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Ambessa reclined on Mel’s plush velvet couch, an unread book perched on her lap as she eyed Jayce with thinly veiled disdain. Jayce, for his part, sat on the floor beside a precariously stacked set of blocks, trying and failing to keep his and Mel’s daughter entertained while shooting occasional glares at Ambessa.
“You’re stacking them wrong,” Ambessa finally drawled, gesturing lazily at the blocks.
Jayce frowned. “They’re fine. Besides, I know what I’m doing. Mel asked me to watch our baby.”
Ambessa smirked. “Correction. Mel reluctantly left you in charge. I’m here to ensure you don’t drop the child. Or let her swallow those blocks you’re so keen on.”
Before Jayce could retort, a sharp gasp came from the other end of the room. Vi, sprawled in an armchair, had dropped her drink.
“Uh, I’m no expert on fancy babies, but…” Vi pointed upwards. “I don’t think they’re supposed to do that.”
All heads snapped to the centre of the room, where the baby had somehow levitated three feet off the ground, a soft golden glow surrounding her.
Jayce’s face paled. “Oh gods. Oh no. Mel’s gonna kill me.”
Ambessa straightened, her usual composure faltering for the first time. “What in the…?”
Caitlyn, who had been leaning against the wall, calmly took a sip of her drink. “Relax. Just…get the baby down before Mel calls to check in. She’ll never know.”
Jayce scrambled to his feet, pacing in circles. “‘Get the baby down’? She’s floating! How do you get a floating baby down? I was busy trying to stop Ambessa from killing me—”
“I wasn’t going to kill you. I was jesting…mostly,” Ambessa snapped, standing now with her arms crossed. “Besides, you were the one goading me, you fool.”
“Guys,” Vi interrupted, still staring at the floating child. “Maybe, just maybe, the magic baby is the bigger problem right now?”
Jayce groaned, running a hand through his hair. “This is exactly the sort of thing Mel was worried about. She knew her magic would show up sooner or later. But noooo, I said, ‘We’ll be fine!’ Caitlyn, what do I do?”
Caitlyn, ever unbothered, shrugged. “You could ask nicely?”
Ambessa huffed, stepping closer to the glowing baby. “What this child needs is discipline. Magic or no, a soldier knows their place.”
“Absolutely not!” Jayce yelped, stepping between Ambessa and his daughter. “Mel will actually kill me if you so much as breathe the word ‘discipline.’” He flailed his hands helplessly. “Besides, Rae is floating because she hated the fighting. Maybe we’re stressing her out?”
“Oh, yes, blame me,” Ambessa said, though her tone was more amused than angry now. “You’re the one pacing like a caged animal.”
Meanwhile, Rella giggled, flipping upside down mid-air, her golden sparks brightening and swirling around them. As Ambessa and Jayce continued to bicker, the sparks burst outward in soft, harmless pops, as though her magic was… having fun.
Rell flipped upside down mid-air like this was the best day of her short life.
Vi called out. “No one’s concerned about the fact that she’s, I dunno, having a great time up there?!”
“Mel’s going to murder me or worse: DIVORCE ME,” Jayce whinged, his face buried in his hands.
The pink haired woman pointed at the display, incredulous. “Are we seriously not going to talk about how Rell went from ‘freaked out’ to ‘having the time of her life’? You Pilties are egging on the kid.”
Jayce threw his hands up in exasperation. “I’m trying to fix it! Ambessa, truce. Please. Just help me get her down before Mel comes home.”
Ambessa tilted her head, clearly savouring Jayce’s desperation, but after a long moment, she sighed. “Fine. For the child’s sake. Let’s approach this like rational adults.”
Together, they tried coaxing the infant down. Jayce spoke softly, holding out his arms, while Ambessa clicked her tongue and offered her hand. The baby, still floating and giggling, tilted her curly head, looking between them.
And then she floated higher.
“Rational adults, huh?” Caitlyn chuckled at her brother’s expense.
Vi, still lounging in her chair, grinned. “Pretty sure Rae is not buying it. Lemme try.”
Before either of the others could protest, Vi stood and stretched, casually walking toward the child. “Hey, kiddo. Remember me? Cool Aunt Vi.” She held out her arms, her grin softening. “C’mon. I won’t yell at you like these two, promise.”
To everyone’s shock, the baby slowly descended, sparks dimming as they nestled into Vi’s waiting arms. Vi chuckled, bouncing the child gently. “See? No big deal. She just needed someone who isn’t freaking out or trying to argue.”
Jayce gaped. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Ambessa crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. “Hmph. I suppose that makes sense. Violet raised her sister, did she not?”
Vi smirked. “Sure did. So, what’s the plan, pretty boy?”
Jayce opened his mouth to respond, but his phone buzzed. Mel. His stomach dropped. “Oh no.”
Ambessa’s eyes gleamed with sadistic mischief. “Answer it. Let’s see how you explain all this without looking like a complete idiot.”
Jayce gulped, pressing the green button with trembling fingers. “Heyyy baby…”
Mel’s calm, collected voice came through the speaker, tinged with suspicion. “Everything okay?”
“Oh, uh, totally fine!” Jayce said, his voice cracking. “Rellie’s—uh—napping. Peaceful as ever.”
Ambessa smirked, mouthing ‘coward’ at him.
Mel’s tone sharpened. “Why can’t I hear Vi yelling at something in the background?”
Vi grinned at the phone. “Hey, Mama! Your kid’s great. No floating or anything. Totally normal baby stuff happening here!”
Mel sighed. “So my baby was floating?”
Jayce opened his mouth to respond, but Ambessa grabbed the phone. “You are right to be suspicious. Your husband’s an idiot.”
“Ambessa!” Jayce shouted, lunging for the phone.
The baby, now nestled in Vi’s arms, giggled. Magic sparked from her fingertips, and a halo of blocks began orbiting her.
Caitlyn sighed into her drink. “This is why I don’t do family babysitting.”
Vi laughed, “no, no one wants you to babysit because you’d cry with the kid, cupcake.”
Mel’s sigh on the other end of the line was as exasperated as it was inevitable. “Put me on speaker,” she said in a tone that brooked no argument.
Jayce fumbled with the phone, nearly dropping it before Ambessa snatched it and hit the speaker button.
“Hi, darling,” Ambessa said, her voice suddenly syrupy sweet. “Everything is under control.”
“Oh, really?” Mel’s voice was sharp enough to cut glass. “Then why does it sound like Violet is laughing, Jayce is panicking, and my daughter is apparently tapping into her magical abilities?”
“Good instincts,” Caitlyn said dryly, leaning against the wall. “Spot-on, really.”
“Cait!” Jayce hissed, throwing her a desperate look.
“Don’t drag me into this,” The blue haired woman said, holding up her hands. “I’m just here for Mel’s expensive free drinks.”
“Mel,” Jayce started, his voice rising in pitch. “Everything’s fine. The baby stopped floating, see?” He turned their phone all into a video call and aimed the camera toward their daughter, now giggling as she clapped her hands, small sparks of golden light and blocks still flickering around her.
There was a long pause before Mel responded, her voice icy and eyes wide. “And why, exactly, was my baby floating to begin with?”
Ambessa leaned closer to the phone, her smirk widening. “That would be your husband’s lack of focus. He spent the entire time arguing with me instead of paying attention to the child.”
“Oh, that’s rich coming from the woman who wanted to discipline a floating infant by calling her a soldier!” Jayce shot back.
“You’re exaggerating,” Ambessa said coolly. “I was merely looking at it from a utilitarian perspective.”
Vi, still holding the baby, grinned. “Honestly, Mel, your kid’s a genius. Already smarter than both of them.” She ruffled Rell’s curls as she giggled again.
Mel groaned. “Jayce.”
“Yes?”
“I’m going to give you an hour to clean up whatever mess you’ve all made and figure out how to stop the sparks before I get home. If my child is still glowing when I walk through that door, you’re sleeping on the couch.”
Jayce’s face drained of colour. “Y-yes, dear.”
“And Mother,” Mel added, her tone sharper.
Ambessa raised a brow. “Yes, child?”
“Stay out of it. You’re not helping.”
Ambessa chuckled, utterly unfazed. “As you wish.”
The call ended abruptly, leaving an ominous silence in its wake.
Caitlyn finished her drink with a satisfied sigh. “Well, this has been fun. I’ll just let you two sort this out. Good luck.”
“Wait—” Jayce started, but Caitlyn was already heading for the door, blowing a kiss to her girlfriend who wiggled her eyebrows at her back and leaving him and Ambessa to figure out what to do next.
Vi smirked, still holding the infant. “So, Jayce, what’s the plan?”
Jayce stared at Rella, who giggled and clapped her tiny hands, a single spark flickering harmlessly from her fingers. “Pray Mel doesn’t kill me?”
Ambessa’s booming laugh sounded. “Oh, you should definitely prepare the couch.”
Jayce’s device beeped with communication from Mel:
‘Stop panicking. I still love you.’
He smiles to himself, she always knows when he needs reassurance.