#elsewhere

"So, bikini, no bikini?" Siv asks the others as they get ready for the lake party

"Well, I'm certainly wearing mine. Gotta show off my figure for as long as I've got it, right?"

"Oh definitely" Siv purrs

"Jonas, how about the yellow thong? The one with the Chiquita Banana sticker?" Innocent, hopeful.

"In.. public? Oh no I do not think so" he says "It was akward enough when Brekke visited the otyher night"

Siv blinks. She was changing into her own gear but goes "Wait what?"

"Why were you wearing your banana thong when the Chieftain visited?"

Siv says "oh wow. Can not UN imagine..."

Piper is snickering.

BLUSH "no no"

He stammers then goes on "No she just came in and wanted to talk. She asked regarding how I was doing, what treasure I'd gotten back from the quest, and wanted to run something by Siv"

"Run something BY me?" Siv says

"All of us really," He responds, "She realized after she said it she should have asked you first. I told her I would pass on her request for the talk. She was most understanding"

Siv asks "SHould I be worried?"

"No no" He assures "I'll tell you if either of you want to know, otherwise I'm just passing on a message so she can talk to you in person"

Piper has a hand on one hip. "Of course I want to KNOW."

"What, now?" He asks

Siv slips her bikini on "YES, now. I lvoe my mom but I think we'd like to know what she is hoping for before hand"

"Well, since you insist. She says it might be possible to let us live in the lodge, all three of us. A possible 'mundane world expansion' so the baby doesn't risk dream struckness is possible too. "

".... Oh." Piper says.

"That's... why, uh. Very nice of her to offer..."

Siv frowns "I do still have my old room there mostly let be but... I don't know.."

"It would save us a lot of rent money" Jonas points out

"This place... it's small, it's tight, it's impractical. But you know... it's ours. We pay for it, we made it happen, all on our own. Together."

"Isn't that worth more than saving a few dollars on rent?"

"Just earlier you were saying we should get a bigger suite here," Jonas reminds pragmatically

"Yes, here."

"Aye she did, but...well" Siv says "I left home to find myself a bit. Not sure going back... I mean it WOULD solve some problems but it also might hinder us . Piper is allowed to play her music pretty loud here. No one fusses when we walk in the nude"

"I don't walk in the nude at all" he reminds

Siv rolls her eyes

"I want a place that's ours, my love. Family is all very nice, but... I want to focus on our family. The three of us."

"...Four."

"Aye, four" Siv nods

"FOUR is a bigger number than three, and we might be glad for babysitters close by as well" JOnas says

"They're still just, what, 20 minutes away? That's just a hop and a jump. Plus, we have a support network here, too. There's Etsy and Rikki, and all of our friends. I can't say for sure, but I bet we could find a couple sitters now and then."

"I don't want RIkki babysitting our child. She's not the most responsible pooka around"

That from SIV

Piper bristles a little, but then calms down. "We can discuss baby sitters when we need to." She says, diplomatically.

"The point is, we have more than one support network. And our privacy and own space and.. and.. autonomy is important, too."

"Aye, I'm big on the autonomy" Siv admits..though she DOES look thoughtful "Maybe too big sometimes. They'd be good to the child and we could adjust but....is it worth the loss of what we do have here?"

"I'm not saying we can't spend TIME there, even let them maybe turn Siv's room into a nursery for overnight stays... if you wanted, Siv m'love."

"But I don't want to give up what we've built together."

"That's not a bad idea, Piper" At the alteration to the room there if her folks will allow it "And Jonas, I'm on the fence, you're for it, but as the one giving birth I think Piper's comfort gives her vote more omph. Don't ye think love?"

Jonas sighs "Well, I suppose I can concede that one." A nod "I am in her good graces so I hope she'll accept our reasons gracefully. We'll still have to see her to politely decline"

"Aye" Siv nods "I can do it if you two don't want to. But I can't ghost her myself. Wouldn't be right"

"No, the Narwhal just wouldn't look right as a ghost ship."

Snerk from her

"We should talk to Kerri. She knows probably better than most what it's like bringing up a fae-blooded babe in a freehold, or thereabouts."

"True, and she was mentioned as a source " Jonas agrees "Brekke was quick to defer to Kerri's experience there"

Siv tilts her head "So weird. Did... did you call my mother by her first name while she was here?"