“I can’t!” Deunan balked in the doorway, but Briareos pushed her inside.
“I look ridiculous.” Deunan looked down at her silver and blue uniform.
“You look very respectable.” Briareos nodded. “Hitomi did a good job on it.”
“This just isn’t me. I’ll never get used to it.”
“Like that one-week relationship with Hitomi? You know, that was seven years ago.” Briareos chuckled. “Did we make some sort of bet?”
“Very funny.” Deunan went over to the desk, lifted up the bronze nameplate and frowned. “I don’t like being pulled from the combat unit.”
“You weren’t pulled, you were promoted.”
“And I know it was your scheming that did it!” Deunan flopped herself into the leather chair and put her feet up on the desk.
“I may have had a hand in it, yes. But you have to admit, you’re not getting any younger. And it’s not just you anymore, Deunan. Speaking of which, what time is the party tonight?”
“Five. But you have to admit, it was very under-handed of you to get Hitomi to ask me to accept this job.”
“Actually, it was brilliant of me. Otherwise, you might have said no.” Briareos laughed and ducked out the door as the nameplate came sailing his way. “See you at five!” he shouted through the doorway.
Deunan looked around the office and sighed. She leaned the chair back, and it flipped quickly, sending her crashing to the floor.
“Great, just great. Can the day get any worse?” she muttered.

She couldn’t wait to get out the uniform and back into her tank top. She’d spilled coffee on her uniform- she wanted to get out of it quickly, before Hitomi noticed. The bouquet of flowers shuffled against her arm as she wiggled the key in the lock. She hadn’t meant to run late, but everything that could go wrong on a first day at the office, had gone wrong.
“I’m home-oof!” she cried out as a small force tackled her left leg. The flowers were ejected into the air. Deunan braced herself against the wall.
“Got you! You let your guard down, soldier!”
“Deugan. Coming into my house is not letting my guard down.” She looked down at the boy with the spiky blond hair, who was still firmly attached to her leg. “And what is that white stuff in your hair- that is now all over me?”
“Flour. We bake a cake from scratch!” he yelled with joy.
“Deunan- we’re in the kitchen.” Hitomi’s voice was soothing compared to the rambunctious creature attached to her leg. Deunan bent over to retrieve the bouquet, then proceeded to walk heavily through the living room.
“Are you going to let go of my leg?” she tapped Deugan’s head with the flowers.
“No.”
“Of course not. Because I couldn’t say no, now I’ve got a child who doesn’t say anything else.” She muttered, dragging them along. “Deugan, what are all these toys doing on the floor? I thought we had a talk yesterday about you picking them up now that you’re a big boy.”
“But that was yesterday.” he looked up at her and grinned.
“Right.” She sighed and swung her leg around the corner into the kitchen.
“Oh Deunan, look at your new suit!” Hitomi exclaimed.
“I know.” Deunan shrugged helplessly. “Here. I’ll trade you.” She handed the bouquet to Hitomi. Hitomi shrugged her hip and jiggled the baby before handing her off to Deunan.
“Oh Deunan, these are lovely. Thank you.” She reached around and enveloped both Deunan and the baby. “You always give me flowers on Deugan’s birthday.”
“I should give you a gold medal of courage.” Deunan smiled. “You’re here in the trenches every day.” She leaned in to kiss Hitomi, but a tiny hand smacked into her nose.
“Ok, Gillian. Does this mean you missed me today?” she removed the probing fingers from her nostril and looked at the baby bioroid. Gillian gave a small burp and drooled.
“That means yes.” Hitomi laughed and opened the cabinet to get a vase.
“It’s my birthday.” Deugan tapped her thigh. She rubbed his head with her free hand.
“I know, my little soldier. I’m sorry I had to go to the office today.” She rubbed her flour-covered hand on her suit, figuring more at this point would not matter.
“That damned office job!” Deugan yelled out merrily.
“Deugan! Where did you learn that word!” Hitomi’s head snapped around.
“That’s what she calls it.” Deugan freed his arm from Duenan’s leg and pointed. Hitomi glared at Deunan.
”Did you say that in front of him?” her hands were on her hips. The oven buzzer went off, and the doorbell started to ring.
“Ah- oh- I’ll get the door!” Deunan sputtered out, glad for the reprieve. Balancing Gillian and Duegan on her body, she made her way as quickly as she could across the living room. The doorbell rang again.
“Coming- just wait a- oh!” her foot stepped onto something that rolled. Soldier, child and baby all went into the air. Deunan landed on her side using her left arm to break her fall. Her right arm reached out and snagged Gillian by her diaper.
“I got the door!” Deugan yelled as he got to his feet.
“I got the baby!” Deunan held up Gillian.
“And I’ve got the cake!” Hitomi’s voice rang out.
Deunan smiled as Gillian squealed and drool dropped down onto her head.
And I’ve got a family…..