"Your sister wants us to do what?"
Randolph nearly missed the manger he was filling for the Miltanks in his surprise as Lilian finished relaying the previous night's events, threatening to scatter a pitchfork's worth of hay among the straw bedding. The Miltanks took no notice, but Lilian paused her milking to give her husband a reproachful look. He flushed and took more care with his work. When he finished with the chore, he leaped down from the hay loft instead of using the ladder.
"Randy, one of these days, you're going to break your neck doing that." Lilian finished milking and gave the Miltank a friendly pat. Randolph waved the concern away, saying, "I don't know if I feel comfortable with raisin' your sister's kid. How would we take care of it?"
Lilian sighed. "It is a girl, darling, and we would take care of her like we would our own child."
Randolph looked at her sideways. "You're talkin' like you plan to do what your sister wants already. I thought this was a discussion about whether or not we would. A baby's a big deal, Lily, I don't know if we're ready for it."
Her temper flared up for moment, and she snapped, "You were saying just the other night how you wanted us to start a family together! You seemed as if you were ready then! Have you changed your mind?"
Randolph's eyes grew hurt, and Lilian immediately regretted losing her temper. She wasn't mad at him, not really. How could she be? It wasn't Randy's fault that Melissa could exploit Lilian's weaknesses so easily, after all. Melissa was the one Lilian really wanted to snap at. She looked down into the pail of milk and asked more quietly, "What would you have me do, Randy? My sister does not let go of an idea once she decides to act upon it. If we do not take in her child, what will happen to her?"
Randolph sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Aw, hell, Lilian. It's just... It would be different if it was our baby. There would be the pregnancy. We'd be spending all that time gettin' ready for it, pickin' out names, talkin' to your belly button... You know, the things that couples do when they're gonna have a baby."
He looked up at the ceiling, seeming to struggle to put his thoughts into words. "With this... I don't know... The baby is just there. I haven't had time to imagine what she'll look like or grow up to be. I'm not mentally prepared for her, you know?"
Lilian put down the milk pail and stepped close to Randolph to rest her head on his shoulder. "Darling, I know. Neither am I, to be honest. Oh, why did Melissa do this?"
He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to the top of her head. His breath was warm as he said, "Maybe we oughta ask her."
Melissa was sitting at the kitchen table holding her daughter when Randolph and Lilian came back in from doing chores. Randolph immediately went to the fridge and began pulling out things to make breakfast with while Lilian made tea. Melissa watched quietly for a moment before saying, "So? What have you decided?"
Both Randolph and Lilian paused, then looked at each other. Randolph put down the breakfast things and turned to fix Melissa with a hard stare.
"Just what is it that you're fixin' to do, lady? What in the world is more important than that baby of yours?"
Melissa gazed coolly back, but Randolph could see a hint of panic underneath that calm facade. Finally, she spoke, her accent thick and her words chosen with obvious care.
"There is nothing more important than my daughter. That is why I came here. I am a member of the Interregional Pokemon League. Yesterday, the seat of the League's place of power was broken by criminals, criminals who do not fight fairly nor show mercy. They declared war on the League, and it will not be long before each region's League is destroyed."
She looked down at the baby in her arms and an expression that was equal parts fierce love and wild fear crossed her face for a brief moment.
"I am now a target, because I am a gym leader. Because Zabre is my daughter, she also becomes a target. I... She is also my biggest weakness. If these criminals wanted to hurt me, they would hurt her. If they wanted me to work for them, they would take her and threaten her safety. I cannot allow either to happen."
Melissa looked back up at Randolph. "When you and Lilian have your own child, you will understand better, I think."
Randolph shook his head. "I can understand wantin' to protect her, but that don't mean you gotta leave her. You're welcome to stay with us, lie low for a while. Nobody'll bother you two here."
Melissa snapped something angrily in her native language, then inhaled deeply before saying with forced patience, "Randolph, you are a good man. That is probably why you cannot understand the position I am in." She drew out her next words with exaggerated emphasis. "I. Am. A. Target. If I stay with my daughter, all things aimed at me will be aimed at her as well. If I stay here with my daughter, all things aimed at me will be aimed at her and you. If those who would hurt me were to find me hiding here, I would simply hand them two more ways to control me. For now, no one knows Zabre exists. If I go and she stays with you and Lilian, it will stay that way."
Randolph considered this for a moment. He felt a little indignant at the implication that he could not protect his wife, but then again, the best way to protect things from harm was to never put them anywhere near it.
A thought struck him and he said, "It's not like we'll be able to hide the fact that she's not our baby. How do you think we oughtta explain her to folks around here?" He eyed Melissa, feeling a little pleased he'd found a flaw in her plan she wouldn't be able to argue against easily.
It did appear to make her think for a moment. Finally, she asked, "Do many people here know who I am?"
Lilian shook her head, and Melissa nodded, looking satisfactied. "Simply state the truth, then."
Randolph leaned on one hand on the countertop, a little confused. "But if we told folks about how you're a Gym Leader and the little tyke we've got is your daughter, that just brings your problem back instead of making it go away."
Melissa sighed in an exaggerated fashion and spoke as if to a small child. "You do not have to state the whole truth. Just say Zabre is your niece and that you are caring for her at my request. If people do not ask if I am a Gym Leader, you do not have to provide them with such information." She added something in her native language, and whatever she said made Lilian frown.
Randolph was silent for a moment, thinking. Truthfully, he felt in his gut that it didn't matter if he and Lilian refused to take care of the child. If Melissa was half as proud and stubborn as his wife made her out to be, it was likely that one morning, they'd wake up to find just the baby with Melissa nowhere to be found. And really, he didn't mind taking on the responsibility of a baby. It was the fact that a parent was willing to give up her child that sat wrong with him for what looked like selfish whim. Parents had to make sacrifices for the sake of their children.
Then again, it's not really responsible to leave a baby with a person not willing to make sacrifices for it, is it?
He scratched the back of his head and said diffidently, "We don't really have much in the way of baby things."
A flash of triumph flashed over Melissa's face, but her voice was calm as she said, "I do not have to leave immediately. I could stay for a few days as you and Lilian gather the necessary supplies."
Randolph sighed and looked at Lilian, an expression of defeat on his face. She gazed back at him, seeming to understand without words what he was thinking. There was shared understanding between them, and he finally said, "Alright. We'll go into town today after breakfast and pick up some things." He went back to helping his wife make breakfast.
Author's Note: Yes, Randolph capitulated and Zabre will be a Zanover instead of a Fantina. Thanks to Ardent Ursus and Chuck Poon for their insightful feedback on married relationships and feelings about children. This chapter would have sucked monkeyfeathers without their help.
