Just the Once

[Red Ranger 1]

Sorry for the wait between updates, hope you like this one.Thanks for all the comments.

CHAPTER 21

“Well, from the look on your face, I’d say someone just stole your footie card collection,”Romeo remarked, as he sat at Xavier’s table in the Diner.

Xavier forced a smile.“It’s not that.”

“What then?”

Xavier hesitated for a moment.“You’d probably lay me out or something.”

Romeo made a cross sign over his heart.“Promise.”

“I slept with your sister.”

Romeo laughed.“Dude…that isn’t exactly news.”

“Recently.”

Romeo suddenly seemed a lot less amused.“How recently?”

“Last night?”

“What happened?”

“Same as before, we went out, we went home, one thing led to another…”

“No, I mean afterwards.”

Xavier paused for a moment, thinking.“She said it was just sex.”

Romeo looked at him long and hard, as though considering what he was going to say.“Xavier…do you like my sister?I mean…like like.”

It was a question Xavier had been asking himself a lot.“It’s like you said,”he replied at last,“She can be a complete nightmare, you never know where you are with her but…if you look past all that, deep down, there’s…I dunno.There’s someone special in there.Someone that’s worth getting to know.”He sighed. “Thing is, every time I get a glimpse of her, it’s like she’s suddenly gone.Which doesn’t making getting to know her very easy.”

“Okay, this is something I never thought I’d say,”Romeo admitted,“but…I think you’d be good for her.”

“Yeah but would she be good for me?”

“Maybe.If you can put up with the craziness.The problem is, the life she’s had, she’s not good at trusting people.She tries to keep them at arms length.There aren’t many people that can get past that, get to know the real Mink.”Romeo sighed.“Look, it’s up to you, man.But if something were to happen between you, well…I’d be cool with that.”

Xavier didn’t have much difficulty finding Mink.It seemed at times as though she rarely left home, aside from school.Not that you could characterise her as shy.She always seemed willing to give as good as she got in any situation.

“We need to talk,”he told her.

“About what?”There was a note of challenge in her voice.

“About the fact we’ve slept together?Twice?”

Mink shook her head.“Okay, maybe you’ve never persuaded a girl to come back for seconds before but that doesn’t make us soul mates.”

Xavier tried hard to keep his cool.“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“You said it yourself.I’m the only guy you’ve ever slept with.And don’t give me all that ‘There weren’t many chances in juvie’ stuff, you were on the surfing circuit for a year, are you seriously telling me you didn’t get any offers in all that time?You know what I think?I think you like me.You just won’t admit it.”

Mink shook her head.“Don’t think to tell me how I feel, you don’t know me.”

He took a step forward, putting his hands gently on her arms.“I’d like to.”

She pulled free from her grip.“I’m the screw up who’s having your baby.I didn’t want to be pregnant and I certainly didn’t want to be pregnant by you.But I am and that means we have to talk to each other.But don’t think that gives you any claim over me.”

“Fine,”Xavier snapped.He took a step back, then paused.“If you ever do want to talk to me…”He let the comment hang in the air for a moment before he turned on his heel and left.Whether the words had any effect on her, or whether anything else he’d said did, he couldn’t tell.

[Red Ranger 1]

Sorry for yet another long gap between updates, I'm having trouble finding time to sit down and write this.Hopefully it'll be worth the wait!

CHAPTER 22

“Why exactly are we going on a school trip?”Mink complained.

Miles paused from chewing on a piece of toast.“I think the idea is for you to learn something.”

“And how are we going to learn something from a crummy museum full of old stuff?”

“Not sure if you’ve noticed this, Mink, but history’s actually about old stuff.”He got up from the table. “Well, I’ll be outside if you need a lift.”

Romeo waited until the two of them were alone before glancing at Mink.“Is Xavier going on this trip?”

“He’s in the class so, yeah, I guess.”

“Are you two not talking again?”

“What would we have to talk about?”

Romeo shot her a bemused look.“Okay, do I even have to answer that one?”

Mink sighed.“Okay but…aside from the baby.I don’t need to have anything more to do with him.”

“You sure about that?”

Mink shook her head.“Don’t play matchmaker, Romeo.I’m not gonna be a good little girl and settle down with a good little boy and be a nice family.”

“Why not?”

She paused for a moment.“It’s not me,”she said at last before following Miles out.

“Mink’s cutting it fine,”April remarked as she, Xavier and Dexter stood with the rest of the class, waiting to get on the coach.

“She likes to be fashionably late,”Xavier observed,“Anyway, Mr.Copeland isn’t here yet either.She’s probably coming with him.”

“I’m surprised you two didn’t walk in together.”

“We’re going through one of those periods where she’s avoiding me and I’m giving her space so she can avoid me.”Xavier grimaced slightly.“That sentence kind of ran away from me.”

“You’re going to need to talk to her,”April suggested.

“Have you tried talking to Mink when she doesn’t want to talk to you?Kind of like running into a warehouse full of fireworks with a lit stick of dynamite.”

“I did actually try that once,”Dexter observed,“It’s not so bad.”He noticed the sceptical looks the other two were giving him.“Well, it was either me or Wile E.Coyote.I tend to get the two of us mixed up.”

“Well, at least you two are still talking,”Xavier commented,“And you’re still talking to me, which is quite something after I punched you in the face.”

Dexter shrugged.“Hey, if I was someone else, I’d want to punch me in the face.In fact, I look in the mirror sometimes and I have these overwhelming urges…”

“Look, I’m happy with Dex,”April cut in,“So while I wasn’t too happy about the way things ended, I guess things have worked out for me.I just hope things work out between you and Mink.”

“There is no me and Mink,”Xavier sighed.

“Xav, when a girl goes to that much trouble to avoid you, it can only mean she likes you.”

Dexter leaned forward.“As interesting as all this is, do you mind saying some more about what a great boyfriend I am?”

She was saved from doing so by Miles driving up in his car.He and Mink got out and he clapped his hands together for attention.“All right, everyone!On the coach.”

Mink had managed to find a seat on her own.A few rows behind her she could see Xavier sat in front of April and Dexter, the three of them laughing and joking away like old friends.She felt a sudden pang of jealousy, jealousy about so many things:About the fact they were friends, about the fact April and Dexter were in a relationship, about the fact that Xavier was talking to them and not her…She forced the feelings out of her head.She was all right on her own.She knew that.She had to stop thinking about him.

The coach had pulled out of the school and was on its way down the country road out of town.Miles, in one of the seats near the front, turned his head round to address them.“Okay, we’ll be reaching the city in about an hour.A guide will be meeting us and taking us on a tour, after which we’ll have lunch in the museum cafeteria and in the afternoon you’ll have free time to look around the exhibits on your own.”

Mink, like most of the other passengers, was suddenly distracted by something in the road ahead, some sort of wildlife racing out in front of them.She saw the driver swerve to avoid it and then heard a bang and realised to her horror that one of the tyres had exploded.They went careering out of control.The bus hit a tree and then toppled over, the air filled with screams of terror as everyone’s world turned upside down.

It wasn’t until after it was over that Mink realised she’d closed her eyes.She opened them again, grappling at the seatbelt that held her in place.The bus was resting on its side, the window to her right now being the floor, the other side now being the ceiling above her.She instinctively felt her stomach and was relieved to feel the baby moving, probably as shaken up by the incident as she was.

“Xavier?”she asked, suddenly wanting him with her, wanting to know he was all right.There was no answer and she looked in the direction where he’d been.

She saw him lying sprawled across one of the seats, unmoving, a trickle of blood seeping down the side of his head…

[Red Ranger 1]

Thanks for all your comments.Managed to cobble this one together extra quick, hope you like it.

CHAPTER 23

Mink tumbled out of her seat and scrambled over to where Xavier was lying.She grasped his hand, using her other hand to feel his face.She could hear the faint sound of him breathing, a noise that brought her no small measure of relief.She looked round and saw other people stirring.“Miles!”she called out.

Miles pulled himself out of his seat further along and crawled towards her.He checked Xavier’s pulse and felt his head, where the small cut was.“Xavier, can you hear me?”

“Is he all right?”Mink asked anxiously.

Miles sat back on his haunches, his face serious.“He’s got a bump on the head.It could be nothing, it could be something to worry about.Just…sit with him, okay?I need to check the others are all right.”He raised his head and looked round.“Has anyone called for an ambulance?”Several students waved their mobiles in the air.“Good work.”

April and Dexter were clambering out from the next seat along.“What was that in the road?”April asked.

“Driver thinks it was a wombat,”Miles explained.

“Is it all right?”April sounded genuinely worried.

Miles seemed to have to bite back his first response.“We think so,”he said at last before crawling off in the other direction.

Mink was still holding Xavier’s hand.She pressed it to her face, rubbing her cheek against it.“Come on, Xavier, wake up,”she murmured.She could feel tears running down her cheeks but brushing them away didn’t seem important at that moment.

April put an arm around her.Even though they weren’t exactly friends, Mink was glad to have her there. April gently rubbed Xavier’s leg.“Come on, Xav, you’re scaring us all here.”

“What’s Miles doing?”Mink asked.

Dexter glanced in the teacher’s direction.“He’s busy Doctor Kildare-ing everyone.But I think Xavier’s the only one who’s really badly hurt.”

“I think he took his seatbelt off so he could turn round and talk to us,”April realised.

“Clunk-click, every trip,”Dexter commented.The girls glared at him and he swallowed hard.“He’ll be all right, won’t he?”

“We hope so,”April replied.

“18-year-old male, passenger in a coach accident,”the paramedic announced as Xavier was wheeled into hospital,“Cranial trauma on the right hand side, unconscious throughout.”

Sid Walker shone a light in Xavier’s eyes.“Okay, get him into the trauma room and contact the neurosurgeons,”he ordered.

Mink made to follow but another paramedic held her back, gently but firmly.“20-year-old female, seven months pregnant,”she told the nearby medical staff,“Bruising and lacerations.”

Nurse Julie took her by the arm.“Come on, we’ll just give you a once over, make sure you and the baby are all right.The doctors will look after your boyfriend.”

“He’s…”Mink trailed off.“He’s got to be all right,”she said quietly, allowing them to lead her away.

Xavier was in surgery.Mink had been given an examination and given the all clear.Miles had stopped by to see her but he needed to check on the other students, who were lined up to be checked for minor injuries. Romeo had arrived and was sitting with her in the corridor.

“He’ll be all right,”he told her soothingly, for about the hundredth time.

“You don’t know that,”Mink replied, as she had done all the other times.

“Guess this proves you care about him.”

“I don’t want him to die,”Mink retorted,“I don’t want anyone to die, you know that.”

“Yeah, of course, but…would you really be this upset if one of your other classmates was in there?”

“Mink!Romeo!”Gina came hurrying down the corridor, John just behind her, interrupting whatever response Mink might have made.“How is he?”

Mink floundered and it was Romeo who answered.“He’s in surgery.”

Gina took Mink’s hands.“Are you all right?”

“The baby’s fine,”Mink replied tartly.Gina didn’t say anything, just giving her a sympathetic look.Mink smiled reluctantly.“I’m okay, too.”

Sid came through and all attention immediately turned to him.“Xavier’s in recovery,”he told them,“We had to remove a blood clot from his brain.The operation went well, the signs are good.We’ll be keeping him under observation but he’s expected to make a complete recovery.”

There were sighs of relief all round.“Can we see him, doc?”John asked.

“Yes, of course.I’ll show you through.”

John and Gina moved after Sid.Realising they weren’t being followed, Gina stopped and looked at Mink. “Do you want to come with us?”

Mink hesitated.“Tell him that…tell him that we’re both fine and I’ll be in touch.”Gina nodded and she and John followed Sid through the doors.Mink saw Romeo starting to say something and held up a hand. “Don’t, okay?Let’s just go home.”

[Red Ranger 1]

I'll admit that I had to look up Doctor Kildare to see who he was.

Ah, yes.Given the series was old when I was a boy(but still being repeated...), I guess that is a bit obscure.I like to think Dexter would know who he was though.

Thanks for the comments, everyone, hope you enjoy this one.

CHAPTER 24

Romeo paused in the doorway, glancing over at the table where Mink was still eating breakfast.“I’m just popping round to see Xavier.”

Mink glanced up at him.“Well, don’t let me stop you.”

“I wondered if you wanted to come too.”

“I’ve been to see him,”Mink pointed out defensively.

“You saw him once at the hospital and twice since he’s been back.”

“Like I said, I’ve been to see him.Now, go off and do some male bonding or whatever it is you guys get up to.”

Romeo hovered slightly, unsure whether to just leave or to stay and try and talk to her.“Shall I give him your best?”he asked.

“If I’ve got anything to say to Xavier, I’ll say it myself,”Mink answered.

Romeo gave up.“I’ll catch you later.”

Mink waited until he’d gone before allowing herself to give a wince of pain.She clutched her stomach, breathing deeply, before getting out of her chair, heading for the phone and dialling a number.“I want a cab at the Summer Bay caravan park,”she said once a voice replied at the other end,“I need to go to the Northern District Hospital.”

“How am I looking?”Xavier asked.

Romeo peered slightly at the side of his friend’s head.There was an obvious trough in his hair where it had been shaved away for the operation.It had started to grow back in the past few weeks but was still obvious to anyone who looked at it.“You can’t really notice it,”he claimed.

Xavier grinned.“Yeah and I’m six foot four with a six pack as well.”He paused for a moment before asking,“How’s Mink?”

“Yeah, yeah, she’s fine,”Romeo assured him,“She’s coping with the last trimester well.”

“Just…well, it’s been over a week since she last dropped by.I thought about going to the house a few times but Mum doesn’t want me going too far.”

“Well, I’m sure she’ll be over later.We were talking about you just this morning.”

Xavier gave him a sceptical look.“Who started the conversation?”

“Well…I did,”Romeo conceeded,“But I’m sure she will anyway.”

“Thanks,”Xavier confirmed,“But I don’t think either of us can predict what Mink’s going to do.”

Sid looked round in surprise as Mink appeared at the hospital.“Hey, Mink, did you have an appointment or something?”

“No.”Mink seemed to be struggling to retain her composure.“I think I’m in labour.”

Sid nodded, putting on his calm, professional face.“All right, come with me.”He led her into a treatment room and gestured for her to sit down on the bed.“How far apart are the contractions?”he asked as he checked her pulse.

Mink shrugged.“I don’t know, about every quarter of an hour or so.”

“Your pulse and blood pressure are slightly high,”Sid noted,“That’s not unusual in labour.I’m going to call someone from Obstetrics, get them to come down and take a look at you.They’ll probably want to take you down to Maternity.Do you want me to call someone for you?”

Mink shook her head.“I’ll be all right on my own.”

The obstetrician had examined Mink for what felt like an hour before confirming that she was indeed in labour and authorising the transfer.Once she’d reached Maternity, she’d been placed in the care of a midwife and taken to a delivery room.She’d changed into a gown, the midwife had examined her and recorded how far the labour had progressed.Then she’d been left alone in there, given a button to press if she needed any attention and warned it could still be several hours before the baby was born.

Mink let out a scream at the pain of another contraction.She was surprised that no-one came to check she wasn’t being murdered but she guessed they were all used to the noise.She looked around the hospital room.It felt cold and unfriendly despite all the attempts to brighten it up.She felt alone.More alone than she’d felt since that first night she’d been locked in a cell.

But she was used to being alone, she was good at it.She shouldn’t be feeling like this, should she?She should be able to cope.She shouldn’t need…

She pressed the button.

The midwife came hurrying in.“What’s wrong?”

“I want you to call someone for me,”Mink replied,“I…I need someone with me.”

The midwife gave an understanding smile.“Of course.”

Mink grabbed a notepad and scribbled on it.“That’s the name and phone number.”

The midwife took it from her and scanned the contents.“And this is..?”

“He’s the father.”

[Red Ranger 1]

Managed one!Hope you like it and see you after Christmas.Or during...

CHAPTER 25

Xavier seemed to hesitate in the doorway for a moment, as though unsure whether or not to approach, before going to Mink’s side.“They said you wanted me.”

It seemed to take quite a few moments for Mink to answer.“I did,”she admitted.

“Why…why didn’t you call me before?Or anyone?”

“Because I wanted to do it on my own,”Mink replied,“I wanted to prove that I could handle it, that I didn’t need anyone.But I…I can’t do it, Xavier.I need you here.”It seemed to be an effort for her to get the words out, to admit it.“I want you here.I want you here so you can hold my hand and mop my brow and let me shout at you.”

Xavier smiled and grasped her hand firmly.He stroked her hair with his other hand, brushing it away from her face.“I can do that.”

She gave a grateful smile, followed by a gasp of pain.

Xavier looked at her anxiously.“Are you all right?Do you want me to get someone?”

She shook her head.“I’m having a baby, Xav.It’s going to hurt.At least I’ve got you to blame now.”

He shifted uncomfortably.“Sorry.”

Mink took his hand from her brow and placed it on her stomach.“We’re going to meet him, Xav.Or her. You know what I mean.”

He nodded, feeling a sudden lurch of excitement inside him.He looked at her pain-streaked, sweat-soaken face as she gave birth to their child and felt like he’d never seen anyone look so beautiful.“Yeah.I know what you mean.”

Mink gave out another cry of pain.Xavier held onto her hand, gently massaging her back, feeling helpless that he couldn’t do more.

“You’re doing really well, Mink,”the midwife assured her,“When the next contraction comes, I want you to push, all right?”

Mink waited, bracing herself, and did as she was told.Xavier glanced downwards, shocked at the sudden flash of movement.

“One more push, Mink!”the midwife called.

Mink pushed again and suddenly there was a wailing sound, a sound that made both her and Xavier’s hearts skip a beat.They saw the midwife collecting a small bundle, carrying out a quick examination.Then she carried it over to them.

“Congratulations,”she told them with a smile,“It’s a boy.”

She placed the bundle in Mink’s arms.Mink moved the cloth away slightly and she and Xavier gazed in astonishment at the tiny face, squinting in the unfamiliar light.

“Did…did we really..?”Xavier asked.

Mink smiled at him.“I guess so.”

Xavier hesitated for a moment and then kissed Mink on the lips, gently pecking at her, feeling her respond and kiss him back.Her smile stayed in place after he stopped.She looked happier than he’d ever seen her.

Mink was resting in bed.Xavier was sitting by their son’s crib, gazing down at him.“Have you thought about names for him?”he asked.

“I dunno.I was thinking…Flint?”

Xavier did a double take.“Is that a name?”

“He’s got parents called Mink and Xavier.He was never going to get one of the Top 10 Baby Names.”

Xavier thought it over.“Flint…Yeah, okay, I could get used to that.”

There was a loud commotion from the hallway and suddenly there seemed to be a crowd of people in the doorway:Gina, John, Romeo and Indigo.“Is it all right to come in?”Gina asked.

“Yeah, come on,”Xavier agreed, shooting a look at Mink who nodded.

The group crowded around the crib.“Oh, Mink, he’s gorgeous,”Gina cooed,“I can’t believe I’m a grandmother.”

“Don’t worry,”John assured her,“You still scrub up well for a grandmother.”

“Yeah, flirt on your own time, Mr.Palmer, I want to get a look at my nephew,”Romeo told him.

Indigo glanced at Mink.“You’re so lucky.”

“I might agree with you when I stop feeling so sore.”

“Hello, everyone!”Jill called as she suddenly appeared in the doorway as well.

Mink looked at Xavier.“Just how many people did you call on your ring round?”

“Just the odd one or seven.”

Jill held up a bottle.“I brought us all some, ah, orange juice to wet the baby’s head.”She noticed their stony looks.“Or not, I mean, if you’d rather I go…”

“You can stay, Mum,”Mink assured her.She glanced at her brother.“Right?”

Romeo smiled.“Yeah.Right.”

“Hey, come over here, other grandmother,”Gina invited her,“You can feel old as well.”

Xavier took a step away.“Um, I might go out and find some…space.”

Xavier sat quietly in the corridor.It had all happened in such a rush, the events of the day were only just starting to sink in.Had all of that really happened?

“Xavier?”asked a female voice.

He looked round.It took him a second to place the face in front of him, then he gave a gasp of astonishment.“Tracey?”He noticed the mop and bucket in her hand.“Do you work here now?”

Tracey looked embarrassed.“Not exactly.This is community service.My parents managed to get me a lawyer for the kidnap charge and I managed to avoid jail on the grounds of diminished responsibility.”

“Are you back living with them now?”

“No…too much has happened.I’m still in touch but I’ve got my own place.Anyway, what about you?”She noticed the shaved part of his hair.“My god, Xavier, what happened?”

“No, no, that’s okay, just a bit of an accident I had a month or so back.”Xavier hesitated, unsure how she’d take the news.“You remember I told you about that girl who I got pregnant and who had an abortion?”

Tracey nodded.“I remember.”

“Well…turns out she didn’t.I’m a father!”

Tracey smiled.“I’m pleased for you, Xavier.I’m sure you’ll be good at it.”

“Thanks.I’m sure you will be too, when the time comes.”

“What about the mother?”

Xavier sighed.“Yeah.Things are a bit up in the air there at the moment…”

[Red Ranger 1]

Well, it's the last chapter.This has been the joint longest fiction I've written in terms of number of chapters, along with Second Love, and it's been rather a long road to get here.Hope you enjoy it.

CHAPTER 26

Xavier pushed the pram in through the doorway.“We’re back!”

Mink was sat at the table with a pile of books in front of her but she managed a tired smile.“How’s he been?”

“Oh, no trouble.”

“Really?”Mink lifted Flint out of the pram, rocking him gently.“Guess he must be saving it all for tonight.”

Xavier looked at her worriedly.“Mink, nothing’s wrong, is it?”

“No, I…”Mink sighed.“It’s just…there’s still nearly six months until the HSC and what with Flint to look after and everything…I’m thinking of dropping out again.”

“What?”Xavier looked at her in horror.“You can’t do that!”

“Why not?”

“Because…because Flint needs two smart parents, okay?I’m not smart enough for the both of us!”

Mink gave him a grateful smile.“It’s nice you think I can do this but…”

“You know I’m going to help out all I can, right?”

“That’s sweet of you, Xav, but minding him a few nights isn’t going to make much difference.I still need to focus on him and I can’t do that and get my HSC.”

“Just…just don’t make any drastic moves, okay?”Xavier asked,“I promise I’m going to try and figure this out.”

“So, what’s so important?”Gina asked as she and John slid into their seats opposite Xavier at the kitchen table.

Xavier hesitated, unsure where to begin.“I was talking to Mink earlier and…she’s thinking of leaving school again, not finishing her HSC.”

Gina’s face fell.“It’ll be a real shame if she does that, she’s got a lot of potential.”

“I know, that’s what I said to her.But she thinks that with having to look after Flint, she’s not going to have time to study.”

“Isn’t there something you can do to help her?”John asked.

Gina shot him a sideways look.“Don’t you mean ‘Isn’t there something we can do to help her?’”

“Well, yeah, of course,”John agreed,“Just…mostly him.”

“There is something,”Xavier confirmed,“And…it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time, I didn’t just dream it up this morning.But I’m going to need your help with it.Just promise you’re not going to lose it before I’ve finished.”

Gina looked at him apprehensively.“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this idea very much?”

Xavier grinned awkwardly.“You never know.You might get a surprise.”

“Knock knock!”Xavier looked somewhat uncomfortable standing by the door of the caravan park house.

“Oh, hi, Xav,”Mink greeted him,“Did you forget something?”

“Yeah, um, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

Alf and Miles had been standing off to one side during the conversation.“Tell you what,”Alf cut in,“How about we take young Limestone here out for a walk in the park and give you two a chance to talk things over?”

“It’s Flint,”Mink reminded him with a flash of irritation,“But thank you.”

“Do you think he looks like me?”Miles asked as he carried Flint towards the door.

“Why would he look like you, you daft lummox?”Alf demanded.

“I thought all babies looked like me.”

Xavier waited until the pair’s voices had faded away before clearing his throat.“It’s about what you said before, about how you thought you had to drop out of school to look after Flint.”

Mink shook her head.“It’s not your responsibility…”

“Would it help if we lived together?”Xavier waited for a response and then realised he’d actually stunned Mink into silence.“It’s just…then I’d be on hand to help out all the time and we could share looking after him.And I’ve spoken to Mum and Palmer and they’ve agreed to help us with the start up costs for our own place.And I’ll get a part-time job, that’ll help us with everything.So…what do you think?”

There was a look of disbelief on Mink’s face.“You and me and Flint, getting a place of our own?Is that what you’re saying?”

Xavier nodded.“I know we don’t have that sort of relationship but we both love him so, I dunno, do you think we could make it work?”

He looked at her, not sure how she would answer…and then suddenly she kissed him, softly, gently, tenderly.He responded for a moment until she broke off.There was a faint look of annoyance in her eyes, annoyance at herself more than him, but there was something else too…affection?“I didn’t want any of this,”she sighed at last,“I didn’t want a baby and I certainly didn’t want you.But I’ve got him now and, yeah, I love him.And you…Every time I feel down, and every time I feel happy, I want you there.So I guess that means I love you too.”She paused.“If you don’t say…”

“I love you too,”he promised her, taking her hands.They smiled at each other shyly.He didn’t think he’d ever seen Mink look shy before.“So…are we going to do this?”

She nodded and then kissed him again, with more intensity, both of them falling into the embrace, until she pulled away again.“One condition.”

“Er, what?”

“We use birth control this time.”

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