My Hockey Alpha

Chapter 0509

She looked at me, her eyes softening. "Oh, Nina, you don't have to-"

"I want to, mom."

She smiled, a beautiful, genuine smile that I had only seen a handful of times in my life-and it seemed to be more so lately. "Thank you, darling."

As we left the salon, I felt a little lighter. The world outside seemed a little brighter, the sky a little clearer, and my heart, well, it was brimming with a newfound joy. It was a day of firsts, a day of beginnings, and I knew it was a day neither of us would ever forget.

"So, darling," my mom asked as we headed back to the car, "do you have any gender preference? A boy, perhaps? Or maybe a little girl?"

Her question took me by surprise.

"I um, really thought about it, Mom," I said, swallowing. "I'm just hoping for a healthy baby."

She looked at me, her eyes searching mine. "With your endometriosis, how are the doctors feeling about this pregnancy?"

I sighed. "It's high-risk, as expected. I'll likely have to be monitored closely."

My mother nodded, her face dropping slightly. "I understand, Nina. But it's okay to be hopeful, to plan and dream a little. It doesn;t make the potential pain any less, but it might make the present moment a bit brighter."

As we walked toward the car, we passed by a children's clothing store and stopped in front of the window, where a display of baby dresses was arranged on tiny mannequins. The fabrics looked soft and delicate, and made my heart swell and retract at the same time. My mother pointed at a little pink dress with pink roses embroidered along the hem.

"That would look adorable on a little girl," she said softly, her eyes searching my face.

"I've always loved roses," I said. I glanced up, locking eyes with her. "But mom, isn't this all a bit premature? What if-what if something happens?"

I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. Her expression faltered, the joy that had been building in her eyes dimming like a flickering light.

"You're right," she said, her voice tinged with sadness. "It's just... I'm so excited for you. But I understand why you want to be cautious."

The weight of the moment hung between us, heavy and palpable. We stood there, surrounded by the laughter and chatter of other shoppers, but our own world felt narrow and quiet.

"Let's get some tea," I suggested, pointing up ahead at a cafe sign.

My mom nodded, and we made our way to the cafe. As we sat down, the aroma of freshly brewed tea enveloped us, a small but comforting sanctuary when I needed it the most.

My mother took a sip of her lemongrass tea before setting her cup down and looking at me with a soft intensity.

"Nina," she began, her voice waveringly steady. "I know this is a delicate time for you. I can't pretend to understand exactly what you're going through, but I want you to know that whatever happens, I'm here for you."

I looked down, my eyes blurring as I fought to hold back tears. "Thank you, mom. That means more to me than you can possibly know."ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

She reached over and took my hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "You're my daughter, adopted or not. I know our relationship has been rough, but I want to make things better. I want to be better for you."

My throat tightened at her words, and for a moment, all the complexities, the fears, and the what-ifs seemed to

fade away, leaving just us here, mother and daughter. I didn't realize how much I really needed this.

"Thank you, mom," I murmured, squeezing her hand back. "Let's be better for each other. Deal?" "Deal."