“Now? Are you sure? You’ve worked for hours on end! When did you sleep last? Have you even eaten today?”
“I’ll eat and sleep after I give you your treatment and do the usual ritual. And you can join me.”
Beth stared at them like they were wonders of the world. One pale and blonde, the other one green and dark.
“What is going on here?” she asked.
“Beth, you can wait here.” Kinna said. “In fact, if you want to help, you can go raid the diner for some food.”
“Oh-kay. I can do that.”
As Kinna and Abby disappeared in the room that she personally called the infirmary because she didn’t have a better name for it, Beth went out and made her way to the diner. She had to slow down, because her feet were swollen, and her huge belly was literally pulling her down. These past few days, gravity had been Beth’s worst enemy.
It was as if she was growing in size on fast-forward. She was only in the fourth month of the pregnancy, and she had at least three or four more weeks to go. But the baby wanted out, and it grew and kicked day and night, making Beth feel exhausted like she’d never felt in her life. It was true that she’d pushed herself to help, even when everyone tried to make her go home and rest. But she couldn’t just sit around and sleep all day when Kinna was healing around the clock, Abby was helping her, and all the orcs were rebuilding what Morok had destroyed.
She reached the diner, stopped for a moment to catch her breath, then went inside and found Burok. Krib was in the back, chopping vegetables. She told Burok what she needed, and he didn’t only pack the food for her, but also helped her carry it to Kinna’s house. She hadn’t wanted to ask, but she was grateful he’d offered.
She waited for Abby in the living room while she nibbled on cold steak and sipped from a mug of krag milk. The taste had grown on her. Abby emerged from the infirmary in high spirits. Beth noticed that she practically glowed. She smiled, happy to see her sister feeling well again. She looked healthy, like the cancer had never existed and the chemotherapy had never ruined her body from the inside.
“Oh, good! I’m starving.”
Abby sat next to Beth, and they ate and chatted until Kinna showed up and declared she was going to wash some clothes. Beth was tempted to ask if she was going to use the washing machine this time, but she could see how tired the mage was. Washing by hand was her way of meditating and recharging. So, she kept her mouth shut and didn’t tease her about it.
As Kinna prepared everything in the backyard, Beth and Abby took their food plates and settled on the terrace. It was a beautiful day, hot as usual, but Beth had gotten used to the climate. She turned her head toward the sun and closed her eyes, letting it warm her up. She’d gotten a tan since she’d been living with the horde, and she was delighted to see Abby was starting to get one, too.
“You know,” Abby said as she watched Kinna wash and hum a song. “I like it here.”
“I’m glad. I told you you would.”
“I like it a lot. I might... stay.”
“Huh?” Beth shot her a surprised look. “What did you say?”
Abby chuckled. “That I might stay. No, that I will stay.”
“Oh my God! But you said...”
“It doesn’t matter what I said. Things change. I think I changed, too.”
“Oh, come here!” Beth reached over and gave her sister a clumsy hug. “This is the best. It’s going to be amazing.”
“We might need to go get the rest of my things. I only came with a suitcase, and it already isn’t enough.”
“Of course! Uthar will be happy to help.”
They laughed and started making plans for their life with the horde. Kinna joined in once in a while, and Beth saw the way she looked at her sister. She wondered when Abby was going to tell her. It didn’t matter. She thought it was perfect, and neither her sister, nor the mage had to tell anyone anything.
The sun was moving down the horizon, and Beth and Abby had finished eating. Kinna had finished doing the laundry and was now hanging the immaculate sheets on the long strings she had installed in her backyard. It was an idyllic moment, but Beth felt it was time to go home. She wanted to check on Uthar and see if he needed anything. He should’ve had a good, restful sleep by now, and he was probably up and about, looking for her.
She stood up, and immediately had to fall back in her chair when a sharp pain shot through her side.
“Oh, damn! Ouch!”
“Are you okay?” Abby was on her feet and at her side.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I think my whole body just fell asleep. Help me up, will you? I feel like I’m a hundred years old.”
Abby helped her, but Beth only managed to take a few steps, and the pain was back. She realized it was a contraction. She stopped and breathed in and out, but then another contraction came with a vengeance, and she almost crumbled from the pain.