Wolfwater

by Alia Hess

  “I’m not Sasha,” Corvin said.

  “Fine. So you can talk about sewing and Trav can talk about fish hooks… Unless you’d feel more comfortable with me staying?”

  Corvin glanced at Trav. “Nah. I think we’ll be fine.”

  Audio Diary 56|March 20, 2174|Length: 00:33

  Man, Dusty’s belly is huge. I really hope there’s only one baby in there. She complains every day that she’s ready for Poppy to come out. She says Poppy is constantly kicking her bladder and making her need to go pee. And naturally, this is somehow my fault. I told Dusty that Poppy has an ornery personality like her momma, but I don’t think that’s what Dusty wanted to hear.

  Audio Diary 58|March 24, 2174|Length: 00:08

  Shit. Today is the day. Dusty’s water just broke.

  Sasha massaged his sore fingers; Dusty’s grip had been bone-crushing, but how could he complain when she was giving birth to their baby? At least her nasty scowl was gone. She had climbed into the nearby bed, laying in a daze with her cheeks flushed and sweat on her brow. He caressed her temple, then turned his anxious gaze back to the midwife as she cleaned blood from their daughter.

  Her tiny cries stabbed at his heart as the midwife brought her back to the bed and rested her on Dusty’s stomach.

  Sasha’s brows pushed up as he gingerly touched her little fist. “Oh my god. She have my hair. Poor Poppy. Look at all those curls.”

  Dusty let out a laughing sob, cradling their baby. She guided Poppy’s groping hands and wailing mouth to her breast, where Poppy immediately latched on.

  “She look like you, though. She got your nose. Thank God,” Sasha said.

  Dusty smiled. “She’s beautiful.”

  “Just like you, Mama.” Sasha kissed Dusty, then ran his hand over Poppy’s chaotic tangle of black curls. She continued to suckle, her eyes closed and fingers grasping. He tugged a blanket up around his wife and daughter, then rested his head on the pillow next to them. “My beautiful family.”

  Grandma would be proud.

  After Poppy had finished nursing and Dusty was cleaned up, the midwife swaddled Poppy in a blanket and tugged a little yellow cap over her hair. She placed Poppy in Sasha’s arms.

  Cradling his child didn’t feel like being forced to disable a ticking bomb. No, she was something precious and irreplaceable and he wouldn’t screw this up.

  He gently kissed her forehead, taking in her sweet scent, and she gave him a gummy yawn in response, milk still coloring her lips. Sasha smiled, then turned to Dusty.

  “You are amazing woman, you know that? Growing this beautiful baby in your belly, protecting her from… from forest monsters and kidnappers. And you had to walk everywhere and sometimes did not have food to eat.” He stroked Dusty’s brow and cupped her cheek. “You are so strong. So tough. I love you so much. And I hope that Poppy going to grow up to be just like you.”

  Dusty looked away. “But I’m tough because I grew up as an orphan.”

  “No way, baby. That is not why. I don’t think it matter what way you grow up. You would have been tough anyway. You got that strength inside you. You are brave, and you have huge heart. Does it sound better if I say it like that? That I hope Poppy is brave and have huge heart too? Like Mama?”

  Dusty’s lip trembled and she nodded.

  “I love you both.”

  “I love you guys too.” She shut her eyes as Sasha stroked her hair.

  The door opened and Corvin poked his head into the room, grinning. “Can I come in now?”

  Dusty blinked slowly and murmured. “Who’s that?”

  “You sleeping, baby? It’s Corvin. Can he come in?”

  “Yeah.” She closed her eyes.

  Corvin shut the door quietly behind him and crept into the room, limping slightly. He sat in a chair and peeked at Poppy.

  “Oh, she’s so cute… Are you sure she’s yours?”

  “I’m gonna smack you, Corvin,” Dusty mumbled.

  “How’s it feel to be a dad?”

  “Scary. But also wonderful.” Sasha kissed Poppy.

  “What about you, Dusty? Are you exhausted, dear?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, you look radiant.”

  “You’re a liar.”

  Corvin smiled, then it faded and he tugged on his ponytail. “Everyone else has heard already, but they reached a decision on Palesun’s punishment.”

  Sasha frowned. “Don’t tell me that shit right now. I want this moment to be me and my baby and my wife. Don’t want to think about that. He ruin enough of my life already.”

  “Sorry. Forget it. Ooh! I have something for her.” Corvin dug into his pocket and pulled out a tiny pair of hot pink booties. He pointed to teal flowers stitched on the sides. “I sewed them, but you see the embroidery? Dewbell did it.”

  “That’s great. Thank you.” Sasha freed Poppy’s legs from the blanket and slipped on a bootie.

  Dusty looked on with a tired smile. “Really cute.”

  Corvin fit the other bootie on Poppy, then stood. “You guys look like you need your rest. I’m gonna go. I know everyone else wants to see you, but I’ll tell them to give you a bit.” Corvin kissed Sasha’s temple, then gave Dusty a hug.

  “Congrats, kids.”

  April 05, 157—So much celebrating to do today! I’m so excited.

  Owl probably looked like an idiot, standing there staring with her mouth hanging open, but the twinkling lights decorating the hall were beautiful. They glowed like a tangled constellation, hanging down around the framed photos lining Corvin and Dewbell’s wall. The lights and a deep red carpet ran the length of the house, leading into Dewbell’s bedroom.

  She followed Trav, shifting Son of Owl in her arms. Corvin insisted they didn’t need to dress up for the ceremony—he wanted them to be themselves—but the opportunity to dress Son of Owl in a little yellow bow tie was too cute to pass up. If only he hadn’t drooled all over it already. Her big two year old. What a celebration day it was—wedding in the morning and birthday party in the afternoon.

  And a hanging in between.

  She’d been mad, at first, that Quietbird had chosen her son’s birthday for Palesun’s execution. He promised he’d done it on accident, claiming the day was stuck in his mind for some reason and it sounded like as good a day as any other. When he remembered it was Son of Owl’s birthday and also the date of Corvin and Dewbell’s wedding, he wanted to change it. However, everyone decided it was perfectly fine. After all, none of them were going to go. They had lives to live.

  Sasha and Dusty were already seated in the bedroom, resting against a bolster on the floor. Dusty held Poppy, who was suckling on a coral pacifier and tugging at the tiny flower barrette clipped into her curls.

  Mothwing and Gentlewave settled into a cluster of cushions nearby. Pillows took up almost all of the space on the floor: familiar ones with Dewbell’s cross stitch designs, sleek black ones that matched the sheets in Corvin’s room, and a multitude of ones in butter yellow and a color Corvin called “oxblood.” The color still made Owl snigger—of course her brother would choose a wedding color with such a name.

  A network of winking lights spanned the ceiling, clustered into a brilliant mass hanging over the mattress in the center of the dim room. Red flower petals covered the cream sheets.

  Owl sat next to Trav, setting Son of Owl in her lap. She smiled at her friends, waiting anxiously.

  Trav leaned over and whispered in her ear. “This is nice. I didn’t expect it to look like this. But remind me again why they aren’t having Quietbird officiate? I thought that’s what happened at weddings, or am I confused again? That’s what Sasha and Dusty did.”

  “Yes, but Corvin and Dewbell decided to buck tradition and just have this be about them.” Owl chuckled. “And Dewbell said she didn’t need anyone to tell her when to kiss her husband.”

  Corvin entered the room. Instead of the stuffy suit and bow tie Owl predicted he would wear, a silky oxblood shirt and slacks hung from hi
s willowy form. He was barefoot, and his long dark hair hung loose. His shirt had a wide, open neckline, exposing the many burns and scars that ran across his chest.

  I’m so glad he’s not hiding who he is, not even the painful parts.

  She smiled at Corvin as he sat on the mattress. He tried to conceal a grin, but did a very bad job.

  Dewbell entered and there was a collective gasp. A satin shift clung to her curvy figure, the pale yellow material deepening to a vibrant red as it devolved into a sea of long ruffles trailing out the door. Tiny glass beads covered the plunging neckline.

  Owl’s gaze ran over the dress’ thin straps and Dewbell’s exposed arms. Corvin wasn’t the only one baring who he was.

  Dewbell sat on the mattress beside Corvin and smiled sweetly; tiny flower petals in her loose blonde hair fell onto the sheets. She looked around the room and signed.

  Corvin said, “Thank you for being here with us today. Dewbell and I memorized what we want to say. She’s signing it as I speak.

  “We wanted this to be an intimate ceremony, and we’ve asked you to be here to share this moment, because you mean everything to us.”

  Dewbell’s eyes filled with tears as she continued to sign. Corvin’s brows pushed up. “It’s been a hard road to get to where we are. Not just through the… wolfwater situation, but life in general.”

  It certainly has. Owl leaned into Trav and nuzzled Son of Owl’s head. But we’re all safe and stronger than we were before.

  Corvin absently touched the scars on his chest, then brushed a lock of hair from Dewbell’s face. “We’ve suffered moments of despair, of pain, of fear. And in the throes of those things, it’s easy to think that they aren’t just moments—that they are all-consuming. Endless. We know that you know how these moments feel, because often times, we went through them together.

  “But through these dark times, we clung to each other. We all lifted each other up. And though we came from different paths in our lives, Dewbell and I found each other. We discovered in each other a kindred spirit. We are both passionate and free-thinking people, and share many of the same anxieties. Though our love for each other does not banish the darkness, sometimes it’s nice just to know you aren’t alone.”

  Corvin smiled. “We’re different too. Dewbell is much more tolerant and patient than I am. And, well, I’m much more talkative than she is.”

  Everyone chuckled and Dewbell grinned.

  “We’ve written vows for each other, but they are in sign language. We didn’t write them down for you to read, nor am I going to translate them, because they are for us. Hopefully, that’s okay. Gentlewave, you get an unfair advantage.”

  Gentlewave smiled. “You want me to look away?”

  “No.” Corvin turned to face Dewbell. He stared at her, his eyes searching hers, then signed. As he delivered his vows, his mouth wavered, a tear rolling down his face. Dewbell paused his hands, then leaned in and kissed the tear from his cheek. He pulled in an audible breath and continued signing.

  Dewbell’s chest heaved and she wiped her eyes. When Corvin set his hands back in his lap, Dewbell lifted her own, signing back to him.

  Corvin’s face pinched and he looked away. Dewbell took his jaw gently and turned his gaze back to her. She stared into his eyes, delivering her vows. When she dropped her hands, Corvin leaned forward and gave her a deep kiss, tangling his fingers in her hair.

  He took a small pillow off the bed and removed a silver band, studded in gems. After sliding it onto Dewbell’s finger, she took Corvin’s ring, then his hand. She slid the band on his finger, and placed his hand on her face.

  [I LOVE YOU], he signed.

  Dewbell signed the same to him, then gave him another long kiss. He smiled, sliding an arm around her. His gaze touched on all of them.

  “Thank you for coming, truly. We love all of you. If you want to go out back now, Dewbell and I will meet up with you pretty soon. And then we’ve got a little man’s birthday to celebrate.”

  Owl grinned and ruffled Son of Owl’s hair.

  “There’re two cakes, by the way. A wedding cake and a birthday cake, because everyone knows I’m going to eat one or the other all by myself.”

  Sasha stood and threw his arms around Corvin, slapping him on the back. “Congratulations, man! Don’t know why you make me wear uncomfortable suit for my wedding and you get to wear pajama, but I am happy for you.”

  Corvin laughed. Sasha gave Dewbell a hug. “You look amazing, baby. Like goddess.”

  Gentlewave wiped his face and squeezed Dewbell tight. Owl waited her turn for tears and hugs, then embraced Dewbell. Owl looked in her face.

  “You are a wonderful woman, and I’m honored to call you my sister.”

  Dewbell smiled. [I LOVE YOU]

  Corvin squashed Owl in a hug. She said, “That was a beautiful ceremony.”

  “I’m so happy.”

  “Good. You and Dewbell deserve it. See you in a bit.”

  She left the room, heart full and spirit light. Trailing after Dusty, they headed through the house. Sasha caught up with Owl, Poppy in his arms. He winked at Owl, then snuck up behind Dusty and pinched her ass.

  “Sasha!” Dusty smacked his arm.

  “Owl, don’t Dusty look beautiful?”

  “Stop, Sasha. I’m fat now.”

  He shrugged. “I like it.”

  “The baby weight will go away,” Owl said. “But you always look cute.”

  “You see? Beautiful. How can I keep my hands away?”

  “Well, quit pinching me or I’m gonna deck you.” Dusty scowled.

  “You know, brother,” Owl said, “I’m starting to think getting beat up by women turns you on and you piss them off on purpose.”

  Sasha feigned surprise. “Who tell you my secret?”

  Owl snorted and walked through the glass doors and onto the deck. She paused, inhaling the salty air. Party tables sat in rows on the beach, decorated with rainbow streamers that rippled in the breeze. Son of Owl squirmed in her arms; once she descended the steps, she set him down on the sand. He ran to a table, tugging at the streamers.

  Trav slid an arm around Owl’s waist.

  “Are you nervous to hear the name I picked out?” she asked.

  “Not at all. Although, I’m wondering how long it’s going to take Son of Owl to catch on that it’s his new name. It took me a while to answer to ‘Roadtraveler.’”

  “That’s because everyone still calls you Trav.”

  He pressed his forehead to hers and smirked. “I insist on it. Know why? Because you gave me that name. Meeting you, experiencing your kindness in a land that was so harsh to me… you don’t know what that still does to me when I think about it.”

  Trav searched her eyes, then pulled her into a tight embrace and gave her a deep kiss.

  Sasha’s thick accent assaulted her ear. “Get a room.”

  Owl smacked him in the chest. “Like you’re one to talk. Hypocrite.”

  “You guys going to make baby number two, please don’t do on deck. I want to keep my appetite for cake.”

  “You’re asking for it, Sasha,” Trav said.

  Sasha grinned, walking down to the tables and talking to Son of Owl. Gentlewave and Mothwing stood arm in arm, staring at the ocean.

  Owl tugged Mothwing’s sleeve. “Will you please go tease Sasha? He needs it right now.”

  “Oh, it would be my pleasure.”

  More guests arrived, until Corvin and Dewbell’s little slice of beach contained a good portion of the village.

  I truly belong here. This is home. And not just for me.

  “Gwampa!” Son of Owl ran to Darksky, who scooped him up and tossed him in the air.

  “You look mighty handsome today, Son of Owl.” Darksky poked him in the nose.

  Guests cooed at Poppy and left gifts on a table for both Son of Owl, and Corvin and Dewbell. Quietbird and Seasalt arrived with their children, and helped Owl set out the cakes and tableware.

  Corvin and D
ewbell emerged onto the deck, dressed in casual Islander attire. Flower petals still punctuated Dewbell’s hair, and a few were now in Corvin’s as well. People clustered around them with congratulatory hugs.

  Once everyone was seated with cake, and Son of Owl had opened his gifts—he seemed to be more interested in the wrapping paper than anything else—Owl scooped him up and sat in front of the tables, everyone’s gaze on her.

  She paused, anxiety tightening in her chest. Trav’s eyes crinkled and he nodded. She smiled as the ocean sighed behind her and her son crumpled paper in her lap.

  “This has been a wonderful day so far. I know it’s Corvin and Dewbell’s wedding day, and Son of Owl’s birthday, but I feel like it’s a gift to me too. I’m so happy that everyone is here together.

  “When Mainland babies are born, their parents choose the child’s name. Like cute little Poppy Viktoriya over there.”

  Sasha and Dusty beamed.

  “Nisians must earn their name through a quest, and the Elder chooses their name based on the vision they experienced during their quest.” Owl ruffled her son’s hair. “Son of Owl is both a Nisian and a Mainlander, so I want him to have the gift of both names. Whichever name he wants to use when he gets older is fine with me, but I want him to have that part of his Mainland identity.

  “I’ve thought for a long time about what name I would give him. It’s a name that has special significance to me. I’ve realized this place, and the people here—all of you—are my home. But there’s one person that reminds me of home more than any other. That would be my brother, Corvin.”

  Corvin smiled at her.

  “We grew up on a farm in Hawthorne. Corvin wasn’t much for farm work or school. He liked to sneak outside of town to an Old World house he’d decorated with found objects, and he’d sit in there and draw pictures.”

  “And drink moonshine,” Corvin added.

  She chuckled. “Yes, and made me drink it with him a couple of times. He watched out for me, and sometimes we’d hang out and give the sheep stupid nicknames, or get in trouble with the neighbor kids. Neither of our parents were really… that great, I guess. Corvin incurred the wrath of our father a lot. When Corvin left at sixteen, I was devastated. I got one letter from him after that… and then didn’t get another one for twelve years.”