Private Winds of Change

[Makai Dashiell]

JOIOL

Wearing \ Gear : X | X | X | X | X
Interacting With : Myra Arceneau Dashiell

Despite going to bed a little later than intended, he had already been up for hours. Early morning run around the compound was already under his belt, hair now damp from the shower, gently curling against his temple as he read between two datapads. One, a list of therapists for Persephone. The other the workings for charity for children in need of pediatric medicine. An idea that wormed into his mind from painting the ornaments the night before.

The smell of caf was starting to fill the kitchen as the pot filled with the dark liquid, ingredients for a juna berry skillet pancake laid out on the counter. If they were going to speak to Persephone, he at least wanted her to be fed and in a better mood. It was going to be some time before she woke up, so he and Ellie would be able to formulate their strategy, but Makai knew he didn’t want to immediately pounce on the girl. It was going to be a more subtle operation.

Orange and pink hues filled the kitchen as the sun rose over the ocean and started to paint the land. Makai took a look at his chrono. His wife would be up fairly soon and it would give them time to formulate a plan. Persephone tended to sleep in considering her break from tutors and extracurriculars.

Kuro the Loth-cat skittered by, pouncing at something invisible in the home. Makai had recently brought him to Joiol from Celestia Station, intent on Phoebe growing up with a pet. Besides, it seemed between themselves, his father, and half-brother, the compound would always be occupied, giving the creature endless potential for attention.

 

[Myra Arceneau Dashiell]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x | Tag: Makai Dashiell

The scent of caf and the faint sound of Kuro's claws skittering against the floor coaxed Myra from the last threads of sleep. She stirred, blinking at the soft glow of morning light filtering through the curtains. For a moment, she simply lay there, taking in the peaceful quiet, a rare thing these days. Then, the faint rustling in the kitchen reminded her that Makai, ever the early riser, was already up.

Sliding out of bed, she grabbed her robe, tying it loosely around her swollen belly. The warmth of the caf smell guided her steps, and she padded barefoot into the kitchen, where Makai was engrossed in the glow of two datapads. His damp hair curled slightly at his temple, and the soft pink and orange of the sunrise framed him in a way that made her pause, smiling at the sight.

"You've been busy," she murmured, her voice still heavy with sleep. Her gaze drifted to the neatly arranged ingredients on the counter. "Planning a feast or a bribe?"

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : Myra Arceneau Dashiell

Looking up from his datapads, he offered a smile at her observation of the ingredients on the countertop. Leave it to Ellie to cut through and get to the point of the matter. What if he had just wanted to try out something different for their morning breakfast? The half-Galan left his work, coming to greet her.

"I can't spoil my girls? Why must you think nefarious things about my choice of breakfast for the family this morning."

Grinning, Makai kissed her, lingering a moment before he would continue on with his 'master plan' to ease Persephone into the conversation. It was something that was going to take his wife's full diplomatic skills and careful word choices on his part.

"A bit of both actually. Take a seat and I will fill you in on some of my ideas while you wake up. Let you gauge some thoughts and see how a teenage girl will accept it or not."

Gently pulling out a stool for her at the island, Makai drifted back on the other side to prepare them both caf. A bit of a role reversal, in the Centrality region Ellie had often made his caf while they woke up. Yet there was no way he was going to have his pregnant wife do such a thing while he sat idly by.

"You and Phoebe feeling okay today?"

 

[Myra Arceneau Dashiell]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x | Tag: Makai Dashiell

Myra leaned down, pressing a kiss to Makai's temple, her lips curving into a small smile as she chuckled softly.

"We're doing okay," she said, her tone warm despite the weariness in her eyes. "Though my back's been protesting a little. This little one is keeping me on my toes -- and making sure I don't sleep too much." Her hand brushed over her rounded belly, where Phoebe gave a faint, answering nudge. "She's ready to meet us any day now, I think."

Sliding onto the stool Makai had pulled out for her, Myra took the caf he offered, cradling the mug between her hands. She inhaled deeply, letting the aroma cut through her lingering grogginess.

"Thank you," she murmured, giving him a grateful smile. She took a sip and let the warmth settle her before setting the mug down on the counter.

"Alright," she said, leaning forward slightly. "What's this master plan of yours? You've clearly been scheming while I was catching what little sleep I could."

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she tilted her head, watching him move about the kitchen. "You've got that look about you...the one that says you're about to try and outsmart a teenage girl. Let's hear it."

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : Myra Arceneau Dashiell

"Our daughter being so demanding at such a young age makes me a little nervous. Not for the short term, that's to be expected, babies are demanding. I'm more nervous for when she's like five and can talk and try to negotiate. Especially if Phoebe gets blessed with your intelligence..."

Picking up his caf mug, he took a sip, leaning on counter opposite from his wife. They were in the final stretch, making him happy he had finished putting together the last of what they had bought. Now it was nothing to do but stay on Joiol and let his father do the heavy lifting surrounding the company.

"I'm excited to meet her. I'm ready when she is."

Moving onto the next subject, he laughed, shaking his head. This had the potential to be disaster. It also had potential to go well. The key to his ideas was having Ellie comb through them and assist in fine-tuning many of the details. Plus any diffusion she could provide.

"Last time I tried to outsmart a teenage girl it went horribly. Can't say I'm any smarter since that day. However my main idea is to keep her busy. I figured we can pay for different tutors to give her more hands on experiences - like field trips. Educational and she gets out of the house. Maybe more internship opportunities with your Ma and others."

"Included in that busy is therapy for her, not sure how to frame that one beyond 'hey do this because you lost your Ma' but that's why you're going to help me on that front."

Makai took a sip of caf, getting to the real meat of the issue now.

"I've also considered making a 'no boyfriend' rule until she's sixteen. Maybe with the exception that a casual date once in awhile in fine but you know I'd prefer if she just wait period. Think you can muster up a 'boys are idiots are this age' speech? Its not lying, poor kid won't find anything til university."

"She's not a bad kid. Really I think the only two rules we need right now are the boy thing and therapy requirement. Unless I'm missing something?"

 

[Myra Arceneau Dashiell]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x | Tag: Makai Dashiell

Myra listened intently, her mug of caf resting between her hands as she absorbed Makai's ideas. A lot of what he said made sense, and the familiarity of it struck a chord. It mirrored what her mama had done for her, and, of course, what Judah had done for Makai. History had a way of circling back, didn't it? She found herself nodding along until his mention of the "boys are idiots" speech, which pulled a laugh from her.


"Okay, first off," she said, still grinning, "you're not wrong -- most boys are idiots at that age. But let's tweak that a little. How about instead of outright banning dating, we set the expectation that if she's interested in someone, they have to come meet us? Show us they're worthy of her time. That way, we're not saying she can't date, but we're making it clear that we're invested in who she surrounds herself with. Keeps the door open without letting chaos walk through it."

She took another sip of her caf, her expression softening as she considered the rest. "I mean, look at what she's already been through. Her own mom... well, let's just say that left a mark. I'm sure a lot of her ideas about relationships come from that. Maybe this is our chance to help her rewrite the narrative, you know? Show her what a healthy, supportive relationship looks like."


As for the therapy idea, Myra's gaze flicked to the datapad with the list of names. "I think therapy's non-negotiable, but we should frame it as something that's for her benefit. Like... an ally she can talk to about anything. And yeah, we need to vet these people first. I don't want her feeling like she's talking to some middle aged stranger who doesn't get it. She needs someone she can connect with."

Leaning back slightly, she tilted her head at Makai, a teasing spark in her eyes. "So, Mr. 'No Boyfriends,' how are you feeling about playing the intimidating dad when her first suitor shows up? Ready to grill them about their intentions and test their mettle?"

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : Myra Arceneau Dashiell

“Who would have thought we would be the positive relationship example.” Another sip of caf as he mused out loud. They were never bad for one another but considering a few missteps it was just amusing to him. “With Pheebs coming soon I won’t be going anywhere unless it's a massive emergency for three or four months. So I think you’re right, she will see more positive examples of a romantic relationship and functioning as a family unit.”

Makai wasn’t so certain how long it would take. Or if they would be successful in making an impression on Persephone. It was fickle and they had only been officially taking care of the girl since their engagement.

“So sure, she can date so long as these boys come to see us first.Thing is, I don't look very intimidating. My physique is not like my Dad's or your Pa’s was. However, this can be an advantage. I lure these boys into a false sense of security then just strike from there. Going to pull them into my office and chat. Let them sweat it out a little. Basically anything your Pa did to me, even when we weren't dating, is going to be in my playbook.”

Makai grinned. Even in the moment of being questioned, he could at least appreciate the place where it came from. It may have helped that he had known Mister Kuhn for most of his life.

“I’ve looked at some of the therapists. A few under the hill, so to speak. All women because if it's anything like my experience no way I was telling the opposite sex half of it… maybe we give her a little agency. Therapy non-negotiable but she can have free reign on the list of who she will speak to. Make her feel a little more in control.”

Putting his caf mug down, Makai moved to the ingredients, needing to get started so he wasn’t mixing and measuring during a serious conversation.

“Hmm, what else?”

 

[Myra Arceneau Dashiell]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x | Tag: Makai Dashiell

Myra smiled over her caf, the steam curling between her fingers as she cradled the warm mug. "Who would've thought indeed," she said, a teasing lilt in her voice.

"We're the shining example of functional relationships now. If only our younger selves could see us now - - they'd probably laugh us out of the room." She took another sip, savoring the bittersweet brew as Makai moved toward the ingredients.

His quip about ‘luring the boys into a false sense of security’ earned a soft laugh from her.

"You might not have the 'intimidating' look, but don't sell yourself short. There's nothing more terrifying than a calm, quiet grilling session. I think that's where my Pa excelled - - he had this way of just looking at you like he already knew your deepest, darkest secret. Combine that with your charm, and those boys won't know what hit them."

Her gaze drifted to the datapad on the counter, her smile softening as he mentioned giving Persephone some control over choosing her therapist.

"I like that idea, giving her agency. She's old enough to make some choices, and it's important she feels like this is for her, not just something we're imposing. If we can frame it as her having a trusted person to confide in, someone completely outside of all this... I think she'll come around."

Leaning forward, she rested her chin on her hand, watching as Makai began measuring out ingredients.

"What else? Well, maybe we don't just make therapy and the boyfriend policy the big changes. Let's build on what she's already doing … give her more opportunities to shine. She's been doing great with the fashion classes and her tutors, but maybe we expand that. Internships, those hands on experiences you mentioned. Let her see what she's capable of. We set the boundaries, but also give her room to grow."

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : Myra Arceneau Dashiell

"There were many days I thought I was safe having a whisky together and then out of no where...."

Makai chuckled as Ellie mentioned combining his charms with the quiet, calm stare of Alric Kuhn. On the surface she was right. He could easily play the part of easy going fraternity brother then switch to annoyed-and-stern father figure once the little idiots had been drawn in.

Listening as he measured out his ingredients, there was a small nod. They were both on the same page ; giving Persephone enough agency to make choices but also narrowing her guardrails. They had spoke briefly while painting ornaments but this was more an expansion on that conversation. One they would loop the teenager in on once she had woken up and joined them.

"Exactly. What teenage girl doesn't want someone to vent to and listen to their problems? Its basically the cornerstone of teenage girlhood."

Grabbing a few juna berries, he popped them into his mouth as Ellie continued, outlining more changes for Persephone. Makai was a little concerned. Phoebe was due to join them any day. Disruption in Persephone's life - big disruptions - could set back progress they had made with her. Rules on top of that could make it worse. Or the girl could potentially lean into the changes and excel. It was difficult to tell.

"Boyfriend policy. You sound like corporate HR." Back to his ingredients, he had some ideas along Ellie's thought process. "She has her tutors. Her col'n termi. Ballet lessons. Her fashion hobbies. A solid base but you're right lets get her more hands on. Persie did well with her museum work - I'm thinking about reaching out to one of the Starchasers and pay them to tutor her in terms of hands on history and artifact hunting. Even a lesson or two might broaden her horizons and get her interested in more."

He paused, dumping the dry and working on cracking a few eggs.

"We're going to be tired with Phoebe but for Persephone we'll have to stick to our guns. She really didn't have any parameters or rules before us. We've already talked about making sure she has the right kind of friends and people surrounding her. I'm just a little worried about potential rebellion when baby sister comes and eats up a chunk of time at first. She won't admit it out loud but she's quite attached to you, I can tell."

 

[Myra Arceneau Dashiell]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x | Tag: Makai Dashiell

Myra leaned back in her chair, cradling her caf and letting out a soft laugh at the corporate HR joke. She then smiled at Makai, watching him juggle ingredients with the ease of someone who thrived on multitasking.

"But I think you're onto something with the Starchaser idea. Hands on history might be exciting for her...and let's face it, she could use a break from all the glam and glitter of her usual hobbies. Balance her out a little... but still ensure she has her droid with her. I don't want her to risk being harmed or kidnapped again."

She swirled her caf idly, her gaze drifting toward the window where sunlight spilled over the horizon. "You're right about the rebellion risk, though. She might not say it, but the changes have to feel like she's part of something, not being pushed aside. If she thinks Pheobe is stealing her spotlight, she'll push back in ways we might not expect."

Leaning forward, Myra rested her elbows on the counter, her eyes softening as she met Makai's.

"She is attached to me. But you know what? That's a good thing. It means she's letting herself trust again. She needs that stability right now. So we just have to be careful about how we divide our time, especially in those first weeks with Phoebe. Maybe we plan some one on one time with her...give her something to look forward to."

She smiled, her tone light but laced with sincerity. "We're walking a fine line, but we've got this. She's smart, and she'll see that we're trying to do what's best for her. We just have to be consistent."

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : Myra Arceneau Dashiell

"Sounds great. Field trips. Living history. Seeing different corners of the galaxy. The girl didn't even see the sun until she got it in her mind to try to blackmail Dad. So getting her out, letting her experience things while being educated will be great. Persephone is making up a lot of ground in a short time."

Smiling at his wife, he started to pour the batter into his cast iron skillet, carefully scraping the bowl as Ellie mused about Persephone being attached to her. It seemed to have had started with the pregnancy, or at least became more noticeable. Makai had figured it was due to her upbringing. Either Persie had been worried about Ellie being sick and dying, or that he would turn abusive once his wife was swollen with child. Perhaps both. He hadn't pried too much into her reasoning, not wanting to put her on the spot and have her closed off once more.

"The first weeks of Phoebe I'm ready to take over. My dad shirt even arrived yesterday to carry her around in. Can't wait to get her advice on mining outputs and expansion. I've only been reading her reports since we found out - should be well educated on the topic."

Batter in, he started to artfully arrange the juna berries. Persephone would be up soon enough and he wanted the skillet pancake to be at least half-way done.

"In all seriousness, what I am trying to say, is that if you think Persephone needs more of your time during these first few weeks, I got it. Minus the milk production portion." A small chuckle. "Let's do some one on one time with her. I think she just tolerates me but even a trip off planet to the mall with me might perk her up enough to entice her to put up with my presence."

 

[Myra Arceneau Dashiell]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x | Tag: Makai Dashiell

Myra chuckled softly as she sipped her caf, watching Makai expertly place the juna berries.

"A dad shirt? Just what is a dad shirt?" she asked perplexed as she leaned forward on the counter. "Also, hope you know that Phoebe's going to have you wrapped around her tiny little finger before you know it."

Her smile lingered, but her eyes softened as she considered his words about Persie.

"You're probably right about why she's been sticking close to me. She's figuring out how to trust again, and part of that means watching us -- seeing if we're really as steady as we claim to be. It's a lot for her, but I think she's starting to believe it." Myra paused, letting the weight of that realization settle.

"That's why I think your idea about some one on one time with her is perfect. Even if she 'tolerates' you, I think she's secretly impressed by you. She might not say it, but I can tell."

She reached out, brushing a strand of his damp hair back from his temple with a fond smile.

"A trip to the mall might be just what she needs. She likes shopping, and it's an easy way to get her talking. Plus, you'll get to flex your credit chip muscles -- what teenager doesn't love that?" Myra leaned back in her chair, the corners of her mouth quirking up in a knowing grin.

"As for me, I'll make sure to carve out some time with her too. Maybe we can tackle one of her fashion projects together or just sit and talk. It doesn't have to be anything big, just consistent." She tilted her head thoughtfully, her gaze drifting to the sunrise outside.

"Between the two of us, I think we can keep her steady...even with a newborn in the mix. She might not admit it, but I think she's rooting for us as much as we're rooting for her."

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : Myra Arceneau Dashiell

In the middle of placing his juna berries on the batter in a fashion that would rival that of Marta Stuart, Makai stopped to animatedly explain what exactly his 'dad shirt' was. Complete with hand gestures and trying to use his own thin undershirt as a guide to explain further.

"Its a shirt but with a pouch for the baby in the front. Got a little neck support hood and everything. So I can do stuff and she can be hanging out. I don't think I can figure out that complicated wrapping stuff so this will work for now. Can't wait to try it out honestly...maybe I should test with a bag of flour..."

Musing out loud, he returned to his task of laying out the juna berries perfectly, listening to Ellie speak about Persephone once again. Her hand brushed his temple and he smiled back at her before placing his skillet into the oven. Ellie had excellent points -all fairly easy to implement.

"Dad's credcard to the rescue, got it. I forgot they told me this is the hazard of having girls."

Moving around the island, Makai came to give his wife another good morning kiss. Lips had barely brushed hers when he heard movement coming towards them, the sound of combat boots clunking against polished hardwood flooring.

"....don't you guys have a room?"

Breaking away slightly, Makai grinned at his wife, thoroughly amused by the interaction.

"Rooting for us huh?"

 

[Myra Arceneau Dashiell]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x | Tag: Makai Dashiell

Myra stifled a laugh behind her mug, her cheeks warming slightly as Persie sauntered into the kitchen with her trademark mix of attitude and oblivious charm.

"Good morning to you too," she teased, raising her mug in a mock toast before turning her attention back to Makai.

"Rooting for us? Oh, definitely," she whispered conspiratorially, her grin widening as she leaned into him. "See? She's already so-o invested in our relationship she can't stand to let us have a moment alone."

Persie rolled her eyes dramatically, heading straight for the caf pot. "I'm invested in getting some caf and not having to walk in on that again."

Myra chuckled, setting her mug down and giving Makai's arm a gentle squeeze before stepping away, before turning over towards the teenager.

"Since when have you've been into drinking caf?" she asked the teenager, Myra not in the know of all the fancy type drinks out there that teenagers were apparently drinking now as all the rage.

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

Dressed and ready for the day right down to the combat boots, Persephone wasn't all top happy to be greeted by romance this early in the morning. Any type of romance was really off her radar at this point. Seeing it in the kitchen when she had just awoke? Just cementing her foul mood as she drifted off to the caf maker.

"Morning." Teenage mumble, barely audible as any type of word. She grabbed a trendy glass mug and set it down, pouring the dark liquid in before grabbing the creamer. "A few months now? This isn't ZikZok worthy though."

Combat boots clomped along the kitchen floor before settling in on a stool next to Myra Arceneau Dashiell .

"What're you guys talking about?" Ever nosey, Persie was.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : Myra Arceneau Dashiell

Getting the hint from Persephone, Makai drifted back to his own caf mug on the other side of the kitchen island. He took a sip, watching the two interact a bit before chiming in. Not that he was certain Persie wanted any undue conversation this morning - clearly she was not personable first thing in the day.

Looking at Ellie, he gave a small smile.

"I think we were drinking caf at her age. Nothing ever ZikZok worthy though, I can't remember a time we got fancy drinks like the kids get...maybe they were around when we were her age?"

"For being so young you guys sound so old." Persephone crinkled her nose, looking at the pair as if they were octogenarians ."So the topic of discussion is caf before I came out?"

Makai paused.

"Nope, it was actually you. Ellie and I have a few ideas we think you'd appreciate."

 

[Myra Arceneau Dashiell]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x | Tag: Makai Dashiell Persephone Dashiell

Myra glanced over at Persephone, her eyebrow quirked at the teen's attitude, but there was a softness in her gaze that made it clear she wasn't bothered.

"We were just talking about ideas that you might find interesting," she said, her voice casual as she leaned back against the counter. "You know, experience the galaxy a little beyond the walls of this compound."

She gestured to the mug of caf Persie had poured, giving the girl an amused look, "But maybe something like a trip to a museum or a field trip...maybe some hands on history... learn more about art and artifacts or something. A few things you and me could do. Makai has some other ideas as well."

She shot Makai a glance, a silent communication passing between them. It was a delicate balance, creating space for Persie, but also encouraging growth. It wasn't going to happen overnight, but they were making progress.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : Myra Arceneau Dashiell . Persephone Dashiell

Watching carefully, he purposefully let Ellie lean into their ideas first. If Persephone was attached to his wife then hearing some of their ideas coming from the more 'favorite' of the two was the wiser option. As the teenager settled into her stool at the counter, it seemed there were no rebuttals - yet. A small improvement compared to their time in the Centrality region.

"So, in addition to making your education a little more exciting and having some one-on-one time with us - there is something else we'd like to address. Well, two things but one at a time."

Makai paused, looking Ellie for a small hint of support, finding it in a slight incline of her head. He picked up his caf mug, trying to look casual and nonchalant for the next part. Coming in guns blazing would be unwise to begin with. This was the trickier part than merely suggesting a different tutor.

"As you are getting older and settling into a new life, things start to look a little different, don't they? You'll notice a lot of your friends are expected to behave a certain way or you get privledges the average teenager doesn't get. Such as fashion shows, I don't think the average fourteen year old girl can afford to get tickets to attend."

Another pause.

"You're going to be a lady of a certain....social and monetary status...much like Ellie was when she was growing up. With that comes a lot of different rules and expectations, both good and bad. One of those expectations is that any young man you want to date needs to meet with myself before you two step out and have fun."

Taking a sip of caf, he smiled at his wife before looking back at Persephone.

"I did it with Ellie. Its nothing terrible, just something so the boy is aware that you have two loving parents who have rules and boundaries that he will have to follow when you two are out about about."

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

"How are we going to go out with the baby? I don't think anyone wants a screaming kid in a museum. Maybe we'll have to put the fun stuff on hold but I guess we can come up with ideas of things to do..."

Uncertainly entered her voice. A list was fine and well but when would they get the chance to do such a thing? There was the nanny droid that had just arrived and was getting acclimated to the home, but Persie didn't see Makai and Myra as the type of just hand a child off to a droid.

Drinking her caf, Persie was quiet as Makky discussed any boy would be meeting him first. That it was only fair for such a young man to be following their rules.

"That's fine, I don't want to date ever again. Won't be a problem."

She was clearly still a bit upset from the most recent incident. Yet she was serious in her words. So far she has been strung along only to get hurt - the Jedi ones seemed horrible at any interpersonal feelings.

"You said you had another thing? Another idea?"

Myra Arceneau Dashiell , Makai Dashiell​

 

[Myra Arceneau Dashiell]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x | Tag: Makai Dashiell

Myra tilted her head, studying Persie's face as the girl quietly sipped her caf. She recognized that hollow edge to her voice, the way the words about dating came out sharp, meant to shut the door entirely on the subject. It wasn't just about avoiding conflict, it was pain still fresh, tucked behind the tough exterior Persie wore like armor.

Was she thinking about Iko again?

"First," Myra said gently, resting her caf mug on the counter and leaning forward slightly, "I don't think we need to rush anything, especially not dating. You've been through a lot, and it's okay to take your time. There's no deadline for this kind of thing, Persie."

She let the words settle for a moment before continuing, her tone soft but steady. "That's part of why we want to travel more… give you the chance to meet different people. People who can maybe expand what you think relationships, or even friendships, are supposed to look like. The galaxy is huge, and there's so much more out there than you've had a chance to see yet. No pressure, but... just something to keep in mind."

Myra pressed on, giving her an encouraging smile. "And about the baby? You're right…those first few weeks will be hectic. We'll be figuring it all out, but trust me, one little baby isn't going to stop us from spending time with you. We'll have the nanny droid to help. " She gave a soft laugh, aiming to ease some of Persie's worries.

"As for things to do..." Myra paused, watching the teenagers expression carefully. "We could tackle one of your projects together - - fashion, or anything else you've got in mind. It doesn't have to be big or fancy. Just... consistent. You and me. Or we could just talk about whatever.L."