Kaylee’s family were gathering, and by about two o’clock the rest of Serenity’s crew were told, in no uncertain terms, to go and get out from under their feet while everything was prepared for the party that evening. This meant that Simon and Kaylee took the opportunity to go back to Serenity for a little quiet time, while Freya and River tried to block the resulting sexual overflow by playing cards and talking loudly.

Jayne, knowing he needed to be doing something physical, got out the set of horseshoes and set up the pins in the field, where he was joined by Mal, Ethan and Bethie. The little girl soon got tired of the game, and sat under a convenient tree to play with Fiddler.

Ethan, on the other hand, was enjoying himself, being with his father and uncle, and pretending to be a man. “What was my Granma like?” he asked, picking up the horseshoe and aiming carefully, his tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth.

Mal’s brows raised. “What do you want to know for?”

The little boy let fly, missing the pin by a good two feet. “Know Bethie’s Granma and Granpa. Met Caleb’s Granma. Want to know what mine was like.”

His father half-smiled. “Well, for a start I’m not sure she’d ever’ve been able to guess I’d have a son like you. Actually, I doubt she’d ever thought of me having kids at all. Can’t imagine it happening to you, but I guess it will someday.”

“Four,” Bethie put in unexpectedly, making Fiddler’s back leg jerk with pleasure.

“What?”

“Four. I want four children. Or more puppies.”

“Stick to the puppies, short stub,” Jayne advised, taking his turn and hearing the horseshoe connect with a clang. “Kids’ll kill ya.”

“Says the man who changes diapers and reads Caleb bed-time stories.” Mal grinned.

“Oh, I ain’t saying I’d ever give up being a Dad. Just it means your life ain’t your own no more. Got to think about the others all the time.”

“Yep,” Mal agreed happily. “Torture, ain’t it?”

“Sure is.” Jayne growled with laughter. “Never thought I’d be one of them