Jon continued walking home with Karyn, Amy, Zoe and Vanessa. Zoe was still a quiet girl, but her sister Vanessa made up for it by chattering like a magpie all the way home, not really caring if anyone was listening. They passed a few stores on the way home and Jon noticed that the female mannaquines were all conjoined twins. They passed a maternity store and Jon heard Vanessa grow quiet and sigh. She was looking longingly at the store as well as several pregnant women who were standing outside.
"Are you all right, Vanessa," asked Jon.
"Yeah," said Vanessa, placing her hand on her shared stomach. "I know that I'm too young to be a mother, but its something that I've wanted ever since I was a little girl."
"Don't worry," said Zoe to her sister. "When we're ready, we'll find the right boy, settle down and have a big family. I promise. I want those babies as much as you do."
This struck Jon as odd, as Zoe had never expressed a maternal instinct before the wish. But then, perhaps he had never been in the proper position to appreciate her feelings on the subject. He also figured it made sense that conjoined sisters, sharing a body so inimately, would consider it natural to share the same man in a relationship. "You two will make wonderful mothers one day," said Karyn. "You just need some time to meet the right guy."
