Irreplaceable

Part 25: You can't help those who don't help themselves

Perona looked down at the mail on the kitchen table while figuring what to make of the leftovers from their yesterdays trip. There laid a letter, that had come a day before their trip, from one of the schools. She was scared to open it so she had just left it on the table. Mihawk had tried to coerce her to open it earlier, but she used the trip as an excuse not to open. Now it felt like it was time.

Carefully she opened it and let out a horrifying high-pitch squeal.

She dashed up the stairs and nearly kicked open the door to Mihawks bedroom. He was reading a book and before he could react, Perona bounced on him. She wrapped her arms around him rubbing her cheek against his and laughed. He could not fathom what had gone over her and tried removing her off of himself. She sat on his lap and waved the letter near his face while squealing incomprehensibly. He steadied the paper and read it. There was a long pause as he went over it several times his grin growing wider and wider until he eventually surprised her with an embrace.

- "Congratulations."

He laughed and squeezed her. She squeezed him back, enjoying how happy he was. Mihawk pressed a soft kiss on her cheek and looked at her so lovingly.

- "I knew you could do it."

She felt she might die from the warmth he was giving her. It felt good and made her happy.
Mihawk laughed loudly and lifted her up snuggling to her. Such good news made him forget how he was supposed to keep his distance, something he would reprimand himself later, but right now it felt so right and good, he couldn't believe how happy he was.

- "Tell Zoro the good news and I'll make you something really good."
- "Anything?"
- "Whatever you want."

Perona squealed delighted and went to hug Zoro who had been awakened by all the commotion.

- "Mommy's going to school and Pappas going to make us mille-feuille and tiramisu."
- "We don't have mascarpone." Mihawk chuckled as he followed after her.
- "I'll go buy it then!" Perona huffed.

She grabbed onto her jacket and went outside. She dashed to a nearby store and then awkwardly picked her phone.

- "Uh hey, do you need something else?"

A loud laughter from the other side made her blush deeply. Mihawk would send her a list. While she waited she sent a message to her friends.

A rain of congratulations, except for one.

- "What a surprise."

She crunched her nose at Laws message. What was it supposed to mean?

- "What do you mean?"
- "Remember when I said you would fail? I guess you didn't."
- "That's rude. Was it even a pleasant surprise?"
- "Maybe."

Why was he like this? If he wanted he could make her feel lower than dirt and it was the last thing she wanted at the moment. She couldn't really understand why he might want to make feel like that. She pushed his messages out of her mind. There was no point in hurting herself with such nonsense. 
When she returned home with full shopping bag, Mihawk smiled so happily. He was so nice and good.

Just like his son

----

The rest of the summer went so fast Perona could hardly keep up.

Endless planning with Mihawk for the time she would start school. Trying to keep up with Zoro as he grew faster and faster. Trying to teach Law some manners. Hancock and Dragon finding a house near by and moving sometime at the end of August.

Everything was so fast like last year, but not a haze. She wanted to live and feel good and her husbands passing started to be more like a bad dream she was finally waking up from. She looked forward to her new school and being able to spend more time with Hancock.