A Kiss Goodnight at the End of Forever

Chapter 4 Pt 2 - The Talk

James knocked on Serafina's bathroom door even though it was open. "Ser-Bear?" he asked after receiving no response.

"In here!" they called from down the hall. James followed their voice to his and Martha's bathroom where Serafina was brushing their teeth. "Sorry," they said. "I hope you don't mind but the bubblegum toothpaste makes me want to wretch."

"No problem. We can swing by the store tomorrow and pick up something less wretch inducing. So... who gets to hear a story tonight?"

"Well, I think Mom's already in my room, but-"

"Oh, okay. That's cool," he lied. James had, in fact, been looking forward to Serafina's bedtime story all day. "Maybe I can hear a story tomorrow night. Unless you want to give your mom another one. You know, whatever you want."

"But there's no reason why you can't both be there."

"I suppose not," he said happily, dropping his nonchalant facade.

Serafina smiled. "Why don't you get situated and let me finish up. I'll be there in a minute."

"Sounds like a plan," he said, giddy as a fanboy. He left the bathroom for the hall and then turned into Serafina's room.

There, Martha stood in front of the dresser opposite the bed. James walked to her and saw that she was looking at a framed photograph of the three of them at Disneyland. They were on Main Street, just outside the ice cream shop. Serafina stood between their parents, cackling at their silly father as he knelt and offered his cone to their mother. It had been an inside joke for Martha and James. Not any more...

In the photo, Martha posed bashfully, matching James' theatrics. But behind the posture and play-acting, James saw vibrance and joy in her face. Whatever Dr Tanaka's plans were for Serafina, their birth had succeeded where all of James' flailing – Paris, Space, Cosplay Apocalypse – had failed.

Presently, James put his arm around Martha. "We'll make new memories."

"I know," she replied, somewhere between depression and acceptance.

"Okay, you two," Serafina said as they entered the room. "It ain't called a dresser-time story. Take your places." They waited while Martha and James sat on the outer edges of the twin to give their daughter space in between. Serafina walked to the foot of the bed and motioned with their hands to close the gap. "Scoot together. Hip to hip - shoulder to shoulder."

"You sure?" James said as he and Martha complied.

"Yep. Perfect. Now, each of you raise your inside arm." Serafina climbed onto the bed. "And brace like you're about to take a punch."

James clenched his abdomen as Serafina leapt forward, twisting in the air to land snuggly on their parents whose inside arms remained raised.