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Scylla looked at the clock on the wall, 11pm. She wondered whether Raelle still had a functioning liver by this point.
After all, the Bellweather unit were known for their competitive nature and Scylla knew they would all try to out drink each other. This was the pageant they were talking about.
Their first had been situated in the pizza shop, the party coming afterwards in the barracks. And it had been a tradition every year since they passed their basic training… they just tended to skip the pizza part these days and go straight to the party. Some years members were missing, deployment taking them across the globe and away from their family, but they always partied extra hard when they returned.
Scylla remembered one particular year when Raelle had been dispatched on a 6 month deployment not long after they moved in together. She was missing Raelle more than usual that night, something to do with Raelle’s pillow smelling less and less like her, she seems to remember. Then, before she could even think about pouring herself a tall measure of cession moonshine to wash away the feeling, the other two members of the Bellweather unit were at her door. It seemed, she hadn’t been the only one missing Raelle on that particular eve.
“We couldn’t let you drink alone…” Tally held up two bottles of a menacingly clear liquid.
“Yeah Necro, Shitbird will be pissed if she finds out we didn’t celebrate the pageant.” Abigail smiled, pushing past Scylla before she had a chance to say anything.
They had now been married for nearly 4 years and Scylla had been a regular in attending the tradition. This year however, she opted out. She ushered Raelle out the door regardless of her protest to stay in with her. Abigail had to drag her down the path into the taxi, while Scylla waved from the doorway. This year she opted out and next year they will have to find a baby sitter… but Raelle didn’t know that yet.
Scylla curled up on the sofa, encased in a thick blanket. She flicked through the TV channels, settling on some mediocre Saturday night programme while she waited for Raelle’s return. Raelle and the rest of her unit undoubtedly. Which is why Scylla had the forethought to make up the spare bed… with a bucket for Tally.
The clock ticked its way home past midnight, slowly making its way through the early hours of the morning. Scylla was beginning to lose the war with her eyelids and decided to call it a night. After all, Raelle had told her not to wait up.
When Scylla pulled herself from the arms of sleep the next morn, she woke up wrapped in another pair. She cracked an eyelid, suddenly realising she was swelteringly warm. She turned her head to find that she was the very little spoon in a conga line of cutlery. Her wife was clinging to her back like a koala, her arm wrapped tightly round her waist. Behind her, Scylla could spy a mop of red hair pulled up into a messy bun, a few strays daring to escape the constraints of the band. On the opposite side of the bed, Scylla’s very own High Atlantic was the biggest spoon, head back on the pillow, mouth slightly agape and a very loud rumble escaping her lips. Not the usual seed sounds she was used to.
Her next task would require every single piece of tactical training she could pull from her brain. She had to escape.
She took full note of her position. With three inches of her and Raelle’s queen sized bed to spare to her right and three sleeping soldiers to her left, the ground she had to cover to escape would not be the issue. Raelle was nestled tightly into her back, her head resting between Scylla’s shoulder blades, her breath was even and Scylla could tell her wife was deep in the clutches of sleep. Raelle had snaked one arm under her waist, which had probably long since gone numb. The other was holding Scylla tightly against her.
Pulling together a strategy, Scylla spied mountain of decorative pillows, specifically a long one that usually stretched the width of their bed. She rolled onto her front, Raelle’s hand sliding to lay flat on her lower back as she mumbled incoherently in her sleep, a frown clouding her features. Scylla knew if she didn’t move soon Raelle would wake up. She slowly slid out from under her wife’s palm and grabbed the pillow. Turning back towards the bed, Raelle’s frown had deepened, a tight ‘v’ forming between her brows as she unconsciously searched the warm spot for the brunette. Scylla gently manoeuvred the pillow under Raelle’s arm, to which she pulled tight against her, nestling it under her chin as her features softened and relaxed. Mission accomplished, casualties nil, all three soldiers snoring in their blissful alcohol induced ignorance.
Scylla made her way down the stairs, suddenly realising just how hungry she was. After all, she was eating for two now. Scylla couldn’t wait to have their little Collar-Ramshorn plodding about. She imagined the patter of little feet against the tiles as their littlun ran around being chased by a grinning Raelle, how she would probably scoop their child up and lift them above her head laughing. She had a long way to go but she was already beyond excited.
As Scylla stood daydreaming, nursing her decaf coffee and waiting for her crumpets to spring out of the toaster, a very hungover High Atlantic sat down across the kitchen island. She immediately laid her head against the cool work surface, sticking an arm out and gesturing for Scylla’s coffee.
“I think I’m dying.” Abigail mumbled, eyes still closed.
“That bad huh?” Scylla slid a fresh mug over to her. Abigail took it gratefully and sipped the beverage, this mug caffeinated for her benefit.
“Tally took the biggest hit, from the sounds of it you are going to need the biohazard crew in that bathroom.” Abigail chuckled, taking another sip of the warm liquid. “Raelle is comatose. You won’t have to worry about her for the next week.”
“Sounds like a repeat of 24.” Scylla remembered the pageant 5 years ago, well she only remembered the aftermath.
“We vowed to never bring that year up again Necro. But not quite, wasn’t the same without you” Abigail smiled warmly.
Scylla and Abigail had become close over the years, their mutual love for Raelle being the first stepping stone in turning over their once strained relationship. “I missed celebrating with you guys, but I swear I had a valid reason.” Scylla fished a piece of photo paper out from her phone case and slid the grainy picture across the kitchen island.
Abigail picked it up, brows furrowed in curiosity as it took a moment for the penny to drop. “Is this- Are you- Am I still drunk?” Abigail stuttered around her words the shock evident.
“Aunty High Atlantic doesn’t quite fit so it’ll have to be Aunty Abigail I suppose…” Scylla grinned at her “I haven’t told Raelle yet-”
“Haven’t told Raelle what?” Tally came into the kitchen looking like she was knocking on deaths door as both of them looked surprised to see her functioning and away from the toilet. Tally slid her arms round Abigail’s waist, resting her chin on her shoulder. Abigail leaned back into the embrace.
It had taken years for the pair to stop dancing around their feelings for each other and make a move but Scylla was delighted for her best friends to have finally found one other.
Abigail lifted the picture to Tally’s eye level. “Scylla is this what I think it is?” Tally whispered as she took the picture from Abigail pulling it closer to her face and inspecting it.
“Depends, it resembles a jelly bean currently and I know how much you like food. But yes that is a Collar- Ramshorn bean.”
“If I wasn’t so hungover I’d scream but Scylla! This is fantastic! Abigail we’re going to be Aunties!” Tally engulfed Scylla in a hug as she talked about all the things she couldn’t wait to do as Aunty Tally.
“How are you going to tell Raelle?” Abigail asked as Tally chatted on to no one in particular beside her.
Scylla gestured for Abigail to hold on. She turned around to the cereal cupboard and fished out the fruit and fibre. “Raelle doesn’t like fruit and fibre, too healthy.” Scylla says as she reaches into the box and pulls out a decorator’s catalogue. Specifically a catalogue for decorating nurseries. “She does all the painting and decorating round here” between her and Edwin, they had done up the whole house, then she and Scylla made it a home.
“We have all heard about Raelle’s skills with her hands. Thin walls at War College remember Necro?” Abigail grinned smugly as Scylla blushed and put the fruit and fibre box back on the top shelf of the cereal cupboard.
A week later, Raelle jumped out of her jeep after a busy shift on base ready for the evening with her wife. She stepped through the front door and put her keys in the bowl with a clatter.
“Babe I’m home!” She called out.
Wiping her feet, she knelt down and untied the laces of her boots, slipping them in their space on the shoe-rack. She walked through the house to the kitchen, took her lunchbox out of her bag, emptying the rubbish in the bin, hoping Scylla wouldn’t notice she didn’t eat her crusts again and hung it up on the inside of the pantry door.
Scylla came bouncing down the stairs and into the kitchen. “Hey you, miss me?” she bounded up to her wife, hugging her from behind.
“Yeah always, good day?” Raelle smiled and leaned into her.
“Busy shift, Mrs Reilly next door dropped over some veg from her allotment when I got home. Tally called told me to remind you about making sure you have your parking permit paperwork filled out by Friday for the new car. How was your day?” Scylla answered as Raelle sifted through the post.
“Yeah I got it all in to the office this morning, the permit card is in the glovebox. Busy day too, the first years were on the obstacle course so you can bet I’ve seen too many sprains, strains and bruises today. Recon you can make your soup out of those veggies?” Raelle answered, plonking herself at the kitchen island.
“Absolutely. There’s something I want to ask you first.” Scylla turned to the cereal cupboard and fished out the fruit and fibre suddenly nervous.
“Scyl no, we’ve been over this, fruit and fibre is not good cereal-“
Scylla laughed at her interruption “I’m not done!” She put her hand in the box and pulled out the catalogue and something extra, pushing them in front of Raelle.
“Nursery decorating?” She questioned.
Raelle opened the catalogue to where there was something stored within the pages. Sat on the island in front of Raelle was a pregnancy test laid neatly on a plain white baby grow that read “Moms little helper” in cursive above a full tool belt design. Above that was their baby. A grainy picture of a bean shaped blob. But it was their baby none the less.
Scylla watched the cogs turn in Raelle’s head and once she realised what she was looking at her head snapped up to her wife, tears now blurring her vision. “I’m gonna be a mom?” She questioned
“You’re gonna be a mom.” Scylla confirmed and Raelle rushed round the counter to scoop her up bridal style, spinning her round the kitchen.
“We’re gonna be moms! I can’t believe it! Oh my god Scyl we’re gonna be moms…” She put Scylla down and put her hands round her wife’s waist. She connected their lips in a soft kiss. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” Raelle laid her palm flat on Scylla’s tummy.
“There’s a baby in there?” She asked innocently, unable to keep the amazement out of her voice.
“Your baby.” Scylla added covering Raelle’s hand with her own.
“Our baby.”