The Magic Guild: The Second Wish
"Mommy, why's Auntie Mia's tummy getting bigger?" Rachel asks as she looks around the soon-to-be nursery.
"Because Auntie Mia's going to have a baby," Jessica tells her daughter, looking at the available space for the furniture and paging through a catalog while the Guildmaster was looking through her things.
"Didn't know Auntie Mia's tummy was gonna get bigger," the toddler states.
"That's where the baby is, sweetheart," her mother says.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Can I see, Auntie Mia?" Rachel asks.
"There really isn't anything to see or feel, Rachel," Mia says. "But I'll let you try to feel kicks as soon as I start feeling them."
"Which should be in another month or two," Jessica adds.
"That's too looooooooooooooooooooong," Rachel says.
"Tell me about it," Mia says, softly giggling.
Right about there, Mia's hand, rummaging in one of her boxes from Milliways, has run into a stone. One she hasn't seen in years. Her wishing stone. And she still has two wishes left on it. She pockets it and continues to look in the box.
"What's that?" Rachel asks her.
"A trinket," Mia answers.
"Trinket?"
"A little something that I like."
"Can I see your trinket?"
"No, sweetheart. I don't want it lost."
"But I wanna-"
"Rachel," Jessica interrupts. "Listen to Auntie Mia."
"But Mommy....."
"Rachel, it's Auntie Mia's trinket. Auntie Mia said no, so she means no."
"But-"
"Rachel."
Jessica is now quite firm and on level with the child.
"If you are disrespectful to your Auntie Mia, we will go home right now. Now tell Auntie Mia that you're sorry for not listening to her answer."
Rachel, who certainly didn't want to go home just yet, looks down at her feet and mumbles, "'m sorry."
"Now give Auntie Mia a hug."
Rachel clamps onto Mia's leg for a moment before returning to her playing.
"Sorry about that, Mia," Jessica says.
"It's all right, Jessica. I know Rachel's just curious. I'm sure I'll have to get used to it myself, eventually."
"I'm sure you were an angel of a kid," Jessica tells Mia.
Mia giggles and goes, "Oh what, like you?"
"As far as Dad knew."
Then both women burst into full, deep laughter.
"What's so funny?" Rachel asks.
"Nothing, sweetheart," Jessica says, giving the toddler a hug.
"Will you stay for dinner?" Mia asks them.
"Sounds good," Jessica says. "Here, I'm going to make sure Rachel won't need a potty break during dinner. Let's go, sweetheart."
The two de Alkirks go into the apartment's bathroom, leaving Mia to herself for a moment.
She takes out the wishing stone again, running her thumb over it thoughtfully. Two more wishes... She rubs the soft curve of her stomach with her other hand as she contemplates and her thoughts go to her baby.
And then, all of a sudden, Mia remembers what will eventually have to happen with her and her baby. The matter of birth has never been sold to her as a pleasant thing. Pretty much every mother she's talked to about birth has admitted that it's painful. Pain isn't something she's afraid of, but she's kind of seen what the pain of birth has turned women into. She doesn't really want that for herself.
So she holds the stone and she concentrates, using her second wish in what she hopes isn't an entirely greedy way.
I wish for a mostly painless birth both for my progeny and me.
Surely she can bear a little pain. And if she's willing to suffer some, perhaps the wish will be seen as more reasonable. Mia's not sure if it even worked, but it's still something of a comforting thought.
Mia puts the wishing stone in one of her jewelry boxes just as Jessica and Rachel return to the room, hand in hand.
"Time for dinner?" Rachel asks.
"Sure," Mia says, reaching to take her niece's other hand. "Let's go together."