The next chapter is up! Enjoy :)
It seems like after Setg-in told Thea the truth, they still continue to grow closer.
Something he was both surprised and thankful for. Mainly because a part of him still thought she'd either end up deciding to throw him out or start acting skittish around him.
But instead, it had been the complete opposite. She still converses with him, and he'll do things with her. At one point, he even mentioned he'd teach her fighting moves.
The young warrior at times still felt the need to repay her in some way. He figures offering to teach her how to fight or use weapons maybe a good way to do so.
Even so, he still promised himself that he would protect her regardless.
At the moment, they were sitting down to lunch. Thea had just made a sandwich and Setg-in was eating some of the deer he hunted and killed a little earlier.
It felt nice to be able to hunt again now that he was all healed up.
So far, he had only hunted deer. But eventually, he told her he would like to move onto hunting some of the black bears he had seen around these parts.
"Remember, no hunting red wolves. They are highly endangered and are considered protected. People have been working hard to get their numbers back up." She reminded him as they ate.
"I know. Won't hunt animals that have dwindling numbers. Will only hunt animals that are abundant." He replied.
Setg-in's English had come a long way too since he's been here.
Thea being a teacher had its perks. She was able to teach him more words and stronger sentence formations. And of course, he's quite a fast learner and appreciates the lessons.
She went to say something else, but then her phone rang.
The young woman went to pick it up and noted the caller I.D. She rolled her eyes when she realized it was her mom. And a part of her debated answering it.
But as it kept ringing, she finally gave in.
"Hey mom." She said, answering the call.
"Hey Sweetheart, how's everything going? How's schooling going?" The older woman asked.
Thea blinked a couple times, "It's summer, mom. There currently is no school."
"Oh sorry, I forgot. Funny, after visiting India and staying here for so long, I guess I forgot that school days are different there than here." Her mom said.
Thea didn't exactly get along with her mom.
The woman in every sense of the word was a gold-digging tramp. Who went through her fair share of husbands. All of them filthy rich. And with each one, all she did was flaunt 'their' money. Whether it be clothing, jewelry, boob job, or trips.
The one she was married to right now was a well-known philanthropist that traveled around the world. Something that her mom loved, because she loved seeing the world.
But Thea hated the woman because, she was always a very shitty mom who usually ignored her and never gave her the time of day.
Whenever the older woman made house calls, it was to flaunt her shit and say look what I've got or look where I'm at. And Thea hated it. Mainly because of the fact too that her mom would often criticize her for living the working middle class life.
The older woman believes that her daughter should've done what she did. Find a wealthy man to marry and have all that money to her disposal to do with as she wishes.
And in return, all she had to do was be eye candy, and look good on her rich husband's arm.
But when Thea turned out to be nothing like that, her mom was constant with the criticizing remarks. It always the same. How she will never find the right man with her attitude and live the life she deserves.
When in truth, she was living the life she's always wanted.
She was a successful teacher and had her own home. And while Thea knew she still hasn't had much luck with men recently, she was not concerned. Because she knows eventually, she will find the right one to settle down with.
"So, what are we going to be talking about during this random call?" Thea says, rather sarcastically.
"Adjust your tone, young lady. I'm merely calling up to check up on you. As any mother would for her child." The older woman replied.
Setg-in could feel the tension starting to come off of the young woman.
This was a first he was hearing her speak to her bearer. But then, he never really asked her about her family. Nor has she ever really brought them up.
"Yeah, and how many drinks did you have this time before calling?" Thea quipped.
"Thea Marie Aschettino, that's no way to talk to your mother! I'm calling because I miss you and haven't talked to you in a while. The last couple times I tried calling, you didn't answer." Her mother pointed out.
"Because one time, I was in the shower. And the second time, I was busy making dinner." Thea replied.
"But you still could've called back, and you didn't. Why?" Her mother inquired.
Thea closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.
"Because the last several times you called, all you did was criticize me for my life choices. And it pissed me off. I don't know how to convey to you anymore that I'm nothing like you.
I don't want to live in luxury. I wish to live my life more freely and independently. I love my job and I've come so far in life with it. I'm living comfortably on my own. But for some reason, it still seems to be never enough for you or disappoints you.
All because I don't like living the same lifestyle you do." She said.
Setg-in was still right there at the table and could hear the conversation quite clearly between the two females. It didn't take long to realize that Thea apparently didn't get along with her bearer.
A small part of him wanted to leave the room because he felt like he was encroaching on what was menart to be a private conversation. But at the same time, Thea seems to be quite distressed from this conversation and he wanted to be there for her as support.
"You make it sound like I'm not proud of you at all. But I am. I don't mind the fact that you chose a career as a working woman. And I'm happy that you are successful and enjoy your job.
But I don't like the fact that you're all alone in that house. You're thirty-three years old. You're not going to be young forever. Have you found a man yet? Are you in a serious relationship or at least engaged?
At this point, I'm still wondering if I'll ever be a grandmother at the rate you're going. And this is what bothers me." Her mom stated.
Setg-in's keen hearing had picked up on every word that was filtering in through the phone.
And he could see, each word had stung. He could see it by the look in Thea's eyes. Especially, when her bearer had mentioned and reminded her that she had no mate and no pups.
Her bearer made it sound like she was wasting her life away by not fulfilling her duty as a mate and child bearer.
Setg-in could see, it was something that was making Thea more upset the more she heard her bearer spouting out these words. And it made him feel sorry for her. It seemed pretty clear that the older female was quite overbearing and had high priorities set for her.
"I'm not some old woman, mom. I still have plenty of time to have those things. And you need to stop bringing it up." Thea grounded out.
"Have you even been to a doctor since it happened? I've always told you that miscarriages were serious and can happen again if you're not careful..."
"Just shut up! I don't want to hear it anymore! It was one time! It doesn't mean it will happen every single fucking time!" Thea practically shouted.
Then she suddenly hung up the call.
And the young woman got up and walked over to the sink. She stood there for a moment, before Setg-in heard the faint sounds of muffled sobs.
That's when he got up and approached her.
He cautiously walked over and came to a stop behind her. Then he slowly placed a hand on her shoulder.
The young yautja wasn't sure what to expect. He thought maybe she would shy away or bat his hand away in anger. Instead, Thea turned around and lightly wrapped her arms around his narrow waist and pressed her face into his abdomen and silently cried.
Setg-in's body stiffened for a moment, not used to that kind of contact. Then he slowly wrapped his arms around her and started to purr to her.
He then placed one hand in her hair and started to lightly run his claws down the long, thick strands, in another means to comfort her.
They stayed there like that for a while. He could see she was very hurt by the older female's words. While he himself was quite shocked at what he just heard himself.
Out of all the things he learned about Thea, not once has she ever mentioned she was pregnant, nor lost a child.
But then, perhaps with ooman females, it was something they just didn't normally mention. Yautja females rarely miscarried, but it does happen sometimes. And when it did happen, the females were quite upset, and heartbroken that they lost a pup before it was even born.
"It's ok, Thea." He softly said, between purrs.
That's when she slightly pulled away and looked up into his face with her own tearstained face.
"Why? Why would she bring that up? When she knows how I feel about it?" She practically sobbed.
"Don't know. But bearer doesn't sound like good person. Sounds like she only cares about herself. Doesn't sound like good mother." He said.
"That's because she never was. Ever since I could remember, she has ignored me or didn't want anything to do with me. I was just another fancy toy for her to show off.
The only one who gave a shit about me was my biological dad. But he died when I was a small child. Ever since, mom has been through at least four husbands. And none of them ever really cared about me either.
I was shipped off to boarding school after mom married her second husband. And at that point, I was more familiar with my teachers and formed more bonds with them then I did with my mother and her husbands." Thea admitted.
She never told anyone this. Even some of her closest friends didn't know. All they knew, was that her mom was a bitch, and her real dad was dead. But that's all they really knew about her.
Setg-in was unsure what this 'boarding school' was. But it was clear her mother and the multiple mates she did have didn't look out for her or do what was best for her.
Instead, they sent her away to literally be raised by other people from what it sounded like.
Which was very strange and unheard of for him. Because with yautja, the mothers were always the sole caregivers of the pups. They cared for their offspring and provided for them.
So, to hear this, was shocking and upsetting.
It also made him realize that his ooman friend who clearly had a big heart, didn't have the best upbringing and her bearer was the opposite of her in every way.
"Sorry, you didn't have good upbringing. But you have friend now who cares about you. We are together, and nothing will change that. So don't let what she says get to you." He assured her.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Thanks, Set." She said.
He ran his knuckles lightly over her cheek, "You're welcome. But I have a question."
"What?" She asks.
Setg-in was a little hesitant to ask. But felt like he needed to know.
"You were pregnant. What happened?" He asks.
A sad look over came her. And she briefly looked away.
It was something she never liked talking about. It was just too painful to do so at times. And despite the fact it was just a natural occurrence that sometimes happened in life, she still felt guilty about it.
"Not much to say. It happened years ago. I was with a man. I became pregnant by him. By month four into my pregnancy, I lost the baby. It's...just something that sometimes happens with women. Sometimes...something goes wrong and the baby just...ends up not making it." She said.
"You...worry it will happen again?" He asks.
Thea hated to admit it, but yes, she often thought if she were to find herself pregnant again, that she could miscarry again and lose another baby.
"Yes. As much as I would like to have kids. I'm scared I may lose them again while pregnant." She admitted to him.
Setg-in tilted his head slightly.
Then he slowly reached out and cupped her cheek. She closed her eyes as he ran the pad of his thumb over the soft skin. At the same time, she felt a sense of comfort and security from this alien male.
"You're strong. Don't believe it will happen again. Don't listen to mother. You're special. Better than she will ever be. Don't let any tell you otherwise." He told her.
A teary smile appeared on her face, and she reached up to caress the hand that still rested on the side of her face.
"Thanks, Set." She said, barely above a whisper.
The smile she sent him, it left a feeling of warmth that settled through his body.
It was something new and strange. Yet, it was a welcoming feeling at the same time. He's unsure why he felt this way, whenever she gave him a big smile.
All he knew, was that he liked it. and he was happy that he was able to comfort her when she was upset.
Thea felt better too. His words made her feel better. They made her feel like she wasn't a fuck up. Like it wasn't her fault she lost her baby. It just happened.
Despite all the doctors that told her that, none of their words seemed to sink in or comfort her.
Yet, Setg-in's words seemed to make the pain lessen and truly made it feel like she wasn't at fault. It was hard to think about the fact that it just happened because it was truly not meant to be.
The man she became pregnant by was no help. She felt he wasn't ready, nor did he want the baby to begin with. Nor was he ever truly supportive of her when it happened.
Thea felt a wave of disgust and anger when he seemed relieved when she did lose the baby.
And that is when she finally did break it off with him. He was a total asshole. And at times, she felt like he didn't fully care about her. If he did, he wouldn't have kept her at a distance the whole time she was pregnant.
It didn't help either that soon afterwards, her mother spoke out of her ass by telling her that perhaps she just wasn't good enough for him.
And that was the final straw for Thea. That is why she kept her mother at a distance. Because she was just a cold and uncaring person. Who didn't see how much pain her daughter was truly in.
But Setg-in at least was showing her that someone did care. And that someone was him.
He couldn't help but feel, this ooman female was just as alone as him. And perhaps...they may have been brought together for that reason.
But whatever the reason, he was pretty glad he was here with her. And at the same time, Thea couldn't help but feel the same about him. Whenever calls like this happened, she never really had anyone to lean on afterwards.
With Setg-in here, it certainly made a world of difference.
It felt like several minutes before they finally did break away from each other. And even then, he was still there with her.
"Would you like to go for a walk after lunch? It's something that usually helps me after I have these grueling phone calls with my mother. And I would very much appreciate the company this time." She said.
"Of course." He told her.
She gave him a soft smile, her eyes brightening a bit.
It made her realize, that it was nice to have someone else living under her roof with her. And just how alone she truly was before he came. Even better that he was very understanding.
But then, so was she. And that is probably why they felt as connected as they did.
They finished their meals about five minutes later. Then the pair headed for the back door and left the house. They entered the wooded path shortly after. Both of them, just happy to have each other's company.
Until Next Time ;)