Kat waited, feeling Dan's uncertainty.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to say. Part of me thinks this is insane. But, Momm- Kat-"
"Mommy."
"Mommy, I just want to spend as long as I can inside you warm and safe."
Kat caressed the stretch of skin over her womb as Dan set off another tremor. "I can do that. It looks like we
don't have much of a choice."
Together the two hatched a plan, booking a one way ticket in Dan's name to Japan, where one of his online
friends lived. Kat scribbled out a note with all the suitable angst of a 16-year-old pissed off brother,
blaming her, calling her names, and tucked it in their parents' bedroom.
"I wish you hadn't said those things," Dan told Kat.
"It's believable. I haven't been the nicest sister," maybe it was the flood of hormones, maybe the spell
itself had changed her feelings, but Kat felt so protective of Dan, even against herself. "I just hope I can
be a better mother."
Kat felt a hunger pang and put together mishmash of food from the refrigerator before returning to the
spellbook. After an hour or so, she shot up.
"What?" Dan shook within her, woken by the sudden movement.
"Oh sorry, baby," Kat rubbed her belly, which had popped to a bump. "I have good news and bad news. The good
news is that the spell should protect both of us during the entire pregnancy. The bad news is a magic
pregnancy is much faster than a human one."