Between the morning sickness and Nudge's huge appetite it took us over 20 hours to get to mom's.
Ella answered the door. "Max! Oh God, come in, come in.!" she squealed with excitement as she hugged each of us, minus
Fang of course, as we filed into the house.
"Ella, whose at the do-" mom started rounding the corner of the stair bottom. "Max, honey!" She hugged me tight.Then she
spoke to each of the others. ?She paused at Fang, studying his expression, the look that shown in his eyes, so unusual for him.
"This isn't just a social visit is it? Something's wrong" mom said, slowly tuirning from Fang to me.
"No mom, but we have time to tal-" I started.
"Max has been sick, for a few weeks now Sr. Martinez. Sh'e been throwi-" Fang started.
"Fang, we. Just. Got. Here." I gritted through my teeth, giving him the ' shut your trap or else' look.
"She can't keep food down. She gets tired easy. She tears up easy. Something is wrong." Fang said, looking at me then to
my mom. I couldn't believe he did that. He just kept telling her all my health problems even after I gave him 'the look'.
Noone has ever not shut up when I gave them the look. Mom, listened carefully to FAng, then looked to me.
"Max, is this true?" she asked, a concerned look on her face.
"Um, well. " I swallowed. Everyone was staring at me. "Hey, Ella, could you round up something for the flock to eat. It has
been a long trip." I said, hoping to get eceryone to the kitchen to talk to mom alone.
"Oh, I amm sorry. Sure. C'mon guys, we got tons of food." Ella said, leading them to the kitchen.
"Great, because Nudge could eat tons." Iggy teased as he was led by Gazzy to the kitchen. Fang hung back, just staring at
me intently.
"It's okay, Fang. I'll be fine. Just go eat." I said to him. he glanced from me to mom then slowly walked to the kitchen.
"come on Max, let's go downstairs. I have an exam room there now. I can check you out while we talk." mom said picking
up on my apprehensiveness.
"Now, what's goin on?" mom asked, as she patted the top of the exam table for me to hop up.
"Umm. ..well. ..I'm...I'm pregnant." I said, looking down at my feet.Mom gasped.
"Oh Max, pregnant? You sure?" i nodded. "Well, when, I mean , who? ohhh... I see." I looked at her then. "Fang is the
father isn't he Max?" How'd she know that?
"Um, yeah. he is. But he doesn't know. And... how did you figure that out so quick?'
" I knew there was something between you two the first time you brought him here." She did? I didn't even know then.
Wow. Was it that obvious, even then?
"But there wasn't anything between us then mom"
"Oh yes there was, only you two still didn't realize it.. Just the fact that you brought him here said a lot.And well, there has
always been the looks, glances at one another, the way you turn to each other when things get really bad. It's always
been there sweetheart.Now, about this...baby. How far along are you? Do you know?"
"oh, about eight to ten weeks I would say. Jeb had said five when he they did the ultrasound back at Itex." Mom's eyes
bulged, mouth dropped open. Oh yeah, she didn't know about Itex did she? Oops.
"Jeb? Itex? But you destroyed Itex. And Jeb is somewhere in Mass on a business trip."
"Yeah, well, I was his business. Look, Itex rebuilt. Jeb is the director. He had me and Angel captured. He wanted to kill the
baby and have me become some kind of super reproduction machine to build his ' perfect species'." I said. She sat back,
quiet for a few moments.
"I'm sorry mom. I know you trusted him."
"Yes, but you didn't. I should have trusted your instincts. They seem much keener than mine. Oh Max, I am so sorry."
"It's okay. FAng came, saved us. Now we are on the run again. Life as usual."
"Only you are carrying a baby inside you. That kinda makes 'life as usual' a bit toughter for you. Max, stay. Til you deliver at
least. Anything could go wrong on the run. It is not worth risking the baby's life. "
The baby. I hadn't thought about how tough it was going to be yet. I could not stand it if the baby got hurt, or worse,
during a fight or deformed because we did not have enough of the right foods to eat. Mom made sense.
"Okay, for a while at least. But the flock has to agree. And you can't tell Fang about the baby, not yet. "
"Max, he had every right to know. And it isn't something you can hide forever. you'll be showing soon." She was right. Still,
what if he got angry, upset? What if he left?
I know. i just ...need s little time. Think of what to sya"
"Max, he loves you, he's crazy about you. It will be okay. Now , let's check on my grandchild." she said and placed a doppler
thingy on my belly."Listen" whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."That is your baby's heart beating. Let me measure your
abdomen...Hmmm... already starting to show Max. Good. I can do a quick ultrasound if you will let me. You can see your
baby."
"Yes. i'd like that." Mom pulled a machine over and squirted jelly onto my belly. Soon a picture came on the black and white
screen "Here's his little head, see."
I looked hard. Looked like a tadpole that was just getting his legs. Wait...did she say...he??
"He?"
I repeated.
"You are having a son Max. He looks healthy too. Good." she pushed a button and a picture printed."Here, baby's first
photo. One for you," she pushed the button again and another popped out of the slot. "And one for me" She grinned.
"We better get upstairs. Before Fang comes down. And Max, don't wait too long to tell him."
"I wont." and I hugged her. "Thanks mom"
"Anytime sweetie, anytime. That is waht a mom is for, right?"
Back upstairs, laughter came from the kitchen as we reached the top . As we walked into the livingroom I saw him. Fang.
Sitting on the couch waiting for me. The others came back in, all looking at mom.
"Well, Max will be fine in a while. Her betting sick should end soon. And until she is back to herself fully, she has agreed to
stay right here. That is, if you all agree." mom stated. The flock cheered their approval. So did Ella. Fang just stared at me.
"I am fine Fang. Or I will be. Now, you guys, since we are staying, You each need to hit the showers and get to bed.
Everyone is assigned to their old rooms, got it?" I ordered. The flock groaned but went upstairs.
"Oh, Max, you will have your own room now. i have changed my old upstairs study to a room for you."
"Thanks mom" I said and followed the flock up the stairs to be sure they all showered. As I climbed the stairs I heard Ella.
"Wow mom, those were sure some intense looks Fang was giving Max. Did she tell you what's gong ont there" Ella asked
mom.
"I'm not sure about it all. But don't bug your sister about it. She has a lot on her mind just now. Give her some time. She
will tell us everything soon, I am sure. Now, help me clean the kitchen" Mom said. Ella groaned but I heard them go into the
kitchen.