A month had passed.
Life at the Grimshaw mansion had settled back into its usual rhythm.
Mornings with Zarek.
Work for Izana.
Visits from Clara.
Dante pretending he wasn't attached to anyone in the family despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Everything was normal.
Mostly.
The problem was that Leah hadn't felt entirely normal for weeks.
At first, she had dismissed it.
She was tired.
That wasn't unusual.
She was a mother.
Tired came with the job.
Then came the occasional nausea.
The headaches.
The strange food aversions.
The moments where she found herself needing to sit down far more often than usual.
None of it seemed serious on its own.
Together, though...
Leah wasn't sure what to think.
So she had chosen not to think about it at all.
Unfortunately, there was one small problem with that plan.
His name was Zarek Grimshaw.
And he noticed everything.
The morning began peacefully.
Zarek sat beside Leah at the breakfast table, happily eating while holding a lengthy conversation about something only he fully understood.
"And lion say roar."
Leah smiled.
"I'm sure he did."
"And teddy scared."
"Oh no."
"Teddy brave."
"Good."
"Teddy save everybody."
Leah laughed softly.
"What a hero."
Zarek nodded seriously.
"Teddy strongest."
Across the table, Elias lowered his newspaper slightly.
"I wasn't aware the teddy bear had become a military commander."
"He save everybody," Zarek repeated.
"Of course he does."
Everything was normal.
Until the smell hit her.
Leah's smile faltered.
Suddenly, the breakfast in front of her didn't smell appealing.
It smelled overwhelming.
Her stomach twisted sharply.
The nausea appeared so quickly she barely had time to react.
Leah immediately pushed her chair back.
Zarek blinked.
"Mama?"
Leah forced a smile.
"I'm okay, sweetheart."
She stood.
Maybe a little too fast.
The room tilted slightly.
Izana looked up immediately from where he sat reviewing documents.
His attention locked onto her instantly.
"Li."
"I'm alright."
It wasn't entirely a lie.
She just needed a moment.
She quickly left the dining room.
A minute later—
Zarek heard it.
The faint sound from upstairs.
He froze.
Completely.
His spoon stopped halfway to his mouth.
The little boy stared toward the doorway.
Then toward the stairs.
Then toward Izana.
Then Elias.
His face slowly crumpled with concern.
"Mama hurt?"
The room immediately grew quieter.
Elias lowered his newspaper completely.
Izana's expression sharpened.
"No," Izana said calmly.
"But she doesn't feel well."
Zarek looked toward the stairs again.
Worry written all over his face.
When Leah eventually returned downstairs, she looked paler.
She was smiling.
But tired.
Very tired.
The moment she entered the room, Zarek abandoned breakfast entirely.
He slid off his chair and hurried over.
Leah barely had time to react before small arms wrapped around her leg.
She blinked.
Then smiled softly.
"Hello."
Zarek hugged tighter.
"Mama okay?"
The worry in his voice made her heart ache.
Leah crouched carefully.
"I'm okay, sweetheart."
"Really?"
"Really."
Zarek studied her face.
Clearly attempting to determine if she was lying.
Unfortunately, he had inherited some of Izana's ability to observe people.
Eventually, he nodded.
But he didn't look convinced.
Not even a little.
Over the next few days, things didn't improve.
Leah tried to continue normally.
She really did.
But her body clearly had other plans.
One afternoon she sat down on the sofa intending to rest for a moment.
Just a moment.
Five minutes at most.
Instead, she fell asleep almost immediately.
Zarek noticed.
Of course he noticed.
At first, he simply stared.
Mama never slept during the day.
Not usually.
He climbed onto the sofa beside her.
"Mama?"
No response.
Leah remained asleep.
Zarek frowned.
Then remembered something.
Blankets.
People always got blankets when they were tired.
So he climbed down again.
Found a blanket.
Dragged it across the floor.
Then attempted to cover Leah.
The result wasn't particularly successful.
Half the blanket missed entirely.
Most of it landed on the sofa.
But part of it covered Leah.
Which meant success.
In Zarek's opinion.
He then climbed back onto the sofa and sat beside her.
Waiting.
Guarding.
An hour later, Izana returned home.
The first thing he noticed was the silence.
The second thing he noticed was the sofa.
He stopped.
Leah slept peacefully beneath a crooked blanket.
Beside her sat Zarek.
Watching.
Protecting.
Izana approached quietly.
Zarek immediately looked up.
"Da-da."
Izana knelt slightly.
"What are you doing?"
Zarek pointed.
"Mama sleeping."
"I can see that."
"Mama tired."
The concern in his voice made Izana pause.
Because it wasn't dramatic concern.
It was genuine.
Real.
The kind that came from loving someone deeply.
Izana looked at Leah.
Then back at Zarek.
"She's alright."
Zarek nodded.
But still stayed exactly where he was.
Guard duty wasn't over yet.
Unfortunately for Leah, she had forgotten something important.
Zarek talked.
A lot.
And apparently he had decided to become her personal medical reporter.
That evening, Izana had barely walked into his office before the door opened.
Zarek entered.
Very serious.
Very determined.
"Da-da."
Izana immediately recognized the tone.
"Yes?"
Zarek approached his desk.
"Mama not okay."
Izana instantly paid attention.
"What happened?"
That was all the encouragement Zarek needed.
"Mama sleepy."
Izana nodded once.
"Mama no finish lunch."
Another point.
"Mama sit down lots."
A third point.
"Mama funny."
Izana blinked.
"Funny?"
Zarek nodded firmly.
"Funny."
The office door opened.
Leah walked in carrying tea.
Just in time to hear that part.
She stopped.
"What do you mean funny?"
Zarek pointed dramatically.
"You funny."
Leah looked betrayed.
Izana looked suspiciously close to smiling.
"Wonderful."
"You sleepy."
"I know."
"You no eat."
"I ate."
"You no."
Leah sighed.
"This is what betrayal feels like."
Zarek looked proud of himself.
He was helping.
The next day, Leah found herself sitting in the garden.
The fresh air helped.
At least a little.
She rested one hand against her stomach without thinking.
Just a natural movement.
Absent-minded.
Comforting.
She didn't even notice herself doing it.
Zarek did.
Immediately.
Because he noticed everything.
He walked over.
Climbed onto the bench beside her.
Then carefully placed his tiny hand over hers.
Leah looked down.
Confused.
Zarek looked worried.
"Mama hurt?"
Her breath caught slightly.
"No."
He glanced at her stomach.
"You keep touch there."
Leah froze.
Just briefly.
Then covered his hand gently.
"I'm okay, sweetheart."
Zarek studied her face carefully.
Searching for dishonesty.
Eventually, he nodded.
But he still looked uncertain.
The following morning, Zarek decided the situation required action.
Serious action.
Mama didn't feel good.
Therefore Mama needed help.
His solution was simple.
Flowers.
An hour later, Leah was sitting in the living room when the doors burst open.
Zarek entered carrying a large collection of plants.
Some were flowers.
Some were weeds.
One appeared to be a leaf.
And another looked suspiciously like part of a bush.
"Mama!"
Leah smiled instantly.
"What have you got there?"
"For you."
Her heart melted immediately.
She accepted the flowers.
Every single one.
"They're beautiful."
Zarek beamed.
Then climbed beside her.
Patting her arm awkwardly.
The exact same way adults comforted him.
"Mama rest."
Leah nearly cried.
Actually cried a little.
Because he was trying so hard.
And because he loved her so much.
She pulled him into a hug.
"I love you."
Zarek hugged back immediately.
"Love you too."
That night, the mansion was quiet.
Zarek was asleep.
Lion plush secured beneath one arm.
The household had settled.
For the first time all day, Leah and Izana were alone.
Leah sat on the edge of their bed.
Thoughtful.
Tired.
Izana noticed immediately.
As always.
He sat beside her.
"What is it?"
Leah hesitated.
Then sighed softly.
"I've felt strange lately."
Izana listened.
Not interrupting.
Not rushing her.
Just listening.
"The nausea."
She looked down.
"The headaches."
Silence.
"The exhaustion."
Another pause.
"The food."
Izana's expression slowly changed.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
Leah continued.
"I don't know what's wrong with me."
Silence settled over the room.
A long silence.
Because suddenly neither of them was thinking about illness.
Or exhaustion.
Or stress.
They were thinking about something else.
Something both of them had wanted.
Something they had spoken about.
Planned for.
Dreamed about.
Leah slowly looked up.
Izana was already looking at her.
And from the look in his eyes—
he had reached the same conclusion she had.
Neither spoke for several moments.
Finally—
Very softly—
Almost carefully—
Izana said:
"...Li."
That was all.
He didn't need to finish.
Because she already understood.
And judging by the hope quietly appearing behind his calm expression—
so did he.
The room fell silent again.
Not fearful.
Not uncertain.
Just full of possibility.
And somewhere upstairs, completely unaware of the conversation taking place, a sleeping little boy dreamed about the baby sister he had been asking for every single day.
Perhaps not for much longer.