Chapter Seven

As I promised myself, as soon as I was able, I went on a building frenzy. Felt good to unload all that baggage at last, not to mention rearrange what was already there, buy some new things...

I'm not entirely happy with everything I came back with, but it's all they had at the time. It'll do until I find something more appropriate.

Something else I really needed to set up now, was somewhere for us to marry! That statue is mine too, looks pretty good there don't you think?

I'm far too pre-emptive though, I must admit. I shouldn't have added the balloons so soon, I know. Still, I just couldn't resist the urge to show off my handiwork a little.

Lore's friend took her on a shopping trip the moment she heard our news. Which I was very grateful for, as it gave me a chance to make some arrangements of my own. It was nightfall by the time we were all set, but so much the better – it all looked more romantic.

Apart from the stragglers of course, who lingered in the background when there was plenty of seating available. Maybe I should have widened the bottleneck a little...

I can understand now how this is seen as so special an occasion. It was truly a wonderful experience, and I couldn't have asked for a more romantic setting. It all added so much to an already amazing time. I was a little baffled by this talk of cutting the cake though...

“The idea is that it symbolises one giving themselves to the other,” I explained, “One cuts and feeds the other a piece of the cake.”

“Interesting,” I replied as I cut a piece, eyeing it for a moment before looking back at him. “I have to feed you a piece of this cake?”

“That's right,” I agreed, although I soon noticed that familiar mischievous sparkle in her eye as her scaly fingers dove into the chunk on her plate. Perhaps I should have cut it instead...?

After such a special night, it was back to normal the following day. I found an old lamp resting on the ground and brought it inside to ask Teddy's advice, but he seemed just as confused as I was. It looked like it could do with a good clean, but it would have to wait until I came back from work.

Back to the grind indeed, and another day of searching for work I would enjoy.

I found it too! I managed to find work as the head of a construction company. It was as much as I could do to stop from bouncing in my seat, I was that happy! Ah, no more rushing round after supervillians – considering we've starting discussing children I really could do without all that now.

I gave the lamp a polish when I got the chance to, and could only watch in shock as plumes of purple smoke billowed from its spout. I started to wonder if I had broken something.

This gaseous form emerged from the smoke and took the form of a purple skinned creature with a funny hat. He introduced himself as a genie, told me that I was his master (or rather, mistress), and that I had three wishes... I had a choice of things I could wish for.

One was to increase my youth. Now, I have been in such a state for centuries already, so I wouldn't normally have wished for such a thing. However, since becoming mortal I was alarmed at the rate I seemed to be ageing. I needed some extra time with my new family, so I made my wish and hoped it would work.

At first it had seemed to do the trick; I felt rejuvenated and relieved to have some extra time on my side. Although, I don't know if it was a side effect of this wish, but I started to feel very unwell, to the point where I lost my breakfast.

Never in all my long life had I felt such a way. It seemed a little strange that the morning after an encounter with this genie, I was now feeling sick and drained of energy.

The big problem with a working couple and four cats in an expanding house, is trying to keep it clean. Thankfully we can afford some hired help – we'll need it.

I learned that my sickness, although maybe still a co-incidence, was caused not by the genie but something else. I had no idea of pregnancy, having never gone through it before, so I had no idea what to expect, but there it was staring me in the face.

It was so odd at first, feeling this movement inside my body. My mind often drifted as I wondered what the little person would look like, and my heart often quivered in anticipation of being able to find out.

Time flies by so fast. The kittens are now cats – and they are, literally, identical twins. Everything about those two is exactly the same, except for the fact that Neptune's male and Pisces is female. I picked one at random when I decided now was a good time to start some toilet training.

It turned out to be Neptune. Even with having two bathrooms, I may suggest to Teddy that we install another. If we can get all these cats on the toilet, it will make cleaning that bit more bearable.

Ah, first day at my new job and already promoted. I knew I was made for this line of work. Things will get pretty difficult though, with two working will-be parents and four cats. It helps that two of them are working, but not that much. We had spoken of building on a legacy with these cats too, just to watch how different they all might turn out. I do love animals, and the cats are darlings, but sadly one has to go.

The only reason we chose to keep Neptune was because he was toilet trained. Seriously, that was it. When Lore said the twins were more like clones, she really wasn't kidding. I may have to raid the animal shelter as it is, just to save on training time if need be. It may be more expensive, but part of what you pay for are what the animals already know. Given how manic this house is already becoming, I'll take anything that'll make things easier.