Fate: Ideal Balance

Hawk - 1 month old

Egret cradled Hawk in her arms. The newly born giggled, grasping at her hair and making Egret smile. She tucked his tiny arms back into the blanket wrapping his body and lay him down in his crib. He whined a little, struggling to escape his restraints and free himself.

Egret chuckled and stroked his short fluffy dark brown hair. “Be careful, little one. You don’t want to hurt yourself,” she whispered softly.

She hummed a soft lullaby as she rocked his crib gently back and forth. Hawk’s eyes slowly fluttered closed.

“You’re going to do great things when you grow up. I can’t wait to see the man you become,” she hummed. She kissed his forehead. “Goodnight, my little Hawk.”

~~~~

Hawk - 3 years old

Egret sat in the nursery reading a booklet about motherhood. It had been recommended to her by her doctor, and she could use all the help she could get.

“Mooom!” a child’s voice chimed from the hallway.

“In here, dear!” she called back, smiling.

The door swung open and Hawk scampered into the room. He ran to her side and placed his tiny hands on her leg, hopping up and down in preemptive excitement.

“I’m huuuungry! Can I have a snack?” he whined.

“But you just had lunch!” she laughed. “If you’re still hungry we can go make you another sandwich.”

Hawk shook his head fervently. “No, m’not hungry for sandwiches. I want a cookie!”

Egret closed the booklet and placed it on the table beside her. “You remember that those are only for after dinner, right?”

Hawk pouted, crossing his arms across his chest and sticking out his lower lip. “But I want it now.”

Egret leaned down and whispered to him, as if to tell him a secret. “You know, I would get you one myself but,” she leaned back in her chair and put her hand dramatically to her face, “I just can’t move while carrying your little sister!”

Hawk looked down at Egret’s belly. He didn’t understand it, but she was in her third trimester. He did understand that there would be a new addition to the family soon. He placed his hands on her stomach and furrowed his brows, focusing as if trying to understand what was happening by himself.

“What’ll she be like?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Egret smiled. “That’s part of the fun. It’s like a Christmas gift! You don’t know what it is till you open it.”

“But you know it’s a girl!” he retorted.

Egret laughed. “Well we did cheat a little and take a peak.”

Hawk’s eyes widened and he moved his hands around her belly searching for something. “How’d you get in!?”

Egret couldn’t hold back a loud laugh. She picked up Hawk and placed him on her knee. He squinted down at her stomach next to him. He furrowed his brows again - he did that a lot.

“I want a brother,” he finally demanded.

“That’s not how that works, sweetheart,” she chuckled. “Maybe the next one will be a boy!”

Hawk crossed his arms again and glared at her belly like it had offended him. Egret smiled. He was so cute when he was frustrated.

“... Are you going to stop loving me when she comes home?”

Egret’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Of course not, Hawk! I love you so much, and having another child won’t change that.”

Hawk stuck out his lower lip.

“Hey,” she hummed, “I’m craving something sweet now. Why don’t we see if we can find some dessert to snack on.”

Hawk’s eyes lit up and he hopped out of her lap.

Egret groaned quietly as she stood, placing a hand on her belly, before following the excited child to the kitchen.

~~~~

Hawk - 3 years old

Kestrel - 1 month old

“Why’s she crying?” Hawk asked, squinting at the newborn in his mother’s arms.

Egret cradled Kestrel, rocking her in her arms and hushing her cries. “Everything is new to her. It’s all so big and scary to her,” Egret explains.

“I’m not afraid of anything,” Hawk states proudly, holding his chin up in the air.

“Oh?” Kestrel’s cries were fading into small hiccups. “What happened to being afraid of spiders?”

Hawk’s shoulders shot up rigid, but he turned his head away. “No! Not afraid.”

“Thunder?”

Hawk’s brows furrowed again. “Nu uh.”

“Little sisters?” Egret inquires, kneeling down and holding his little sibling in front of him.

“I told you I’m not afraid of anything!” He insisted, stomping his foot and turning away from her, head still held high.

Egret chuckled. “You’re still afraid I’m going to love her more than you?”

He whirled around on his heel and held out a finger as if to scold Kestrel. “Listen, baby. I’m mom’s favorite! You can’t take her from me, okay?”

Kestrel grabbed Hawk’s finger. Hawk went rigid.

“Her name is Kestrel,” Egret giggled, “and she can’t understand you yet.”

Hawk hummed thoughtfully. “I’ll just tell her again later!”

“Well, I expect you two to get along okay? She’s your sister after all.”

“... I still want a little brother,” he pouted.

“Of course,” Egret smiled, “I’ll get to work on that.”