Bitterroot Valley shaken not stirred

She had no idea how Luke would take the news in his current state, yet nothing would have stopped Smash from telling him, not after all this time, not after coming all this way. When he reacted in a seemingly positive fashion, asking questions about Luke II, a thread of careful delight pulsed through her. She smiled softly at him, her—their—son's beautiful face drifting in her mind's eye.

"His tongue's boring old pink. But some of his toes definitely have a blueish tint," she reported. She thought of the other three, who had also been a good mixture of their parents, but did not mention them. "He has my fur and eyes," Smash continued. "And he takes after both of us in the personality department. I mean..." She faltered slightly. Luke II was warm and bubbly, like she was and Luke had been, the last time she'd seen him.

"Luke..." Smash paused to gather her thoughts. It wasn't often that she was serious, yet she knew this occasion definitely called for it. "I really hope that I didn't have something to do with, well... this." She gestured at him, frowning. "I'm sorry if I did. And I don't know what's going on with you these days but you are more than welcome to come back with me to Shiprock to meet him. I'm sure he'd love to meet you."