Irreplaceable

Part 11: The good doctor

Time seemed to fly now that they had settled and had nothing to pressure them. Perona had bettered her relationships and had met up with her friends. She was surprised at what a good friend Chiffon had become to her. The power of motherhood was bringing them together. They had a play-date with Zoro and Pez which had been wonderful even if the kids had been more interested in their own things. Hancock had visited a couple of times and had even brought her step son, Ace, over. Ace was a year older than Zoro, but they still got well together, even if Ace would call Zoro stupid often.

Everyone were starting to talk more about her future plans. The topic of her late husband came up less and less and people seemed less pitying of her. She found herself often thinking what she wanted and were doing research on her computer from time-to-time. She wasn't exactly sure though. She didn't want to continue being a nurse and the plan of her being a stay-at-home-mom wasn't really an option anymore even if Mihawk wouldn't mind having them there for a long time. When she thought about it, it was clear that he too had changed during the past months. The wineglass had been replaced with a teacup, it was rare for her to see him drink alcohol anymore. And he was less gloomy and less restrained. He was more often smiling and seemed less uncomfortable if she touched him.
In the evenings it had become a habit for them to talk for a while. The topics varied, but they did feel comfortable talking with each other on nearly every topic. It was both relaxing and made them closer as friends.

- "I've noticed there's less of your old things around."

Mihawk remarked while writing something on his laptop. They were in his study and Perona was laying on the chaise lounge covered with a thick blanket. It was true that she had gotten rid of a lot of things. Things that had seemed important to her at the time held less value to her now.

- "I feel bad admitting this, but I've been thinking about him less often now." She looked at the ceiling and fiddled with her thumbs. "Some of those things I wanted to keep from him, I don't want them anymore."

Mihawk turned to look at her thinking what to say. She couldn't bear his silence.

- "I'm sorry." She turned to face the back of the lounge.
- "It's alright. I don't think of him daily anymore either."
- "It just makes me so sad and angry at myself." Her voice got muffled a bit as she curled tighter against the lounge.
- "Moving on is an inevitable part of life. Like how you keep going even if a grandparent dies."
- "I've never had anyone die so all of this is new to me."
- "Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Perona was four when she had been taken into the foster system. Moria did not have any living grand parents when he had adopted her, so of course she lacked the experience other kids would have. She hadn't even had any pets growing up.

- "I haven't told you, so how could you?" Perona turned back to face Mihawk. "Was it hard to have your parents die?" She flinched a bit. What a stupid thing to ask.
- "No, I wasn't that close with them." Mihawk didn't seem bothered at all by her question. "My mother died when I was young and my father never got over it. He was reluctant to have a proper relationship with me and couldn't look me in the eyes, because they're the same as my mother's."

Perona had never seen anyone with eyes like his. They were sharp like that of a hawk and it felt like they changed from golden to red with the lighting.

- "I think your eyes are beautiful."

Mihawk looked at her surprised and turned back to his laptop. He rubbed his face lightly. Was he blushing?

- "Anyway he finally decided to take his own life. Didn't even get to see his grandson, old fool." 

There was resentment in his voice and she could see how similar her situation was to Mihawks father's. When he had said that he had helped her only for Zoro, this must have been the reason behind it. He had wanted them to avoid the same end result.