Page 4 of Daddy's Mail Order Mate

I can’t help but chuckle wearily. As absurd as it is, her whiplash nature seems to dispel some of the fear running through my body.

“Don’t you laugh! You’re in big trouble!”

“I-... There isn’t.”

“Isn’t what?”

“A mother.”

“Thorn, you and I both know how babies happen.”

“She was here, but she—... She left me with him. Doesn’t want him, or anything to do with me. It was some woman I’d—... Once. A human.”

Even though I have living proof of it all in my arms, telling Paige somehow makes it feel undeniably real. And once again, she goes quiet. I always worry when she’s quiet.

“Well,” Paige says with a gentle crack in her otherwise smiling tone, “That’s her loss. You come here to Portsmill and we’ll take care of both of you.”

“No.”

She clicks her tongue at me and I can hear her brows furrow from here.

“I love you big bro. And I know you’re a tough independent man who don’t need no pack, but you need help right now,” Paige teases.

“This—Heis my responsibility.”

“Glad you think so, because he is. But you don’t have to manage it on your own. We’re here for you Thorn. We’re family. And if I’m supposed to be a proper Luna, I’m pretty sure leaving my brother and his baby to fend for themselves out there isn’t a good look.”

I grumble wordlessly.

“And you’ve helped with my little girl, sure, but that’s the uncle package. You’ve gotta learn how to be a dad now. Wait, does the council give paternity leave?”

“... I don’t know.”

“Well, we’ll get that sorted out. But for right now… Thorn, I know you do some really scary stuff for your job and you neverbat an eye. I’ve never heard you as terrified as you sound right now. So let me help, even just a little bit. And Lily deserves to meet her cousin! Oh mygodthey’re going to be so cute together. Should we do a baby photoshoot? What do you think would be a good theme?”

“Paige…”

“Right! Haha, sorry. Getting waaaay ahead of myself. But yeah. If you don’t come here and at least let me see mynephew—”

She loses track of her own sentence to squeal with delight, but recovers after a moment, putting on the endearingly formal tone she keeps referring to as her ‘Luna voice.’

“Ahem. So when can we expect you in?”

To me, it just makes me think of her as a little girl wearing a dress and heels far too big for her. My mouth twitches towards a smile, and I sigh with a bit of relief I didn’t think could be possible in this situation.

“Soon.”

“Good!”

“But just to visit while I… Figure things out. Get things sorted out with the council.”

“Learn how to be a dad.”

I grunt in terse agreement.

“I kept telling you every time you’d take care of Lily that you’d be a good dad. I’m sure you’ll do a wonderful job. Especially with your little sister helping you out.”

“Mmn. I’ll call later.”

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