Chapter 23

Amanda ... was in darkness.

She wasn't asleep. What little her mind could grasp understood that. She was ... she was...

Pain.

There had been pain...

"Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to you!"

The room broke into cheers, as well as some good natured boos and catcalls. Wendi and Mari, sitting up on the stage in the "Birthday Thrones", grinned and blushed as tradition demanded. They were dressed in the finest silk and lace monstrosities that Hanna could design, as befitting birthday girls. The newly twelve Wendi was decked in red, neckline dropped to show off budding breasts, both sleeves and hemline short to show off limbs now strong, muscular, and graceful. Mari was in a flowing gown almost tacky enough for a princess, pink with white ruffles everywhere. Her hair was piled on her head, held together with pins and a pink butterfly.

They looked so cute, a laughing Amanda thought she might puke.

Kine, with a graceful bound, leapt up onto the stage and walked up before the girls, hands raised to the crowd for silence. He didn't expect to get any, naturally. He wasn't a fool. But, the forty or so kids did calm down a touch, which was good enough.

"Ladies! Gentlemen! Brat!"

"Hey!" yelled back Amanda, tossing up a middle finger at her brother. He blew her a kiss, the crowd responding noisily.

"Today, we celebrate the joint birthday of two of our young ladies! We celebrate life! Beauty!" He suddenly did a comedic double take look at Wendi's chest. "And breasts!" Wendi's hands shot up to cover her eyes in embarrassment, especially at the exasperated look Lessa gave her from the back of the room. She also thrust her chest out at Kine. Catcalls asking to see the breasts in question rang out, and the hands over Wendi's eyes responded by extending their middle fingers up while she continued to jokingly cringe. Mari jumped to her feet.

"Hey, I have breasts too!" She shoved the puffy decorations on her flat chest out, and received the same catcalls. Kine grinned at the kid, then turned and raised his arms in the air.

"Speaking of boobies, it's time to eat!"

He jumped down ... and let out a relieved breath as the attention of everyone was attracted to the bowls and platters of food being brought out of the kitchen. Being naturally entertaining wasn't easy. He felt a hand lightly grip his right arm, bringing a smile to his lips as he recognized Mel's touch. Another hand gripped his left arm, causing Kine to cock his head at his little sister. Her eyes laughed at him.

"That was horrible!" she said, shaking her head in dismay. "You have no stage presence!"

"I did need you on keyboard behind me," he agreed, then with no warning jerked his right arm and the attached Mel to his front. His lips moved in with practiced ease and kissed her, her body molding to his automatically. Amanda watched, as always half amused and half jealous. She never turned away, though, which was good as Mel, despite being good and distracted, shot a hand out to try and tweak the younger girl's nose. Amanda jumped away just in time, slapping the hand away. The kiss ended, and Kine looked over at his sister in amusement.

"What's your problem?"

"That bald bimbo tried to hit me!"

"I'm sure you deserved it."

"What does the birthday girl deserve?

The three turned to see Wendi walking up to them. This, thought Amanda, should be fun. Her friend was still crushing on Kine. Would she make a move?

Kine made a great show of looking the twelve year old over, pausing to examine certain areas closely. Mel said nothing, unless you looked at her eyes, but Kine didn't so that didn't count. He grinned down at the student of Lessa.

"What does the birthday girl want?"

Wendi moved closer, hips moving with unpracticed grace.

"I'm an adult now. What if I want you?"

Kine pretended to consider the matter. Mel and Amanda looked on with ... interested amusement.

"Well ... you see, Wendi, while you are now older and very beautiful and sexy..." This almost broke her composure, her face turning red at the honest sound of his words. " ... I do have standards. So! I'll tell you what. Once your breasts get out to..." he held a hand about six inches in front of her covered hard nipple, " ... here, you can compete with Mel here in open competition for me." Wendi looked down at where his hand was, her face braking into an evil grin.

"I know what my mom looked like by age thirteen." She pointed to Mel. "In a year, you're going down!" With that, she practically skipped off to join the food craving mob.

Mel cocked her head at her man, eyes ... dangerous.

"I'm not even out to there..."

"Exactly," Kine said, secure in his position. "If I'm going to dump you, it has to be for an upgrade."

Shaking her head, Mel looked down at Amanda.

"Try to fall for a shy, geeky guy. It makes life so much easier."

Amanda couldn't feel.

She was trying. She had ... sensations, which she could almost place, but everything kept slipping away. She remembered being like this once, when she had a fever. She had been in bed for days, mind unconnected with either body or reality. Was she sick? Was she dead? Was she...

"Stupid fucking... !"

The cursing floated out of the open cabin door into the hallway just as Amanda was passing, and with a laugh the girl stopped and popped her head in.

"What up?"

Hanna interrupted her stream of profanity and looked up. She was, it appeared, in battle with a baby crib. Amanda wasn't sure if she was winning or not. It probably depended on if she was putting it together or taking it apart. If the first, it seemed to be the end of the battle, although given the state of her dirty blond hair resistance had been fierce.

Not far from the crib was Jenny, walking ... nay, swaying, while holding little Irene. The baby was happily cooing, hands reaching up and playfully grabbing at her chin or a bare breast. The topless mother started towards the door.

"Look, Irene! It's Amanda! Hi Amanda!"

There was something ... oh so wrong with this butch, muscular, small breasted, buzz haircut wearing teen using baby talk. Amanda looked from one woman to the other.

"Aren't these roles reversed here?"

Jenny gave her a huge grin, and held the gurgling Irene up in front of her with both hands.

"Well, it's not MY fault that little Irene will only stop crying when I hold her! Who's your favorite mommy? Who is it? Is it me?"

There was a thwack, then a thud, as a cloth diaper few across the room and hit Jenny in the back of the head before falling to the floor. Jenny responded by bringing the baby up until their noses touched.

"Why, Irene, we'd better hope that was a CLEAN diaper, or SOMEONE isn't getting a spanking tonight!"

Amanda blushed, and put up her hands.

"Too much information!" She walked quickly around the laughing Jenny and went to Hanna. "Can I help?"

"Oh, would you?" She stretched, cracking her back, and Amanda could see the sweat on her from earlier efforts. "I'm trying to break this down so we're ready to move out. Miss Butch over there built it to be portable, but she makes things so SHE can deal with them."

"I'm a delicate flower, I am!"

Amanda couldn't help but grin, then her face fell.

"There's no talking you out of it?"

Hanna looked her in the eye, and slowly shook her head. Jenny came up next to them, their child now resting her head on her chest and searching for the sandman.

"We have to go, before ... you know," Jenny told her. She gently stroked Irene's head. "We love you guys, and if you ever settle down we hope you send us word, but..."

"But we have a family now, and a family needs a home."

Amanda looked at the now sleeping baby.

"Home..."

She felt air.

That was new. And, exciting. Amanda existed in the physical world! She felt air moving across her face!

Face ... she had a face!

... maybe. Could be a toe. Maybe a toe with a face...

Kine held out his hand, and first Jenny, then Hanna, shook it. Hanna surprised him by pulling the large eighteen year old in for a hug, and with a sigh he closed his eyes and returned it.

"Thank you all for rescuing me," she whispered. "I owe you ... gods, I owe you everything." She pulled back, tears in her eyes. "You'll always be welcome here. Our door will be open to you." She looked over at Amanda and Ger. "All of you." Releasing Kine, she went to give Amanda, Mel and Ger quick, if powerful hugs as well. Jenny handed the baby to her and gave the girls quick hugs, then walked up to Ger.

They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, then Ger looked around them. The stone farm house was in good shape. There was room for a custom order dress shop, if Hanna went through with that, the barn would make a great machine shop, they were only two kilometers from a nice little town...

He reached out and touched the face of his former lover.

"You'll be OK?"

She copied his gesture.

"Yes ... come visit us soon. Or, even stay! There's room..."

"Someday," he said. "I will." His eyes traveled to Hanna, who met it with tears in her eyes. Turning back to Jenny, he tenderly kissed the best mechanic he'd ever known. Breaking the kiss, he whispered, "You don't think I'd leave my kids without a dad, do you?" He dropped a hand down to her trim belly, then turned and began the trek across the field to the waiting shuttle. The others made a final goodbye, and followed.

"I think they'll be OK", Mel said, taking Kine's arm. He nodded.

"Three kids will be a chore, though," Ger added. He paused to pull a leaf off an unfamiliar bush, then continued on. The others just looked at him.

"Three?" Amanda assumed he could count. Unless there were some hidden in the luggage she had carried over?