The Great War • Hunter

64.Early Parenting Class

By morning the water had returned to normal, leaving Lower Pabu torn up and scattered. But everyone's nerves had calmed and that infamous peace started to return.

    The mother had asked for Alona to stay, to which the Gray Jedi couldn't deny. She liked holding the baby, who had only left her arms a couple of times to eat from his mother.

    "Thank you." The mother breathed out, waking up after a short but filling nap, smiling gratefully at Alona. "I'm Mila."

    The Gray Jedi returned the smile. "Alona."

    Mila sat the toddler down on her lap, rubbing the little girl's back gently. "This is Nellie, she's two. And the little one you're holding is Alec. He's three weeks old."

    Alona turned her eyes to the little girl. "Hi, Nellie." To which it was responded with an ah sound. Nellie was too busy messing with the bottom of her mother's shirt.

Alona looked back down at Alec, noticing the resemblance between him and his mother. "He looks like you."

    Mila's smile stayed on her face, but her eyes showed a deeper, upset emotion. "I think he looks more like his father." It wasn't until then that Alona noticed the absence, but she knew not to ask a question like that.

Apparently Mila saw the thoughtful expression on her face, and said, "He passed a couple months ago." She said softly, fidgeting with the ring on her finger.

    Mila had to give birth without the support of her husband.

    Alona watched her for a couple seconds. "I'm sorry." She knew there weren't really any words she could say that would make the widow feel better.

Alona looked over at Hunter, who was busy passing around water and blankets to people that needed them. She started subconsciously chewing her lip, deep in thought.

    She couldn't imagine doing this without Hunter. Giving birth alone, raising a child alone.

    Alona knew if something were to happen to Hunter that his brothers would step in, so she knew she wouldn't actually be alone, but they weren't Hunter. They weren't the man she was in love with, they weren't the father of the baby. In that sense, she would be lonely.

    "You're pregnant." Mila stated. It wasn't a question, it was an observation. Mila knew Alona was pregnant.

    Alona chuckled, realizing that Mila was the third person to tell Alona she was pregnant. "What gave it away?"

    "Baby." Nellie cooed, slamming her toy on the ground repeatedly.

    "You have that look." Mila replied, reaching into the diaper bag and pulling out a snack for Nellie.

    Alona raised her eyebrows, tearing her gaze away from Hunter. "What look?"

    "The pregnancy look. I'm a midwife. You see enough pregnant women and you can just tell." Mila laughed, scanning Alona's face. "How far along are you?"

    Alona smiled softly. "Fourteen weeks today."

    Mila nodded. "Awesome. Just based on the way you've been with Alec, I know you'll be a great mom." She replied, running her fingers through Nellie's brown hair.

    Alona nearly melted at the quiet sound Alec made, his tiny fist poking out of his blanket he was swaddled in. "Any advice for me?"

   Mila hummed in thought, looking at her daughter lovingly. "The good outweighs the bad. Kids have their bad days, moments where everything seems tough, days where you'll feel defeated. But then there are days where you'll notice just how fast they've grown, how they're turning into their own individual selves. Alec and Nellie were having a rough day yesterday, but it didn't start that way. Nellie slept through the night for the first time, and when she woke up she welcomed me and her brother with a big hug and a kiss. Those are the kind of moments I know I will cherish forever."