“Still, they love you, siti. You should talk to them about it.”
There was a knock on the door.
“I’ll get that,” Moki told her as she got up out of bed. Juna pulled on her robe as Analin came in.
“Analin! I’m so sorry! I meant to pick you up, but— ”
“It’s all right. Moki and Danan came and got me. What’s the matter? Are you sick?”
Juna scrubbed at her forehead. “Not exactly. I’m pregnant with an unlicensed child. I just found out a few hours ago. It was such a shock that I forgot to come pick you up.”
“How did it happen?” Analin asked.
Juna explained the situation.
“I see,” Analin said when she was done. “You’re in a pickle, aren’t you? What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I’d like to keep the baby, but it’s so complicated. I haven’t told anyone yet, except for the Tendu. I don’t know how my family is going to take it. Or the Pop Con authorities.”
“You have enough money for a child-right, yes?”
“There’s plenty of money,” Juna said. “It’s everything else that I’m worried about. How can I raise a child all by myself? It isn’t fair to the child. And then there’s the Tendu, and the Survey. How can I fulfill my responsibilities to them?”
“Take one thing at a time, Juna,” Analin urged. “You can afford a child. You want a child. Now you need to plan your life so that you can have a child.”
“But— ” Juna protested.
“Talk to your family, Juna. See what they can do for you. Despite everything, they are your family.”
“But what about Population Control?”
“Let me handle them,” Analin offered. “I’ll find you a good lawyer. You tell your family.”
“Tell your family what?”
Juna and Analin looked up, startled.
“hi!” Juna said. “Come in, sit down.”
Her father settled himself on the bed. “Okay, what is it?”
Juna told him what had happened.
“You’re having a baby? Juna that’s wonderful!”
“I don’t know if I’ll get to have the baby, hi.’”
“If you need help buying a child-right, I’m happy to help.”
“Isi, it’s not the money. I can afford the child-right. It’s— ” She shook her head. “How can I have a baby all by myself, IsP. It’s not fair to the child. And I don’t want to bring the scandal of having an unlicensed child down on our family.”
“Juna,” her father said, “you know that Netta and I could care less about a scandal. That’s not important.” He grasped her hand in his weathered, rough one, and looked into her eyes. “Do you want this baby?”
Juna remembered Toivo’s finger curling around hers as a newborn, how much she had loved him, and how much she wanted a child of her own to love, to watch it grow.
She blinked back the tears. “Yes, Isukki, I do.”
“You know, Mariam and I were going through some hard times when you were born. We were barely managing to make ends meet up here. Our families were back down on Earth. There was no one but the neighbors to help us. But we wanted a family, and so we went ahead and had you. It wasn’t a perfect time, but we did it anyway. Even in those difficult times, you were a gift. You taught us so much, you brought us closer to all our neighbors. Go ahead, tytar. You’ll havcall of our love and support. Somehow, we’ll help you make it work.”
Moki touched her shoulder. “Ukatonen and I will help as well.”
“Thank you,” Juna whispered, overcome with emotion. “Thank you all.” Tears were trickling down her cheeks, despite her best efforts to stop them.
Her father fished out a big handkerchief and handed it to her.
“There now, tytar. Dry your tears. Don’t worry. Between us all, it will work out. Now, Moki, let’s get Analin settled while Juna freshens up.”
He ushered Analin and Moki out of the room, leaving Juna alone.
Juna smiled. She wasn’t alone now, she thought, resting a hand on her stomach. She wasn’t going to be alone for the next eight months, or for all the years after that.
“Hello, daughter,” she said. “Welcome and love.”
Juna sat in Dr. Engle’s office, twisting her hands together nervously.
“You should notify the Population Control officials. I’ve decided to keep the baby.”
“Are you absolutely sure, Juna?” he asked, his gaze intent and piercing.
Juna swallowed hard, and nodded, meeting his gaze. “Yes, I’m sure. I’ve already contacted a broker about purchasing the fractional child-right I’ll need. My family has agreed to provide the emotional and physical support that I’ll need during pregnancy and afterward. My father is willing to sign a statement to that effect. I’ve also contacted a lawyer to defend me if they file criminal charges.”
“Good girl,” the doctor told her. “I’m glad to see you’re ready for this. Pop Con isn’t going to be easy on you. They never are. As your doctor, I’m willing to back you up on this. You’re too far along to have gotten pregnant anywhere but aboard ship. Have you contacted the father yet?”
Juna shook her head. “I tried, but he’s traveling, and he instructed the comm not to forward any messages. I don’t know how to get in touch with his family.” She rubbed her forehead worriedly. This wasn’t going to be easy for Bruce. Pop Con tended to be particularly hard on fathers. “My lawyer is trying to find him.”
“I see.” Dr. Engle looked up at her, a pained expression on his face. “I’ll call Population Control now. You should contact your lawyer as soon as I’ve made the call.”
“She’s standing by,” Juna said. “I’ll wait in the reception room while you make the call.”
“I’m sorry, Juna.”
Juna turned, her hand on the door. “It’s okay. I know you have to do this.”
Moki and Ukatonen sat with her as they waited for the sheriff to come. Moki went orange with fear each time the door opened. Finally Sheriff Hiller arrived.
“Hello, Toni,” Juna said.
“Juna, I’m afraid that I have a warrant for your arrest from the Population Control Board.” Toni’s stocky, powerful body was hunched over, as though she was trying to shrink from this task.
“I understand.” Juna held her hands out to be cuffed. Being arrested by someone she had gone to school with was a very strange experience.
“Don’t be silly, Juna, I’m not going to cuff you,” the sheriff said. She glanced at the two aliens. “These must be the Tendu.”
Juna nodded. “This is Ukatonen, and this is Moki, my adopted son.”
“I see,” Toni said. “Well, Moki, I’m going to have to take your mother away for a while. You can come and visit her in the brig later this afternoon.”
“You’ll take good care of her?” Moki asked.
“Of course I will,” Sheriff Hiller reassured him. “She’ll be out in a few days.”
The brig was spartan, and had a feeling of disuse, but Toni made her as comfortable as possible.
“It’s been six months since we had anyone in here. A couple of transient laborers got drunk and started a fight over at the Gonzaleses’ place. Tthrew them in separate cells, let them sleep it off, and kicked them off the station.”
“Well at least I’ve given you something to do,” Juna said with a smile. She wasn’t surprised by the jail’s lack of occupants. Most of the people who came here to pick, plant, or weed came for a paid break from the small, cramped stations they lived on. Morale was generally pretty high, and fights were rare.
Being in jail didn’t feel entirely real. It was as though she were on some kind of school field trip and had somehow gotten left behind.