Episode 174: Baby Decision (Niels)

They burst through the door into the apartment just in time to see Spaden jump away from some girl version of Acheron – blush included – and stare innocently at the tv screen.

Niels couldn’t decide if he wanted to laugh or punch something, unrelated to Spaden and whoever this girl was.

“Need some space?” Spaden offered.

Those two needed a room.
If Niels had to bet on a Lavesque child never getting married, he would put all his money on Spaden. Not because Mallory didn’t terrify guys – she did – or because Sawyer wasn’t disgusting – he was – but because of what Niels liked to call the Un-Poulsen effect.

He’d named it after himself. You know, he’d gone into adulthood determined to find the girl opposite of his mom. He’d failed, but at least his heart was in the right place.

Kids like Spaden careened into adulthood looking for their moms, because if they married a young version of their mom then they’d be sure to get their dad’s approval. The world was not full of Indigos. She was as unique as she was entertaining to know.

This girl wasn’t Indigo, she was Acheron.

Niels was dying to know what the fuck.

But, he had Talise and babies and problems of his own, so he just laughed when Talise said, “Huh?” to Spaden.

“So yes,” Spaden muttered. “Come on, Cora.”

He and Blondie got up, trailed after by the bear, and Niels wondered whether he’d accidentally triggered events that would make Spaden a dad.

“So, babies today,” Talise stated. Her arms were folded, self-contained.

How was she so exactly on his train of thought? Was it that bad? Should he go stop Spaden before Zero and Indigo killed them?

Oh, wait a minute. She was talking about their babies, not little mini Spadens.

That was why her arms were so folded, her body coiled tight.

Right.

He hadn’t forgotten, exactly, it was just a fuckton easier to think about someone else’s problems than their own. He didn’t know how to decide.

He might actually be panicking a little.

Aadya lost Daphne at this age.

They could lose their babies.

He wrapped his arms around her. If he was panicking, it was nothing compared to her mental state. “Is that what you want?” he asked.

He wasn’t letting anyone push her into this. She could do it or not, he’d support her either way and he’d never once say she’d made the wrong choice.

“Is the other option somehow not stupid?” she replied. She started to shrug him off, but partway through she must have decided she liked comfort better than solitude right now.

She sank against him and he kissed the top of her head. “Well. They’re going to be born in the next few days either way. This just gives us control over when, and keeps them away from whoever takes you.”

What he wanted to do was keep Talise away from whoever was supposed to take her, too.

“And that stuff for their lungs,” she pointed out. “They’ll be healthier.”

They sat on the sofa together and stared at the show Spaden had been watching while he made out with girl-Ach: It had colorful ponies dancing in a circle and singing about friendship and girl power.

“So yes,” Talise decided. “Babies today. Is that okay?”

He turned so he could see her, and then he ran his thumb over her cheek. “It is beyond okay,” he promised. “I mean…it shouldn’t come down to this. But Zero knows what he’s doing and I can keep them safe for you.”

“For me?” she demanded. Shit, he’d worded it wrong. When Talise was happy, he could basically say whatever he wanted and she’d know his intent.

When she was stressed, she’d nitpick his words to look for a way to take that stress out on him.

“You mean you can take care of them,” she went on. “It’s not for me, they’re ours.”

He growled, teasy. “For you, so you’re not worrying about them.”

It worked, because she growled back. “For us, so you’re busy while you’re worried.”

“For them, so they’re safe.” He kissed her, and then leaned their heads together. “For all of us.”

“So you’re good,” she accused, like he was a bad person for trying to help her mood. “Great, because I’m freaking out.” He hadn’t noticed. “I found out I was a bajillion days pregnant yesterday, and now they’re coming.”

Talise had this teensy little problem called really easy first trimesters that made it so she didn’t usually even know she was pregnant until she started to show. Breastfeeding meant she didn’t have periods.

This pregnancy came down to: Surprise! You ovulated a few months ago!
And now, just a week after finding out…Baby time.

He wasn’t ready either. But he had to be, so he was.

“I know how you like to drag things out until the last possible second,” he teased her, “but I think we’re there. Baby time. And…we already did twins together, it went okay. And Ach and Spence will still help.”

He shifted her so she lay with her head on his lap, and he trailed his fingers through her hair, curling and uncurling them.

“Yeah,” she agreed. “And we’re finally getting our twins. The world needs more little Poulsens.”

“And the world will get them,” he promised. Maybe not these ones. He wished he could promise these, but he wasn’t that guy who made promises he wasn’t sure he could keep. He only made promises he could follow through on. “Way too many of them.” He untangled one of his hands from her hair and rested it on her belly. He could feel their boys moving under the skin. “Be honest,” he joked. “You would have freaked about timing no matter when it was, because no one in their right mind is ready for twins.”

She blushed. “Maybe,” she confessed. Then, accusing: “You love the twins thing.”

He leaned and kissed her belly. “Maybe.”

“Okay,” she said, more decided. “Well. Should we warn Ach and Spence or just surprise them? Like…surprise, we didn’t come home to put our kids to sleep. Surprise, you’re in charge of the festival until after it ends.”

Actually, Endy and Eurydice were in charge of the festival, but it shouldn’t affect Talise’s day. “I already warned them. Well, about the kids, Konrad about the festival. And.” He looked down at her, intense. “We’ll still do your helicopter tomorrow. I have made arrangements.”

“Maybe we can put babies off until after,” she suggested, almost a question.

Not a chance. The week was ticking down. It was already Kevish. Tomorrow was the weekend, the next day the end of the week. The bad guys were running out of time to be bad.

“We’ll see what Zero says,” he said, because he knew Zero would say the same thing Niels thought. “We’re running out of time left in the week.”

“I love you,” she said. She put her hand on her belly, alongside his. “And our boys.”

“It’s not too late to name them Bobjohn and Biff,” he pointed out, teasing.

Bobjohn Alandrial. They almost had to.

“Noooo,” Talise groaned. “Not either of those.”

He put his hand over hers. “We have this,” he promised. Whatever happened, they’d face it together. “Ready to go see what he says?”

“Yeah,” she said, “except he just went into the art room a minute ago. It’s not that urgent.”

Shit.

Niels and Talise had a chance of keeping their babies. Indigo…there was just no way.

“That sucks,” he muttered.

What would Zero tell her? I’m sorry I can’t save ours but I have to save theirs?

Nope. He could feel bad but feeling guilty was useless. He couldn’t help it any more than Zero and Indigo could. It was just bad luck. He wanted his babies safe, if they could manage it.

He wanted to do something nice for Zero and Indigo though. Maybe he should get them a week at a resort somewhere, kid-free. Or a cruise. If everyone had their babies now, Zero wouldn’t be needed after the attack. He could afford some time alone with Indigo, if they wanted it.

Talise nestled against him while they waited for Zero to reemerge. “Can you maybe move the helicopter to today? Or is tomorrow the only choice?”

The pilot would be annoyed, but Niels bet he could be paid to stop complaining about the changed schedule. “We can do it today,” he said. “I think that lung stuff has to magic for a while before you can be induced anyway. But…I can make the calls while you get ready, I guess, after the lung stuff.”

“It’ll help the time pass,” she mused. “Do you want to bring any of the kids? Jo might like it. Or just us?”

They had forever to take their kids places. He made a mental note to plan another helicopter ride for the next Kevish, with all of them.

“Just us,” he said. “It’ll be awhile before we get that again, with newborn twins.”

Newborn twins.

Fuck the helicopter. He just wanted her and the twins safe.

But a promise was a promise, and she needed the distraction. They both did.

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