Page 30 of Marked By the Broken Orc
The work has been everything I hoped for and more. The crew at Station 19 has fully accepted me as a competent firefighter who happens to be an orc. Lieutenant Kowalski told me last week that my performance reviews are among the best he’s seen. I’ve proven myself in situations that required both my orc strength and my training, saving both human and orc lives that might have been lost otherwise.
But the professional satisfaction pales in comparison to the completeness I feel with Mia. She’s integrated well into the orc community. The other males appreciate her bold nature. Talon considers her a sister now. And now, with our child coming, everything feels perfectly aligned.
There’s something else, too. A restlessness I’ve been feeling lately that makes me want to pursue the other reason I cameto Spokane. I’ve always known I have human family somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. My father told me before he died that my mother had mentioned relatives in Washington and Oregon. For years, I’d pushed that knowledge aside, too hurt and angry to care about connections to the woman who abandoned us. But lately, especially since learning about our child, I’ve been thinking about family differently. Our son deserves to know all parts of his heritage. And I find myself curious about these potential relatives. Do I have siblings? Cousins? Is my mother still alive?
The family reunification database exists specifically for situations like mine. I’ve avoided it for years, but now, with Mia’s love making me feel unshakeable, I think I’m ready to try.
I check the time. Seven-thirty. Time for the first surprise.
I pad quietly to the laundry room, where a small orange and white kitten waits in the carrier that was delivered late last night while Mia slept.
The kitten mews softly as I lift her out, her coloring exactly what I’d requested, bright orange patches mixed with white, just like the cat named Paprika that Mia had admired in photos from Talon’s friend’s litter. I’d contacted the breeder months ago, knowing this would be the perfect Christmas gift.
I tie a small red bow carefully around her tiny neck. She’s so small she fits in one of my hands, purring as I stroke her soft fur. “You’re going to make her very happy,” I whisper.
I climb the stairs quietly; the kitten tucked against my chest.
Mia is still sleeping, her face peaceful in the morning light. I settle the kitten gently on the bed near her pillow and wait. The kitten, curious about her new surroundings, begins to explore. She pads across the comforter and sniffs at Mia’s hair.
My bride’s eyes flutter open. For a moment she just blinks, confused. Then she sees the tiny orange and white face inchesfrom her own. “Oh my gosh,” she breathes, sitting up carefully. “Kavin, is this?—”
“Merry Christmas,” I say, unable to keep the grin off my face.
Tears immediately spring to her eyes as she gently scoops up the kitten. “You got me a cat. You got me a cat.”
“Her name is Paprika,” I explain. “Like the spice. And like the kitten you said was so cute in those photos.”
Mia cradles the kitten against her chest, and I can see her trying not to cry. “I can’t believe you remembered that I’ve always wanted a pet. I mentioned it once, months ago.”
“I remember everything you tell me.”
She looks up at me with such love in her blue eyes that my chest tightens. “I love you so much it’s ridiculous.”
“I love you too, Mia. Both of you,” I add, gesturing to the kitten who’s now purring loudly.
“Give me a few minutes so I can get ready,” my bride says as she hands over the cat and runs into the bathroom and then into the closet to change. Soon, she’s back, looking fresh and ready, wearing her favorite clothing I’ve learned she calls “loungewear.”
“Come on,” Mia says, with Paprika back in her arms. “Let’s go downstairs and introduce her to her new home properly.”
We make our way to the living room, where the Christmas tree lights create a warm glow. Mia settles on the couch with the kitten while I finish making our coffee. Paprika immediately begins exploring, her tiny paws silent on the hardwood floors.
“She’s perfect,” Mia says, watching the kitten sniff around and investigate the base of the Christmas tree. “Absolutely perfect.”
I hand my bride a mug of coffee and settle beside her on the couch with my own steaming mug. This is everything I never knew I wanted, quiet morning moments with my mate, watching our new pet explore the home we’ve built together.
“I have a surprise for you too,” Mia says after we’ve sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes. She reaches under the tree and retrieves a small, wrapped package, no bigger than my palm.
“What is it?” I ask, noting her nervous energy.
“Open it and see.”
I carefully unwrap the small box, aware that whatever’s inside has Mia unusually anxious. When I lift the lid, I stare for a moment before the significance hits me.
A pregnancy test. With two clear lines. This is when I need to pretend that I had no idea, so I can let her have her moment.
My eyes snap to hers. “Mia?”
“Surprise,” she whispers, her voice catching. “We’re going to have a baby.”
