It was Inara's night to do the dishes and, after Kaylee's experimental cooking, there was an impressive stack of plates and pots waiting for her on the counter. The others had dispersed for the evening, but Mal lingered at the table with Grace in his lap, and she was glad of the quiet company.
Inara sneaked a glance over her shoulder at the two of them. Mal was one of Grace's favourite people – which, given her mother, surprised no one at all. She had started by reaching out for him whenever she saw him, but recently, as she gained better control of her muscles, she had begun launching herself backwards at him from whoever's arms she happened to be in at the time. More than a little terrifying, but Mal hadn't missed catching her yet. He grumbled good-naturedly at Zoe about her kamikaze daughter, but Inara knew he was absolutely tickled over Grace's obvious affection.
Grace had pulled her little trick again at the end of dinner and, even though it was getting on bedtime, Zoe had allowed her to sit with Mal while she went down to get things ready.
Grace was half asleep already anyway, leaning back against Mal's chest. She had one arm around the stuffed dinosaur Inara had made for her and was sucking at one of its feet. Her other arm waved lazily in front of her, and she was making soft humming noises around her mouthful of fabric. Mal had her cradled with his right arm and was using his hand to hold the dino in place for her – it was still a little too big for Grace to grip by herself. With his left, he was sipping at his coffee. The ledgers were stacked on the table, but for the moment he seemed content to simply stare off into space.
Inara turned back to her dishes, brushing aside images of an impossible future. Although, she acknowledged quietly, looking down at her fingers pruning in the water, once upon a time she would have said her present situation was equally impossible.
She couldn't even imagine what her Guild sisters would say if they could see her now.
And for just a moment she found herself missing Nandi with a fierceness that surprised her. Nandi who had given up her own life of privilege and found happiness on a backwoods border moon. Inara hadn't understood, then. Not really. But right now she longed to sit and talk with her friend. There wasn't anyone else who would understand her new life better.
Inara had to empty the small draining rack twice, drying the dishes and stacking them away in the cupboards. While the pots were soaking, she wiped down the counters and cooking surfaces. She remembered Mal's coffee cup, and when she turned to see if he had finished with it, she found him watching her. There was something new in the look in his eyes, the hint of a smile.
She dried her hands on the dishtowel and crossed to the table. His free hand reached out, almost unconsciously, to brush her hip as she drew close. They lingered like that for just a moment.
"She's sleeping," Inara said finally.
Mal looked down and nodded. He gently extricated the dinosaur from Grace's grip and handed it to Inara. "I'll take her down to Zoe. I dunno…" he looked ruefully at the soggy dino foot, "…if we should maybe wash that, or something."
Inara laughed softly. "I'll see what I can do. Maybe not in the dishwater, though."
"Maybe not," he agreed.
He shifted Grace into a better position on his arm and stood. Inara took a step back to give him room; he was still favouring one leg, which worried her a little. But he got to his feet with no problems and he stepped in toward her, closing the space between them again. His left hand came up and brushed a stray curl of hair back off her forehead.
"I love you," he said.
The first time. So simple, so easy, in the end, after all the years they had known each other. It seemed there should be more fanfare. And yet, it had been a certainty in her life for so many weeks now there was no need.
"I love you, too."
He kissed her, his one hand still cradling her face. She slipped an arm around his back, a little awkward with Grace still between them.
He smiled when he pulled back. "I'll find you later."
"I'll be here."
Mal kissed her again, then turned with Grace to head down to the passenger dorms. Inara let herself stand there, just smiling down at the brightly-coloured cloth toy in her hands for a long moment.
Finally, still smiling, she put it aside on the newly cleaned counters and went back to the sink to scrub the pots.