Cynthia

"Mama! Papa!"

"Come here, Vessie boy!"

A cute, black-haired toddler waddled over to his parents, who looked down on their son with eager grins. Ryncol Larkinson, a mech pilot of the Mech Corps, and Cynthia Larkinson, a visual artist, waited until their boy stumbled out of their house with his little legs.

Cynthia picked the boy up and gave him a loving smooch. "Who do you love more? Mama or papa?"

Little Vessie gazed at his mother and father with a confused expression. He put his thumb in his mouth and sucked on it. "Hmmm… mommy! I love mommy the best!"

The two began to cuddle affectionately while their father Ryncol ruefully looked on. "But you love daddy too, right!"

"Daddy!"

The little boy, now a little bit older, felt warm all over as his mother tucked him into his bed. She kissed him more than a dozen times on the cheek, making him feel as if the scary night had faded away.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, honey?"