RP: Is this Heaven?

[rainbowmods]

There is a reception area, and at first glance, it looks to be like most reception areas: there is a front desk, a hallway that leads away, boasting a row of doors appearing to go on forever; there are two other doors immediately visible, one bearing the words Conference Room and the other Committee Chair, both etched in fine glass. All of the décor is elegant, if cold: everything is done up in blues and whites, and the chairs and couches provided look like they were chosen more for their appearance over their actual functionality.

If not for the sense of other in the room, it might seem like an ordinary office building.

It isn’t.

Welcome to heaven! Feel free to explore. A very freaked out Gabriel will probably greet you at some point.

Comments

[bookblather]

"More or less," Summer said, answering the second question first. "The essential facts of the situation are safe. This happened to me when I was pregnant too, and Thomas is fine." She patted his back gently. "We're not really sure what it is. Portals, as far as anyone can tell."

[shadowsong26]

She relaxed. "Good. That's good to hear." At least this wouldn't cause any problems for her child, and her chances of another uncomplicated birth were unchanged. As for the other answer...well, Nida wasn't entirely sure what she meant by 'portals,' but in all probability it wasn't something she could recreate or use for either the Movement or her children anyway, so the how of it was less important then what. And perhaps 'why,' but if this young lady had as little control over it as she herself had, she probably wouldn't have any luck figuring that part out. "How long does it last, do you know?"

[bookblather]

"About two hours," Summer said, and shrugged the shoulder Thomas wasn't resting on. "Something like that. It isn't reliable but it never lasts longer than that."

[shadowsong26]

Two hours. She could manage to cover for disappearing for two hours. It wouldn't be easy, but it would work out.

"That's good to know," she said. "My name is Nida, by the way."

[bookblather]

"I'm Summer," Summer said, "and this is my son Thomas." She couldn't help being proud of him, her little baby boy, and she was sure it showed in her voice.

[shadowsong26]

Nida smiled. "He's very handsome. How old is he?" He looked to be about six months, by her guess, but sometimes it was hard to tell.

[bookblather]

"Six months," Summer said, proudly. "He's perfect." She nodded at Nida's belly. "When are you due?"

[shadowsong26]

"About a week," she said. "This one will be my fourth. Do you have any others, or just Thomas?"

[bookblather]

"Your fourth?" Summer stared. She couldn't imagine having more than two children-- although Lars's mother had had seven. "My goodness. Um, no, Thomas is my first. And only."

She had enjoyed pregnancy, more or less, but once was enough.

[shadowsong26]

Nida nodded. "My husband and I both want a big family, so we're going to keep having children as long as we can." Not that they would have been able to stop with only Deva even if they had, for the sake of the kingdom, and there probably would have been pressure to keep trying until they had a son. A princess could inherit, but a prince was considered better for long-term stability.


Also, Nida is currently only in her mid-twenties, if that makes a difference for Summer.

[bookblather]

"I can't imagine that," Summer said, honestly. "It just... Thomas is so much work already. I love him dearly and I don't begrudge it, but more than one, I don't think I could handle it."

[shadowsong26]

"We have a lot of help," Nida said. "I don't think I would want a large family, either, if we didn't. But Sorell and I would have needed at least two anyway, and since we have the resources and the help we need to make sure they're well cared for..." She shrugged, and smiled. "My children make me very happy. They're the best of my life." Since her role in the Movement and her love for Sorell complicated each other so much that it felt like she was failing both of them, quite often. But her children...there was nothing complex about her girls, or the new baby.

Not yet, anyway, a pessimistic voice in the back of her head pointed out. She ignored it.

[bookblather]

Needed? That was an interesting choice of words. Still, the rest of it was perfectly understandable. Summer cupped Thomas's small, fuzzy head in her hand, gently. "I understand that," she murmured. "Thomas is the joy of our lives."

[shadowsong26]

"As he should be," Nida said, resting her hand on the side of her belly where the new baby was kicking her again.

[bookblather]

"Tell me about your others?" Summer asked. "And why did you need more?"

[shadowsong26]

"Deva is the eldest," Nida said. "She's seven, and very determined to have her way. And then Sola is five, and already adept at charming everyone she meets. Keta just turned two. She's the quietest of the three of them, but I'm fairly sure that won't last much longer, given her age." She shook her head. "And we would have needed at least two children for security."

[bookblather]

"Oh, how sweet," Summer said, warmly. "I would have liked a daughter, I think, but Thomas is perfect. What security?"

[shadowsong26]

"For the succession," Nida clarified. "My husband only has one half-sibling left, and a few distant cousins, so it was particularly important for us to have at least two children as quickly as possible."

[bookblather]

Succession? Oh. Some kind of monarchy then. Summer let that one be, and said only, "Well, I'll stay with just the one, I think. Even with three of us it's so difficult sometimes." She sighed, patting Thomas's back gently. "This is the first time he's gotten more than one hour of sleep straight in a few days."

[shadowsong26]

Nida blinked. Three...? True, Glass allowed for that kind of relationship, but Summer didn't look like she was from there, and not many other nations did, at least not so much that it could be spoken of so openly.

She chose, rather than asking inappropriate, prying questions about that, to instead focus on something else. "That must be difficult, yes. I remember it took us quite some time to get Sola to sleep through the night. Deva and Keta were easier, at least for that part."

[bookblather]

"He's been colicky," Summer explained. "Usually he sleeps about six or seven hours a night, but these last few days he's been sick and he can't really help himself."

[shadowsong26]

She nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully he'll be better soon."

[bookblather]

"He's getting better," Summer assured her. "I mean, look at him, he's sleeping better already. Though that might just be Gabriel."

[shadowsong26]

"Yes, he does seem very peaceful right now," Nida said, with a smile. "Who's Gabriel?"

[bookblather]

"Gabriel is an angel," Summer said, patting her son's back. "I think he's sort of in charge around here. He's very nice, if you want to go and find him."