Epilogue

 

Ashtoret de Origa

“Mom, we’re going to enter the wormhole soon. You sure you don’t want to watch? I’ve heard it’s beyond amazing,” Hope asked Carol.

“No, girls, I think I’ll stay here with Dad.” Carol smiled at her daughters as she ran her hand over the capsule keeping Brennan alive.

“Then we’ll stay with you,” Abby replied.

“I am sorry again for the way we retrieved you yesterday. I hope you aren’t sore.” Ashtoret felt incredibly guilty for frightening his new mother. He’d been raised to treat females better.

“Oh, honey, you can stop apologizing.” Carol gave him a genuine smile.

“You’re taking all of this really well, Mom,” Abby said as she shifted on his lap.

“Are you kidding me?” Carol snorted. “Believe me, I’m freaking out inside. But you don’t live to be my age without having a few what the fuck moments.”

“Mom said the f-word,” Hope snickered.

“And she flipped off her rotten daughter, too.” Carol stuck up her middle finger, then they all laughed.

“Seriously, Mom, are you good?” Hope asked.

“Yeah. I wish this hadn’t happened to Dad.” Carol patted the capsule. “And I wish I got a chance to talk to April and Bethany before we left. But I just learned my little girl’s alive, and Cartil has assured me a billion times that my sweet husband is going to be better than new in no time. Everything else is gravy.”

“What about our news?” Abby pointed to Ash.

As much as he wanted Abby to introduce him as her mate, given the circumstances he’d suggested she wait. But Carol is a wise female and had instantly guessed.

“That’s going to be hard, but Aculus guaranteed he would make sure we stay in contact. And more than anything I want my girls to be happy.”

“Remind me to thank him for that,” he whispered into Abby’s ear.

“I don’t think it was a totally selfless act,” she whispered back, making him snort.

“You know I’m sitting right here, right?” Hope scowled at them. “Bonehead knows the score.”

“Thou doth protest too much,” Abby giggled.

“Don’t fight, girls. Besides, you know Shakespeare was never Nadzia’s thing,” Carol chuckled.

“Hey!” Hope snapped, then smiled.

It was good hearing them banter back and forth. If Cartil was right and Brennan could hear this, undoubtedly he’d be smiling.

“I’m going to bring us some food. What would you like, Peanut?” Ashtoret asked as he set Abby in the chair next to him.

“You call her Peanut, too.” Carol grinned.

“I know. Isn’t it funny?” Hope chuckled.

“Ash heard Dad call me that. He does it just to antagonize me.” Abby smirked at him then winked.

“Would you like to hear how she got the nickname?” Carol asked.

“Of course.” He nodded.

“Fucking hell,” Abby groaned.

“When we brought home the first ultrasound, Bethany insisted I was having a peanut instead of a baby, and it just stuck.”

“Cause that’s what she looked like, and still does. Look at that head,” Hope insisted.

“Enough from you two,” Abby groused, making him grin.

“Ashtoret,” Aculus’ voice broadcast through the ship’s comm capturing his attention.

“Yes,” he replied.

“We’ve just been hailed.”

“By who?”

“Vintor.”