Page 123 of Echo and the Homicidal Sea Panda

Echo fought the quivering of his lower lip as he wrapped his arms around Mael’s neck. Mael held him tight, pressing a sweet kiss against his temple.

“I’m ready to go into battle beside you. Us against the world, baby,” Mael whispered against his ear. He leaned back, smiling. “Are you ready?”

Echo nodded.

He turned to see Amiria beaming.

“Ko te mea nui ko te aroha,”she said. “The greatest thing is love.”

Echo heard the words that she said, but all he could do was stare into Mael’s eyes, stunned he was finally marrying his handsome orca. He went through the motions for the entire thing, feeling as if he was floating. He said the words he was supposed to, at least he hoped. Mael smiled and returned them. They said their ‘I-do’s’ and they placed rings on fingers, symbols of their never-ending love.

“I now pronounce you husband and husband.He aroha te aroha– love is love.” She smiled at them both, eyes glittering. “You can now kiss your mate.”

Mael pulled him close and kissed him deeply, cupping the back of his head.

The rest of the night still felt a bit like floating, though he was a little more coherent. He danced, he ate, he danced some more.

Echo couldn’t remember a day he felt happier.

That was, until a year later when his babies were born. Fifteen months, almost to the day. Right smack dab in the middle of dolphin and orca gestational periods.

Echo leaned back into the circle of Mael’s arms. Their lower bodies were under water in the birthing tide pool on Maki island. Dr. Thames was there, in her wetsuit and stethoscope, leading him through his contractions, along with Maki Island’s midwife and her team.

Hours passed with him pushing out the two large orca calves. His water broke twice, both babes ready to come out together, but things didn’t progress quite as planned. Dr. Thames had to help coax the first calf out. After nine hours of labor, their first child, a boy, was born. He arrived in dolphin form but quickly shifted into a tiny human as soon as he was lifted out of the water.

Two hours after that and they had a daughter, too.

While the midwife and her two male helpers handled the third stage of labor, Dr. Thames checked both babies over with her nurse’s assistance. The babes were weighed and given an initial exam. After they were cleared, Echo watched Mael hold both of their children against his chest, skin-to-skin, and smiled at how happy and terrified he looked at the same time. Both grandmothers rushed in to take a grandbaby once Dr. Thames approved Echo to be moved. Mael climbed back into the water and lifted Echo in his arms.

They were all loaded into Havoc’s boat and returned to Dolphin Bay. Echo had his first chance to nurse both babies, which was a challenge, but one he was up to. He was never so glad to arrive home, even if his house was teeming with family and friends. It allowed him to rest in his own bed while the grandparents, aunt, and uncles fought over who would hold the little ones next.

Mael slipped into the bedroom at some point and snuggled up beside him in bed. They’d both had little sleep and wouldn’t get much in the years to come either.

“I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone,” Mael whispered against his ear. “Thank you for our beautiful children.”

Echo chuckled, the sound faint. “You put in a little work there, too.”

“You did most of it,” Maelstrom whispered, rubbing the tip of his nose against Echo’s earlobe.

“I did,” Echo whispered, eyes closing and a broad smile on his face. “And now we have a family.”

“We’ve always been a family,” Mael said. “You and me. Now you’ve made us four.”

One of the babies cried, and Echo felt his milk drop. The other babe joined in seconds later. There was a knock on their bedroom door soon after that. Amiria peeked in, and the crying grew louder. “We’ve got some hungry babies out here. Can we come in?”

“Of course,” Echo said, struggling to sit up.

“Wait, wait, wait,”Mael said, searching the bedding. He lifted the remote for their new bed and lifted Echo’s head. “We bought this damned thing to help, remember?”

Echo chuckled. “I wasn’t thinking.”

Tempest followed Amiria in, carrying their other infant.

Once Mael helped with the pillows and their daughter had latched on, Echo urged Tempest closer. Soon, the two were nursing away.

“I’m terrified I’m going to drop them,” Echo murmured. “I feel like I should do one at a time.”

“You’ll get the hang of it,” Amiria said. She sat on the edge of the bed and caressed her grandson’s raven peach fuzz. “So, I never heard the final decision on names.”

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