"Well what do you think?"
Julia looked at Emery's ivory peasant dress and boot combo. Emery was relieved that finally Julia and Lukas knew about the baby so they didn't have to hide it from them anymore. Julia nodded.
"You look nice."
"I don't look pregnant do I?"
"As long as you keep the dress puffed out it doesn't."
Emery gave a sigh of relief and grabbed her bag. "Good. After today no more hiding it from anyone."
"Well you'll still have to hide it if you go into town but around us you're fine."
Emery drove Julia to school. When they walked in there was a sense of excitement and impatience in the air. Emery took her seat in homeroom. Lukas smiled.
"Thank god we only have a half day."
She nodded. "And then 3 months of sunshine and freedom."
Emery went through the rest of her day waiting for the final bell to ring. When it finally did she cheered along with everyone else. Roman met her outside by her car. he grinned and kissed her.
"What do you want to do first?"
She pretended to think. "My dad won't be home for a few hours."
He nodded. "Let's go."
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"Was that your dad?"
Emery smiled and kissed Roman softly. "Would you relax he won't be home until 7."
Roman nodded and rubbed her arm. He then looked at her expanded abdomen.
"We didn't hurt it right?"
She smiled. "It's fine."
They eventually got out of bed and met their friends at The Bug to celebrate the start of summer. Sophia smiled at Roman.
"Taylor is throwing a party at her house on Friday. I really want to go."
He nodded. "Go ahead you don't need my permission."
"Yeah but are you and Emery coming?"
Roman looked at Emery. "Do you want to go?"
She nodded. "Sure."
Taylor clapped her hands excited. "Yay!"
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Ray Whitehill walked into the kitchen and found Emery at the counter eating breakfast.
"Morning peanut."
She smiled. "Morning. I made you an omelet."
"Thanks."
He sat down next to her and glanced over after a few minutes.
"I was wondering if you and Roman have talked about your plans for when the baby is born?"
Emery shrugged. "Not really. There are so many things that we're not certain of."
"Like?"
"Well who will watch it while we're at school or will I need to drop out? Will his mom be able to see it? How are we going to afford it...?"
He grabbed his coffee as he spoke. "You're not dropping out of school. Second I'm sure Gloria can find a way for the baby to be allowed in the sector. And third I don't want you to worry about money. But I want you to be aware that you and Roman are responsible for this baby. Getting up with it in the middle of the night. Getting it to the doctor, even on weekends. This is your child not mine."
She nodded. "I never expected you to."
"Good. I talk to Gloria and see what she can do about child care."
"Thank you."
"One more thing? Is Roman going to help?"
She nodded. "He wants to be here. help me take care of it."
"Good. Then he is welcome here whenever he likes. But as soon as the baby is born I want you to get birth control. I really don't want you to have two kids before you graduate from college."
She smiled. "That's fair."
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Emery drove to the sector and hesitated before walking up to the gate. She knew that she had permission but it still felt weird. She showed the guard her pass and he allowed her access. She handed over her cellphone before going inside. She knew her way to Roman's pod but since it was the middle of the day there were atrians everywhere. The sector was not what she remembered. There was only food being sold and clothing. There were still kids laughing and playing in a fountain. She had just walked up the first set of stairs when she ran into Roman. He grinned.
"Hey I was just coming to meet you."
She smiled and kissed him softly. She was nervous and felt like everyone was staring at them. He grabbed her hand and led her to his pod. She hesitated. Roman glanced back and smiled.
"It's okay."
She followed him inside. Sophia was sitting on the couch. She looked up and smiled.
"Hey Emery."
"Hey."
Maia stepped out of her bedroom. She looked at Emery and nodded.
"Welcome."
"Thank you."
Roman smiled at his mother. "We'll be in my room."
She nodded. Once they were in Roman's room he shut the door and smiled at her.
"You can breathe now."
She laughed and kissed him. "Last time I saw your mom it didn't go to well."
He kissed her neck before smiling. "She's coming around."
They ended up spending their two hours together in bed. When her time was almost up Emery brought something up to him.
"So do Atrian's have last name?"
"Yeah. We just don't really use them."
"What's yours?"
He glowered. "You can't laugh."
"I won't."
He sighed. "Skotul."
She didn't laugh but she did crack a smile. "Roman Skotul?"
He rolled his eyes. "Don't ever call me that."
"So do you want the baby to have your last name?"
He made a face. "No."
"That's not usually how things work for humans."
"Well we're not exactly normal."
She nodded and flipped on top of him. "So you want to be even more abnormal."
He stretched to kiss her. "Absolutely."
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Two weeks into, Emery received an unexpected visitor. She opened her front door and found Gloria standing on her porch.
"Gloria, this is...unexpected."
She smiled. "Hello Emery. I just wanted to ask if you and your father would be willing to sit down with Roman and his mom in my office?"
Emery was surprised. "Maia is being let out of the sector?"
"For an hour. To discuss you and Roman's plans for when the baby arrives. I think it's best to lay everything out on the table."
Emery nodded. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow night but Friday works."
"Okay I will arrange with your dad."
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Ray and Emery walked into Gloria's office not expecting much. They were the first ones there. They sat down and a few minutes later Roman walked in with Maia and Sophia. Gloria explained.
"We thought that Sophia should be included."
Emery nodded. Everyone settled and Gloria spoke up.
"So I have talked to the Principal and he is willing to allow the baby to stay in the daycare on campus. It's mainly staff member's children so the baby would be safe and you would be called out of class if there was an emergency. Now as for when the baby is born I would assue Roman would want to be there?"
Roman nodded. "As long as it is okay with Emery."
Emery nodded. "I'm fine with that."
Gloria nodded. "Now it has taken some sweet talking but the board has agreed to let Maia out of the sector when the baby is born for an hour so that she can meet her grandchild."
Maia looked stunned. "Really?"
"Yes. Also once the baby is at least 6 weeks old it will be allowed to visit the sector for a couple of hours. When it gets older we can make arrangements for it to be allowed to stay with Roman overnight in his home."
Roman looked slightly relieved. Sophia spoke for the first time.
"So people know about the baby?"
"Only people that I trust. Which is not many. And the principal is under contract and trust me if he breaks it he will be sorry."
Emery felt better about everything. Gloria pulled something out of her desk drawer and handed it to Roman. He looked at it curious.
"What is this?"
She smiled. "It's a pager. It is a way for Emery to alert you if something is wrong. The guards have been told that you have a pass to leave. But let me get this straight, you are only to leave if there is an actual emergency. These privileges are not to be used lightly."
He nodded. By the time they left Gloria's office Emery and Roman both felt like a huge weight had been lifted from their shoulders.