Akorsa was laying on her back in the cot now, her eyes staring at the ceiling of the room in a determined attempt to manage the upset in her stomach. Aroha sat on Keihl�s cot across the room, watching her daughter intently. After but a few moments of contemplation, footsteps were heard coming into the house and there was a knock at the door. Aroha smiled to herself.
�Enter.�
Fionn came bursting in the door, looking about, first seeing his wife lying with her eyes open, completely transfixed on the ceiling. He then turned to see his mother-in-law looking at them both with an unidentifiable look in her eyes.
�Is she well?� he asked nervously, obviously becoming slightly unnerved at his wife�s current position.
�She is more than well, I do believe,� answered Aroha, looking at her daughter�s husband with interest.
�What is it that ails her, then? Why does she appear to yet still be sick?� he asked, crouching on the balls of his feet beside the cot and taking a hold of Akorsa�s hand.
�She is not sick, Fionn. She is with child, that much I can tell you,� said Aroha, trying to withhold her smile to see how the young man would react to her news. He continued to look at Akorsa�s unblinking face until, suddenly he blanched, and with wide eyes, turned to look at the mother.
�What did you say?�
�I just informed you that you succeeded in impregnating my only daughter, Fionn son of Myron,� said Aroha, now completely unable to hide her mirth. She was happy, not only because she was to be a grandmother for the second time, but because the look of confusion on Fionn�s face was priceless. The man was so shocked he did not know if he was supposed to be happy or scared to death at that very moment.
�Truly, you do not jest with me?� he asked, his disbelieve clear and evident upon his brow.
�I would not jest about the conception of my second grandchild, Fionn! Congratulations, as you are to be a father!� exclaimed Aroha, rising from Keihl�s cot to embrace him. �Son, I think you had best lie yourself down as well. You are looking a bit pale.�
�Yes, I think I just might,� he said, as he stumbled forward towards Keihl�s cot on the other side of the room. He settled down in it and stared at Akorsa lying likewise on the other end of the room. Aroha, sensing that he would need some time to gather his wits about him, covered him and her daughter with a few of the room�s wool blankets and then left, then closing the bedroom door behind her.
- - - -
It had been several hours before any noise had been heard from the bedroom in the back of the small house. Alvis had returned home from working outside all day, and Aroha informed him of their daughter�s condition, causing a great joy to swell in the older man. As for the inside of the bedroom, after several hours and the welcoming smell of food, Fionn came back to his senses. He had drifted off to sleep at some point during his shocked musings.
He had risen carefully, checked on Akorsa, who also had fallen asleep at some point, her eyes now closed and her breathing steady and soft. He slipped out of the room quietly and entered the kitchen to find his wife�s family situated comfortably at the wooden table supping. He prepared himself a bowl of Aroha�s wonderful stew and situated himself down in one of the table�s empty seats.
�If Akorsa has a baby does that mean she will get fat?� asked Keihl, clear out of the blue. Alvis broke out into a series of laughs, Aroha looked at her youngest son with a smile, and Fionn turned bright red.
�Not fat, my dearest, but she will get rather large,� said Aroha with a smile.
�Did Lenna get like that when she had Wyllim?� he asked, poking his spoon into his food.
�Aye, she did, but you were far to young at the time to remember that,� said his mother. �Stop playing with your food and eat what is before you! You like rabbit stew.�
�When is Akorsa going to come out? She is not going to stay in that room until the baby comes, will she?� asked Keihl, the question directed at Fionn.
�I should hope she does not. She should wake soon, and hopefully she will begin to feel better,� answered Fionn, trying to hide his embarrassment. He was really quite happy, now that he began to realize exactly what his meant, but he still could not help but feel ashamed of himself. Akorsa was stressed enough without having to carry the burden of a child at the moment.
�Fionn, my boy, do not hang your head so!� said Alvis, pulling Fionn out of his reverie. �I know what you must be thinking, but do not worry. You know my daughter as you know yourself; a child will help ease her down. She will just need to begin to accept that she has limitations.�
�That is the thing that I fear; that she will refuse to acknowledge those limitations. She never has in her past and I doubt that she will start now,� said Fionn.
�She knows what life it is she carries, and she will not endanger it at any cost,� assured Aroha with a comforting smile. �Children are her joy and her weak spot, as I am most certain you have realized somewhat over the years. At least since Keihl and Wyllim were brought about.�
�Perhaps you are right, both of you. Perhaps I am the one who needs to ease his fears, not your daughter. As for the time, let us enjoy the moment and this wonderful meal, and allow Akorsa and my child some rest, what say?� asked Fionn with a lighter tone in his voice.
�Where to babies come from?� asked Keihl, once again clear out of the blue, the question seemingly pointed in Fionn�s direction. Fionn blanched and looked at Aroha, who stared at her husband expectantly.
�Well? He is your son, after all,� she said, making Alvis squirm in his seat slightly at the thought of having to have to explain such things to his son then.
�We will speak of it after supper,� answered Alvis to his youngest son. The boy frowned and went back to poking his supper with his wooden spoon, easing the tension in the air.
�I will not need to clean up his poop, shall I?� queried the boy again.
�Keihl, we are eating! I said we would discuss it after supper!� Alvis scolded. �Eat your supper!�
This time the young lad went back to eating his food silently. Little more was said at that table concerning the conception of children, or the responsibilities therein. Akorsa did not wake until quite late that night, then only daring to eat bread and water, as fits of sickness came and went like the wind. Fionn, not wishing to leave his wife, stayed and slept in Keihl�s cot. Keihl agreed to sleep on another cot in what had been Doyle�s bedroom, though he did it rather grudgingly, as children who are not fond of change are wont to do.
