HER: Novel by Nicole Maria Navarro

New 2

5 MONTHS LATER

"Shh..shh..Thalia, I'm coming sweetie."

I walk into our bedroom, only to see her wailing with a red face. I pick her up from the baby crib that is placed next to my bed and cradle her against my chest, giving her the milk I was warming up a few seconds ago.

"There there baby girl...shhh..shh momma's gotcha." I tell her while walking towards the rocking chair. She's fast asleep for the third time today and I can finally get a few hours to myself...or so I can hope.

The birth of Thalia was when reality hit. It was an intimate birth. A bond that I knew meant everything. It happened in a whirlwind. I had already been staying in Nevada. The motel I had been staying at had a gas station right across from it. My water broke as soon as I stepped through the door. I was rushed to the hospital by an elder lady named Laura. I had stayed at the hospital a few days longer than expected. The severe bruises and scars on my skin were a concern.

Laura had stayed with me through the birth. It was awkward but it was a time where I couldn't be anymore grateful. She was a sweet woman. Concerned, yet she stayed there for me and the birth of my baby. She offered me work and in two weeks I would be helping out her husband in their family business. In the moment of time everything was all coming into place and I had finally felt as if everything would be okay.

Thalia had a head full of brown hair and eyes that mirrored my own. She was a beautiful little creature that I fell in love the moment I saw her. Our skin on skin contact was a feeling that I would remember forever and I couldn't wait to continue to spend time with the little one. My thoughts drifted me back to the past and how much love I had for Cole even if he wasn't my mate. Cole and I where together after his mate Nadia died in the middle of our junior year in high school and I was there for him.

We were friends before she had came along but she died from a surprise attack from former enemies. Me and Cole had a great relationship towards the end of our junior year and after we graduated from high school he asked me to live with him and so I did. We were distraught. Young and naive.

The first year was perfect we were the happy couple and things started going downhill from there. He drank more than anything, he talked about Nadia all the time and how he would go to bars every night and come home barely making it through the door before he would stumble onto the floor. That summer it all took a wrong turn and the pregnancy test came out positive.

I loved Thalia the second I heard her in that hospital room. She was the only thing I had left and having her here with me made me feel alive and I made it my job that I would never let anything happen to her.

She was my hope.

My one reason for life. I realized that there was nothing more in this world than cradling a child of yours in your arms. I couldn't even begin to describe it if I wanted to. I would exchange her life for mine, no matter the circumstances.

She grabbed at my thumb and I couldn't help stare at her little face. She was here, in my arms, drinking my milk. She had a persona. A tough shell that I knew would guide her through anything and I felt blessed. She would be nothing like him. She would protect and be a part of great modesty. I had been anxious. On my toes when we stayed in the hospital the week of her birth. It was never the same when I left. I had never really been, since I could remember. The hard days were past me and I now had a life with my child. Her figure stirred in my arms and I kissed the top of her head, realizing that I have given life to a little person that contained pieces of me in her.