HEJ, MY LOVE

NEW STARTER

Jonas lifted her satin nightdress and kissed her stomach, "hello there?"

Sierra giggled, "I doubt he can hear you?"

The New Year had come, and Sierra and Jonas could not keep the secret about her pregnancy. However, the confession wasn't on the order of Christmas day. The couple felt better, especially Sierra, who began to live her pregnancy differently the more the weeks passed.

Everyone was happy for them, and Sierra explained it to Leone, who wasn't sure whether it was something he needed to rejoice about. All he knew was his mother's stomach had a small stepping stone. She spoke of a baby, and Leone wondered where she would get one.

From the moment Sierra acknowledged her pregnancy, she noticed minor alterations in her body. Her stomach bloated and looked like it had a bump. For Sierra, constipation was more the culprit than the baby, who wasn't even the size of a pea at that instant.

"You said he earlier. What if it's a girl?"

"I know it's a boy."

"How? Jonas asked while staring at her stomach.

Sierra flattened his ruffled hair, "call it intuition."

The man sat up and reached for something under the bed, "happy birthday."

Sierra gave him a curious stare, "It isn't my birthday."

"It's our birthday, actually."

Sierra was perplexed, "what? Our wedding anniversary is in eleven months."

"On this same day last year, I knocked on your door, and I said I'm the father, and you replied, excuse me, you are not my father."

Sierra burst into laughter, "my goodness, Jonas, no. You haven't forgotten."

"I never will. I still see you opening the door with Leone in your arms."

"I can't believe it."

Jonas' words revived the images of their first encounter. The woman saw herself looking through the peephole of her apartment door while wondering what the man wanted.

"So," Jonas opened the box where a silver necklace and its pendant laid. He took it out, and Sierra prepped her neck by sliding her braids to the front while Jonas tied it, "here's your present."

"Jonas, I have nothing for you," the woman said.

"He counts double," Jonas replied and pointed to her stomach.

Unlike Sierra, Jonas had no doubts. He was okay with any moment to have a child as long as it happened. He wanted children, Sierra's pregnancy resulted from that desire, and he assumed it.

Of course, he could; he was wealthy and had a very comfortable situation. Having children for Jonas was anything but a hassle in that sense.

As Erik said, Jonas was over the moon, and he hoped to take his wife with him.

Jonas began to work on the baby's room design from the instant he knew. He wished Leone's room to communicate via a door with his sibling. Neither Sierra nor he wanted the children to share. There was no need.

The proud soon-to-be-father of two began to craft the toys for the child. Jonas spent hours working on everything.

Sierra watched him do it with mixed sentiments. The woman didn't doubt Jonas' resolve; it was she who was weak. Leone was six months when she got his custody. She remembered the sleepless nights and the first microwave baby bottles. The woman thought she was a lousy mother and had no faith in her skills. A year later, Sierra didn't believe she was a better mother. She still wondered if she was doing the right things, and went she thought of the incident with the swan and the police, the woman felt unworthy of the role.