#generation2

Not long after the birth, Hallie returned to her work with the Marine. The adjustment was not always easy, but she stepped back into her routine with the same determination she brought into everything else. While she spent her days carrying responsibility elsewhere, Tavio found his own rhythm at home.

He cared for Talani attentively, almost instinctively.

The arrangement fit naturally into the life they had built. During the peaceful hours when Talani slept in her small bed, Tavio returned to his paintings. The house often became quiet then. Brushes moved across canvas while sunlight wandered slowly through the rooms.

His work still did not bring in much money. Not yet. But Hallie remained the steady foundation beneath everything, allowing him the freedom to continue learning and improving without pressure constantly waiting behind him. Tavio appreciated that more than he often put into words.

At night, whenever Talani needed a bottle or simply wanted comfort, Tavio usually rose first. Hallie often barely had time to wake before he had already left the room with the baby in his arms.

He never treated it like sacrifice. He simply knew how much energy her work demanded. Letting her sleep a little longer felt natural to him, something done without discussion.

On Hallie's free weekends, they slowly learned how to divide time in ways that felt fair. Parenting quickly taught them that rest mattered just as much as presence. They took turns stepping away for small moments of silence while making sure neither missed the tiny things that somehow became important.

Because with Talani, even ordinary moments suddenly mattered. A sleepy smile. A strange little sound. Tiny hands reaching toward nothing in particular.

Sometimes one of them walked down to the beach in front of the house for a short while, simply to breathe and exist without crying, babbling or constant movement surrounding them. Just a few minutes alone often felt enough.

Still, they never lost themselves entirely inside the routines of parenthood. Their time together remained.

When Hallie was not spending time training, she often sat beside Tavio while he painted. Sometimes she watched silently. Sometimes she asked questions. And every single time, she reacted to his creativity with the same amazement she had shown from the beginning.

Tavio always smiled at that, because even now, after everything had changed, Hallie still looked at him as if discovering something new. And somewhere between paint-covered hands, sleepless nights and the sound of waves outside their home, life had become fuller than either of them could have imagined.

Rahmi had given me some pregnancy tests as a sort of “gag gift” before the wedding. Well, I needed some of them this morning.

After I did my business on three of them, I sat them aside on the ledge by the toilet. I washed my hands and went back to sit down on the closed toilet to wait. I set an alarm on my phone to let me know when it was time to look at the tests.

I waited and prayed. Time seemed to trickle by slowly. I thought about what if I’m not pregnant. Why was I getting sick? What could be wrong with me? But what if I am pregnant? What if I am and I lose another baby? Even though Annalise said my blood type is compatible with Caleb’s –  I worry.

My alarm went off. I read all three tests. All three tests said the same thing.

“CALEB!!” I yelled, running out of the bathroom. He appeared almost instantly.

This time, I was somehow quicker than him to say something “I’M PREGNANT!!” I declared loud enough the neighbors probably heard me. I flung myself at him in happiness.

Somehow, the moment I told Caleb my fears went away. I feel like everything is going to be okay with our baby. OUR BABY! I can’t believe it!