we're made to dream

Briar talked first about the emotional impact of being pregnant -- describing it as waiting for the best gift ever -- and Avantika nodded. That was good; it was reassuring how much Briar already seemed to love the children she would birth. Before even attempting to, a pros and cons list seemed to materialize in Avantika's mind. Not about having pups, but about Briar. She felt a bit bad for even trying to pass judgment on someone else's relationship, but she couldn't help it. Her brother was married to this woman and she had been... far less than present, in the nicest words, during the majority of their relationship. Maybe this weird attempt -- not that she would ever actually try to break them up -- was just her way of trying to protect Art. Of regaining her place in the lives happening around her. Of making her months of disappearance up to him.

She sat beside Briar when the place was offered, smiling a little more in agreement when she said that it was an adjustment for her to rest so much when she was so used to being on the move and working. "I get that," Avantika replied. "I'd like to have children someday, but I wouldn't want to carry them. I couldn't imagine having to take a break from my work." With Audra, Avantika had thought quite a bit about children; despite the hot spark of anger and hurt that pricked her heart at the memory, the ideas still made sense to her. She wanted to adopt, first of all, but if her future wife wanted to have biological children, she would have to be the one to get pregnant.

"Speech"