Chapter 18
Amelia
April 11th, 2191
Amelia woke up, raising her head in confusion, dazed momentarily by the sunlight pouring through the window into her face. Blinking the grogginess out of her eyes, she figured Garrus had turned her alarm off to let her sleep in. She pulled her naked body out of bed, threw on some casual clothes, and headed downstairs, trying to see the occasion.
"Garrus?" She called, getting no reply. Rounding the corner into the kitchen, following the smell of something freshly cooked. Dishes were scattered haphazardly over the countertops and in the sink. In the middle of the counter sat a plate with a towel draped over it.
As she approached to investigate, she heard a small voice from around the corner in the dining room, "Is she here yet?"
"Shhh," Came the reply, followed by two small giggles.
She snuck up to the wall, peeking around the edge, "Boo!"
"Ahh!" The two kids yelped. Once they recovered they shouted, "Happy birthday, Mada!" Before she could process what they said, both Gaius and Octavia had jumped up and wrapped an arm around the back of her neck, demanding she pick them up.
"Thanks, guys!" She pecked at both of their noses, "Where's Pada?"
"Right here," Came the deep, smooth voice, nearly causing her to jump from her skin. Garrus gave a hearty chuckle, clearly getting what he wanted from the surprise.
"Jesus! Garrus, you scared me…,"
"Happy birthday, Amatra." He rested his forehead on hers, wrapping his arms around her and the kids, "We made breakfast for you."
After extricating herself, she walked over to the island in the kitchen, pulling back the towel to reveal a stack of pancakes with pieces of fresh strawberries and bananas interspersed through the pile. "What… How?"
"First harvest from the levo greenhouses," Garrus said with a smile. "Cmon, dig in!"