“Thank you, Mrs. Lyons.” Miranda took the plate of crackers from the housekeeper and balanced it on her very pregnant belly. “The crackers are such a help with the all-day-long sickness.”
“You’re welcome, my dear.” The housekeeper plumped a pillow and put it behind Miranda’s back. “You know, some say that morning sickness and sea sickness feel much the same.”
“Really? I never suffered from sea sickness a day in my life.” Miranda nibbled at a cracker and took a sip of ginger ale. “But this will all be over soon, right?”
“Absolutely,” the housekeeper agreed. “Only a few weeks more to go and you’ll be back to feeling human again.”
Miranda smiled at the housekeeper’s unwittingly ironic choice of words.
Just then Justin slipped through the French doors, dropped his briefcase on an empty chair, and greeted Mrs. Lyons. Once she’d discreetly left them, he turned his attention to his wife. “Hello gorgeous, how are my two favorite girls?”
Miranda smiled up adoringly at her husband. She would never, ever, not in three lifetimes, grow tired of the way Justin looked at her, or loved her. She reached out one hand to pull him down beside her, and then she placed his hand on her tummy. “We’re in ship shape. How was work?”
“Wonderful. I’ll tell you all about it at dinner.” He nestled into the sofa and leaned his head on Miranda’s shoulder. “We had ten different school groups go through the park today. Everyone seemed pleased with their day, I know I couldn’t be happier.”
Miranda’s sigh was one of pure contentment. Things couldn’t have worked out better for them. Almost immediately after they’d arrived back on land, news broke that the International Court of Justice ordered the Japanese government to quit issuing permits for Antarctic whaling. In a surprising but welcome reversal of their position on whaling, the Japanese government agreed to cease their whaling activities. Morimoto industries had no choice but to change the focus of their business. Kenji Morimoto appointed Justin as the executive director of the newly acquired Ocean World right before he retired.
Justin’s first act had been to change the mission of Ocean World from entertainment to oceanic education with a focus on conservation issues. His second act had been to appoint Miranda as the Director of Aquatic Acquisitions. Together they’d returned all the animals to the ocean who wanted to go, and they’d set up a one year exchange program for all ocean animals and sea creatures who wanted to spend a year in Ocean World.
Even Goldie had found a position, and a new home, at Ocean World. He reigned over a small but colorful colony of scarlet, hyacinth, green winged, and military macaws. The arrangement was perfect. Goldie was king of his own little kingdom, at least in his mind, and the Lockheed household was blissfully quiet. More than a few school children described their field trip to their parents by starting with, ‘Well, there was this really loud bird…’
Working together and living together had been nothing but bliss for Miranda and Justin.
“I’ve thought of something new I’d like to try after little Pearl is born,” Miranda said.
“Name it.” Justin enjoyed watching his wife experience all sorts of new things for the first time.
“Okay, I was reading about this drink called Sex on the Beach-”
“Isn’t that what got you in the state you’re in now?” Justin interrupted her.
Miranda returned his grin. “Well, can we try it?”
He lifted her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “For you, anything.”