He closed his eye
s and pretended to be asleep.
Well, let him retreat and decide what he thinks of me. I'm not going to demand that they love me when they don't even know me.
She walked to Bella's crib. She was sleeping hard, her black curls tight and wet against her head. The Delphiki genetic heritage was so complicated. Bella really showed Bean's African roots. Whereas Andrew looked Armenian, period.
She touched one of Bella's curls and the girl didn't stir. Her cheek was hot and damp.
She's mine, thought Petra.
She turned and saw that Andrew was sitting up in bed, regarding her soberly. "Hello, Mama," he said.
It took her breath away.
"How did you know me?"
"Picture," he said.
"Do you want to get up?"
He looked at the clock on the top of the dresser. "Not time."
These were normal children?
How would Mrs. Delphiki know what normal was, anyway? Nikolai wasn't exactly stupid.
Though they weren't so brilliant. They were both wearing diapers.
Petra walked over to Andrew and held out her hand. What do I think he is, a dog that I give my hand to sniff?
Andrew took hold of a couple of her fingers, just for a moment, as if to make sure she was real. "Hello, Mama."
"May I kiss you?"
He lifted his face and puckered up. She leaned down and kissed him.
The touch of his hands. The feel of his little kiss. The curl on Bella's cheek. What had she been waiting for? Why had she been afraid? Fool. I'm a fool.
Andrew lay back down and closed his eyes. As Mrs. Delphiki had warned, it was completely unbelievable. She could see the whites of his eyes through the partly-open slits.
"I love you," she whispered.
"Loveyoutoo," murmured Andrew.
Petra was glad that someone had said those words to him so often that the answer came by rote.
She crossed the hall into the other room. It was much darker. She couldn't see well enough to dare to cross the room. It took a few moments for her eyes to grow used to the dark and make out the three beds.
Would she know Ramon when she saw him?
Someone moved to her left. She was startled, and she was a soldier. In a moment she was in a defensive crouch, ready to spring.
"Only me," whispered Peter Wiggin.
"You didn't have to come and--"
He held a finger to his lips. He walked over to the farthest crib. "Ramon," he whispered.