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“See?” He grinned at it. “I told you we could do.”
“Hijo, gracias!” Her mami said, crying. “Sophie, you okay? How you feeling?”
“Fine, mami,” Sophie promised, taking the little bracelet from Serval’s hands.
A mal de ojo. A bracelet meant to protect her baby made of beads on a line not all that dissimilar from the beads her allowee family wore on a daily basis. When she’d told them about the tradition from her human family, they’d been eager to participate. Even though she only brought it up a couple hours ago and they had been in no way ready as rei didn’t typically wear beads.
But Serval and the cousins had rushed off to make her what she wanted. And now she was holding onto what she considered the perfect combination of their culture and her own. A mal de ojo made in the allowee fashion – something from both of her rei’s family. And though her mom and dad couldn’t be here, they weren’t ending the comm until she had birthed safely, and Serval would be sending them the video immediately after.
She smiled at her mate as he sank into the water, pulling her onto his lap, letting her relax against his chest as the rest of the family moved around them. Her allowee sisters in and around the pool. The rei already swimming in the water, excited and energetic, like they sensed the imminent arrival of their new nibling. Her human family was waiting, listening, saying traditional prayers for her and their incoming grandchild. The cousins were being loud and obnoxious, trying not to fail at being in charge of the cameras that Serval had set up.
And, of course, Serval himself. Her rock and support. Beautiful in his beads. Smiling as he rubbed comforting circles around her belly. For all that he had been reluctant to pause their work and adventures long enough to start their family, now that they were here, he was more excited than anyone else.
He took in a long, deep breath, then let it out with a low hum of contentment.
“I do wish they would hurry,” he said, kissing her temple. “I can’t wait to meet them.”
Sophie smiled, putting her hands over his. “Love you, mi amor.”
She felt, rather than saw, him smile. “I breathe for you, lov’alel.”
Their hands laced together, and they rode out her next contraction like that. And when their rei was born, a little over a mark later, they put their first beads on their little wrist. Their cultures blending together so perfectly in their beautiful, ashen blue rei.
