Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
The room with the pink wall where she made me watch Zane and his first wife’s wedding was filled with babies and two other women.
Treya’s two daughters were in baby seats with three other babies, two boys and one girl by their pinks and dark blue colored clothing. Two other girls sat, sipping from goblets in the lovely gray leather seats. The two empty seats were plain wooden chairs without any upholstery or a cushion. I saw Elaina eye the chairs with disdain before she sat down.
Treya’s two friends had their eyes on us. One was blonde, the other had hair very close to the color of mine, though hers was to her waist and bone straight, where mine was wavy and just past my shoulders. The blonde smiled and stood. The redhead glared at us with a face like she’d smelled something foul.
“Elaina, Tanya, meet Lunaris and Jeffany.” She gestured to each woman as she introduced them. They were our age, I was guessing, mid 20s.
Lunaris was the blonde. She smiled and hugged Elaina and then me. “Oh, you’re here. I’ve been so excited to meet you both.”
Jeffany, the redhead, held her hand out limply without getting up, meaning that we had to go to her.
“Great to meet you both. Look at these gorgeous babies,” I said. “Let’s forget the dresses, Elaina, and just play with these beautiful angels.”
“Where’s your half-ling Treya told us about?” Jeffany asked. “And are you not with child yet?” she looked at me.
Elaina gritted her teeth at the slur but fixed a smile on her face. “I’m taking a day for me. I’ve got another half-ling coming, courtesy of my primo man-meat husband, so I’ll have my hands double-full soon enough,” Elaina said this with a shrug and smoothed out her fashionable red trousers.
“We haven’t started a family yet,” I replied.
She looked at me with a frown. “Isn’t it what you’re here for, though?”
“Talk to my husband about that,” I shrugged. “Meanwhile, his little boy is enjoying having a new stepmom and we’re finding our way as a new family.” I felt the need to justify myself as contributing somehow.
She shrugged and reached for a tall coffee mug and sipped it.
I fiddled with the skirt of my dress, a blue dress, to the knee, a bit of sparkly thread through it in horizontal lines, with cool but strange pipe cleaner-like sleeves that wrapped from the underarm around both shoulders and down to mid-bicep. It was mostly backless and the skirt was swingy and flirty. I loved it when I put it on and was glad I’d gone to the effort. These women were coiffed and polished until they sparkled.
The door chime sounded and Treya excused herself and hurried out excitedly.
A tall, older man in a tuxedo entered the room at that point and lifted one of Treya’s daughters into the crook of one arm and a slightly larger, but not yet walking baby boy up and put him on his hip and he left the area. I waved at the baby boy who was cooing happily. He waved back.
“Awe!” I oozed. “Whose baby is he?”
“Mine,” Lunaris said. “His name is Damio.”
“He’s beautiful.”
“Where is he taking the babies?” Elaina asked.
“To another room to nap while we look at clothes. Orvand is here,” Jeffany said, examining her manicure.
“So, you gals recently got married, too?” Elaina asked.
“Yes. Close to a year ago,” Lunaris said, “For me. How long for you, Jeffy? Half a year?”
“Just over six months, yes.”
“Arranged marriages?” I asked.
“All marriages are arranged, nowadays,” Lunaris said with a shrug. “I got very lucky though. I’m a happy lady. Still getting accustomed to this translator. It’s funny how your lips move compared to your words.” She seemed good-natured while pointing that out. “Though, I’m sure the same for you with my mouth.”
“Yes. But thank goodness for technology,” I said.
“Thank goodness for Tanya’s man. He created the technology to let us all talk to each other. And us to our hubbies, of course,” Elaina put in.
“I could do without speaking to mine,” Jeffeny grumbled.
“Oh, you’re kidding?” Elaina replied with concern. “You get saddled with a bad catch, girlie?”
Jeffeny opened her mouth to speak when Treya was strolling in, calling out, “Orvand, Tanya, Elaina, Jeffany, and Lunaris. Girls, Orvand. He’s the most talented dress designer in the capital.” The man bowed and smiled. “Girls. Lovely to set eyes on you all. You’ll all need to stand up and twirl for me as soon as I get my gear set up. Just a moment here.” He carried a long black case to the front of the room and set it down with a flourish. He was quite flamboyant about it as he looked around and surveyed the area with pursed lips.
“My gaydar is goin’ woo woo woo. Thank God,” Elaina whispered in my ear. “I miss my gay bestie like nobody’s business. I’m about to make this alien man my new best friend. After you, of course.”