David Gabriel Tam waved his arms at her and grinned. Grabbing his toes he wriggled himself into a sitting position on the changing table and laughed.

“He’s quite advanced,” Inara said, dropping the used diaper into the bin and letting the lid fall closed. The breeze blowing through the slightly open window quickly cleared any lingering odour as she washed her hands.

“Poops a lot,” Bethie said from where she was crouched in the nursery doorway, sitting back on her heels and hugging her knees.

“There is that,” Inara agreed. “But I said I would get the practice in and I have.” She took a quick breath, realising she’d forgotten her own situation for just a few minutes.

“Daddy will figure it out.” Bethie spoke with the conviction of a child who could not only pluck the thoughts out of her aunt’s brain, but utterly believed in her father’s ability to work miracles. “And he goes green when he has to change David too.”

Inara laughed. “I’m sure your father is very good at it.”

Bethie shrugged. “Had to. Momma made ‘im.” She giggled. “Still stabs his fingers on the pins, though.”

“Well, your Uncle Sam is going to have to get some practice in too.” She picked up the baby, who was somewhat garishly attired in a tiny t-shirt River had made and painted with a grinning goblin bearing more than a passing resemblance to Jayne, the ensemble completed by the multi-coloured shorts bequeathed to him because Caleb had grown out of them. He showed no signs of being interested in using the potty, although according to River that was fine because Simon had been very late in learning to … she’d shut up at that point, but the grin stayed on her face for a long time.

“Cal’s using the potty now,” Bethie went on, obviously having picked up Inara’s thoughts, whether on purpose or not. “Else Uncle Sam could’ve changed him.”

“There’s plenty of time.”

She looked into David’s face and he grinned at her, grabbing her top and saying, “Na-na.”

A flush spread through her, accompanied by a slight ringing