Page 71 of Which Witch Is Wicked?
"You forgot that this powerful witch from somewhere in Ireland figured out I was pregnant. Does she know who the father is?"
"Hey, it's not like you'll be able to keep it a secret long, anyway," Aerin said. "You'll be bigger than the house before you know it." She visibly shuddered at the thought.
"Aunt Justine knows," Moira said. "Dagblast it! Sheisgoing to have to move back in so we can keep an eye on her. If that thought doesn't taste like the back end of a toad."
"How do you know what the back end of a toad tastes like?" Claire asked.
Tierra wrapped her arms around her middle. "Please don't bring up tastes. Any kind of tastes."
"Tierra, what the hell's wrong with you anyhow?" Moira asked, laying a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't. Don't touch me" She jerked away. "Everything feels wrong, like I'm going to come out of my skin. Can't you feel it?"
The three of them looked at each other, then back at her.
Aerin shrugged. "I feel great." She shut down her computer and sat up straighter in the chair, taking more notice.
"If anything, I feel better than I have in days," Claire agreed.
"Well, I for one could use a walk," Moira said. "I must admit, the walls are gettin' mighty confining."
"Yes, that, too." Tierra breathed. "I haven't kept anything down today, and I swear I'll cry if one more of my flowers loses a bloom."
"Now, sugar, that's them pregnancy hormones talking."
"No, it isn't. Something isn't right. Not since Justine, Gwen, and
Lucy were here."
"I'm sure it's got more to do with the thought of Aunt Justine moving back in," Moira declared, trying to soothe. "That old bat—"
"Hey, no insulting bats," Aerin said. "Doctor Lector will take that personal and so will I."
"Speaking of bats, has anyone seen our familiars?" Claire asked. "Kai has been missing for hours. Usually he comes running when I call him."
"Cheeto!" Moira suddenly screeched for her fire-breathing teacup pig and ran from the room.
"Now you've gone and done it." Aerin slid a look at Claire.
"Where is that bat of yours?" Claire asked her.
"He's nocturnal. I never look for him until the sun goes down."
"Jinx hasn't reemerged since the coven was here," Tierra admitted, looking around for the cat, adding another worry to her growing list.
Moira ran back into the room. "I can't find Cheeto. If your bat has been feeding on him again, I'm crisping up his wings in a vat of lard."
"You know what lard's made of, don't you?" Aerin raised a brow.
"Oh, good goddess, please no talk of food! Especially greasy food." Tierra swallowed and closed her eyes, trying to focus on anything but the upset in her stomach.
"The familiars are probably fine. Just sleeping off last night's zombie bender," Claire said. "There's no reason to add more to our plate."
"Maybe you need to see a midwife?" Moira suggested to Tierra.
"You mean adoctor," Aerin countered. "A real MD."
"Women have been birthing babies since Adam and Eve. Where were the doctors then?" Moira's hands were back on her hips.
