» The Hopper Legacy Chapter 1.5 - Then Comes… Well, You Know

Ava lay with Odin in the grass one night after she’d announced her pregnancy. The two of them had wordlessly walked outside and gazed quietly at the stars above them.

Finally, Ava spoke. “Do you think we’re going to be okay?”

The two of them had a lot to worry about. They were locked in a fierce custody battle over Lizette, who was now living in their second bedroom. Neither had any experience with infants, and though they loved her, Liz was a handful. They were beginning to become cramped in their tiny house, and though they had been saving money, they just couldn’t afford to move. Pregnancy made Ava tired and nauseous, and she disliked the monotony of maternity leave. The young couple alternated between being excited about the upcoming baby and terrified they would be unable to handle two small children.

Odin took a while to respond. “Everything will work out eventually. And even if it doesn’t, we’ll still be a family. The three of us and that little one. We will always have each other.”

Odin lightly stroked her stomach. Ava’s muscles relaxed and she dozed off on Odin’s shoulder, looking peaceful as she slept. Odin carried her inside and fell asleep with his arms around her.

They threw a low-key party for Lizette’s birthday, and a few friends attended. Heather was not invited. Ava and Odin had agreed that she was not to be allowed in their home.

Lizette grew into an adorable toddler. Ava was delighted, and she spent a great deal of her maternity leave teaching Ava skills like walking and talking. Ava and Odin noticed that Lizette seemed very drawn to her toy xylophone. Odin often joked that they had a little virtuoso on their hands.

One night, while Odin was playing with Lizette, Ava awoke from her nap on the couch. There was a pain in her belly that felt much different than the baby’s usual gentle kicks. She stood up and shouted to her husband.

“Honey, I think the baby is coming!”