Jaime was sitting in the chair. Nat, her wife on her left and little Val sprawled over both their knees, sleeping blissfully, not caring about the somewhat tense, uncertain atmosphere in the room. Nat was squeezing the life out of Jaime's left hand, but yet at the same time oddly careful and protective not to harm her wife's gamer digits too much.

	Jaime was nervous, of course, even if there was little outward indication of it. Shy as she was on top of being calm and collected. Her inner turmoil rarely made itself known. Only Nat who knew her best, could see through her moods. For which, of course, Jaime was extremely grateful. There was intimacy in a person knowing you so well that they and they alone could tell there was something wrong. It made her feel complete in a way little else could. It made her feel like she belonged. And after Val's birth, that feeling of belonging grew even stronger.

	She looked down at the little girl sleeping in her and Nat's laps and couldn't help but smile. She remembered the feeling of carrying their little bundle of joy within her body for nine months. It was a feeling she could never ever manage to explain to someone who hadn't had the privilege of experiencing it firsthand themselves. Bringing a new life, a new light, into this world. The joy of it. And the enormous responsibility that came with it. And that responsibility weight heavy on her now.

	The letter had been a bit of shock to both her and Nat. For the President and the Government to show interest in their little girl. Sure, it was flattering in sort of a way. But more than anything else, it was strange. Jaime and Nat didn't lack for anything. Neither did Val for that matter. Jaime did better than okay when it came to financial matters with her job as software developer. But the invitation wasn't for people with financial needs anyway. No. It just stated that the President and the Government wanted to offer their daughter, and them by extension, the opportunity to receive the best chance in life in terms of education, opportunities, accommodations. It was a bit overwhelming.

	Nat and Jaime had stayed awake until the wee hours of the night discussing the latter and what they should do about it. They'd decided to see what it was all about not without a bit of apprehension. And Val was still too young to feel any real distress over the whole ordeal. Which is how she was able to sleep like... well, like a baby, in her mothers' laps right now. She didn't even stir when Jaime picked her up and held her against her shoulder, as the woman, Erica, who'd welcomed them, was now inviting them to board a train which was to lead them to the facilities of this SYCEP institute.

	Nat rubbed their daughter's back as she stood up with her left hand and gripped Jaime's hand she was still holding a little tighter.

	Jaime looked at her and smiled in encouragement, her dimples flashing in the process, her blue eyes sparkling with quiet calm and resolve. She leaned over and placed a soft, lingering kiss on Nat's temple as they entered the train and took a seat once more.