She called Alphonse in the late afternoon. This was unusual for her because Pinako Rockbell had usually been one to leave her honorary grandsons to their own devices. She asked him how he was adjusting to living in Central City, what it was like being a "dog of the military" and if teaching alchemy at the State Military Academy was as fulfilling as he had hoped it would be. Al replied as he always did, with warm laughter and a hopeful belief that things were changing for the better in Amestris and that he was proud to continue to be a part of it. Pinako hung up the phone with an uncharacteristic wistful smile and a deep breath ragged from decades of whiskey and tobacco. She watched Aron, Winry and Edward's first child and her first great-grandchild, place a curious ear to Winry's growing belly within which lay another brand new life.
"Winry, Ed," she said at the dinner table once everyone was finished with their stew, "I want you to know I am extremely proud of you both." She said nothing more, she only excused herself from the table, puffing on her pipe all the while and sat down in her favorite rocking chair. Winry and Ed stared at puzzlingly, first at Granny and then at each other. The remainder of the evening continued as usual; Ed cleared the table while Winry got Aron ready for his bath and bedtime.
Pinako made it a point to rub Winry's belly before retiring for the night. She kissed Winry and Ed on the cheek and lingered by Aron's bedside much longer than usual before announcing with a clear sense of purpose, "I'm going to go to sleep now."
Ed and Winry listened quietly to Pinako's cane tapping up the stairs and her bedroom door opening and closing.
"Granny's been acting a little strange tonight," Ed thought out loud.
Winry folded her hands over her belly, feeling the baby stirring inside her. Her only reply was a thoughtful hum.
Just before sunrise the next morning, Winry awoke to the squeaky springing noise of Aron jumping on his bed. She yawned and rolled slowly out of bed so not to disturb her still snoring husband, shivering as her bare feet touched the cool wood floor.
Getting her "two handsome boys" ready for the day was always a noisy affair, but it didn't surprise her in the least that her grandmother was able to sleep through it almost every morning. Pinako had slept through the loudest storms to ever cross the East, after all. But when breakfast was almost ready, Winry decided to go upstairs and wake Granny up.
"Granny," she said just above normal volume, slowly opening the door to her grandmother's bedroom.
She couldn't explain where the feeling came from, but a sudden sense of silent stillness struck Winry and she found it impossible to move.
"G-Granny?" she stammered a bit louder.
"Winry," Ed called from down the hall, holding their toddler on his hip. "That ol' hag gonna get out of bed today or what?"
"Yeah, o' what?" Aron mimicked.
"Hey Winry," Ed's concern showed as he approached the bedroom. "What's wrong?"
Winry swallowed hard and turned to face her husband and son. "Granny." Her voice cracked and a single tear rolled down her cheek.
"G'up, Ganny!" Aron shouted into the room where Pinako Rockbell lay silent and still.
She didn't get up.