their children? Of course she wanted more. He kissed her merrily and she kissed him back, her fingers curling into his damp hair before pulling back to see him grinning such a smile that the joy was about to burst through in every way imaginable. "We'll take our time and he...or she...will come at the right moment," she laughed, drawing him in for a kiss again, "That's all the important questions, eh? Well, I do have one caveat. I want to keep it a secret until we're pregnant...just to surprise everyone, yeah?"
It was rare that they had moments when they were both feeling so giddy and it was one that Illya was determined to enjoy while he could. "I tink dat sounds good." Waiting wasn't so hard. He'd never run around telling folks he was trying to get his agreed pregnant. Never....Why would he even do something like that? Then again there were a few things that he wasn't so good at remembering and Illya grinned sheepishly. "I do et before?”
"No, not at all," she laughed lightly, "Last time was different...we didn't really talk about it and you just..um...worked hard, yeah? This time is different in many ways." He would be with her and they would be together with the pregnancy this time. She wrapped her hands around his waist and hugged him close, just trying to express some measure of the joy she was feeling, though the move seemed inadequate.
***********
Rose showered off while Calysta bathed Cypher down from the salty leftovers their visit to the beach had given them. “Make sure to get it all out of your hair,” Calysta called to Rose. Cypher was so tired by the time they made it back he was half asleep for his bath. His head lulled back in the 3 inch high warm water, as his mother’s soft hands massaged a cleansing oil into his skin, rinsed him down, and then patted him dry. Snuggled in his warm footie pajama’s he suckled at his thumb when Calysta placed him in his crib. Her father had gone next in the spare bathroom and then Illya would go after him, She scurried into the bathroom and rinsed herself down, using the same vanilla scented oil Illya said he liked the smell of in her hair. Anticipation was buzzing through her veins and she wanted to make everything just right if they were going to start trying to have another baby. This time it would be an adventure together.
She finished bathing and then dried off before hitting up their closet. The red satin kimono had not been used yet, and it would be just the thing to get the night started. Illya was already swapping places with Thomas in the spare bathroom, so she didn’t have much time. Taking the garment from the hanger, she put on a white lace nightie and then pulled the red robe over it, letting it fall off her shoulders. Surely that would be enticing? The last touch was to comb out her damp, sweet smelling hair and then settle on the bed to wait for Illya.
Calysta crawled to the back near the bedboard and then leaned against it, her legs tucked neatly underneath her, robe hanging off her shoulder. This was going to be a good night. She could hear the shower going, with all the hot water being splashed around. The bed was soft and warm too. A heaviness settled into her limbs at the thought as her head dropped back. It wouldn’t hurt to close her eyes for just a few minutes before they started. She wanted to have plenty of energy…
Her eyes closed and she fell asleep propped against the head board with her mouth slightly open.
*********
When she woke it was morning and the red kimono was tangled around her like a satin trap, and Illya was snoozing next her, snoring lightly with his wild curls stuck out in every direction. Puffing out a little sigh, she realized she must have fallen asleep before Illya came back to bed. Struggling out of the robe, she lurched backward and bumped her head on the wooden head board with a heavy thunk. “Ow…”
She rubbed at the crown of her skull, then rolled over to cuddle up to her Chip. “Hmm…morning..” Her mind drifted over the thought of another baby as Cyphers airy sniffles could be heard from his crib at the foot of the bed. It gave her a thought that she had considered before. Slipping a hand over Illya’s chest, Calysta burrowed in to his shoulder with her cheek. His eyes opened a little and he shifted to hold her close. “Hmm…handsome Chip…” she whispered, in Qouti as she played with his hair some.
The feeling over it running over her fingers was something she loved. “Love you.”
When he seemed more awake, she chuckled and kissed him on the lips. “I was thinking…we should look into expanding the house. Cypher will need a room of his own soon and so will Rose. Then we will have someone else coming along too.”
Her pad alarm started to blare and she searched blindly with her hand trying to turn it off. It was only a Saturday, which meant many of her meetings wouldn’t occur until Monday. All except for her flight class which would meet on Saturday.
It was Saturday.
Calysta’s eyes went wide and she scrambled out of bed. “I have the flight class today,” she told him, “And so do you!” Gyllie and Amil would beat her to the airfield and she hated to look late in front of her students. Especially when she impressed upon them the importance of being on time in the air. “Dad can look after the kids while we’re gone.”
Tossing on her tunic, she pulled on her pants and then thrust on her socks. Illya was moving a bit slower, but that was alright. It least it gave her a small excuse to be running late.
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