OMI 19

Nurtured and Connected

“Élair, Fraise said he wants to introduce us to someone. He’ll bring them on the next vacation.”

While tending to the garden that evening, Lumière told me this with a hint of excitement.

“Fraise? Then we must tidy up the room. And I should make his favorite beef stew.

“He even contacted us in advance and is bringing someone… It must be something special, right? I wonder who it is.”

“It could be a friend. Let’s not jump to conclusions until we meet them. But it’s sudden. I haven’t heard anything about him having a compatibility meeting recently.

Fraise is Lumière and my first child.

We were not blessed with children for five years after our marriage.

Among couples of Alpha and Omega, who are said to conceive easily, it took us quite a long time.

The main problem was my body.

Although it was a youthful indiscretion, I deeply regretted it later. You should never take unknown drugs.

Lumiere always believed that the affairs of life were beyond human control, and he remained calm.

He probably wanted children much more than I did, but his calmness was a great comfort to me.

Later I learned that he didn’t mind continuing our time together, just the two of us.

So we had a lot of time together.

As promised, we traveled a lot and even went abroad.

The world is vast and there are many beautiful sceneries.

We saw many rare plants wherever we went. I still love taking care of our garden. I’ve always been entrusted with taking care of our home’s garden.

At first it was just a lawn, but over the decades it has transformed into what can be called a garden. 

It’s a cherished garden, meticulously arranged so that flowers bloom in every season.

Although it’s not my profession, I sometimes create bouquets for friends on special occasions with flowers from my proud garden.

We had almost given up on having children and thought it wouldn’t be so bad to live together, just the two of us. That’s when we were blessed with Fraise.

From then on, things became difficult again.

I had a vague feeling that it would be nice as long as the child was Lumière’s. I didn’t really believe I could conceive, so the idea of another life inside my body felt very heavy.

My morning sickness was quite severe and made daily life difficult for about two months.

Lumière was very supportive during that time.

Another major concern was whether I could become a proper parent. 

With a mother I never knew and a father who sold me, could I really become a parent?

When I consulted Renard, an older Omega close in age, he laughed it off lightly.

“Don’t worry. From the moment they’re born, they’ll be the most important thing in the world. Even if you feel like you don’t love them as much as you thought you would, Lumière will love them enough for both of you. He may end up spoiling them, so you’ll need to keep things in check.”

I felt very sensitive and skeptical about all this.

However, as the Presence grew within me day by day, I felt a strange warmth in my heart.

Despite the emotional and physical turmoil, time passed and Fraise was born safely.

The day Fraise was born, I felt a deep sense of relief.

I had always thought of myself as a failed Omega and worried constantly about whether the baby would be born healthy.

I didn’t know if I could love this child, but I wanted to protect and raise it as best I could.

Fraise’s hair color was the same as Lumière’s, and his eye color was similar to mine.

Her personality didn’t resemble either of us. If I had to compare him to someone we knew, I would say he was like Renard. But in the end, this child is unique.

Three years later, we were blessed with another child. Even Fraise was considered a miracle, so I was surprised and Lumière was truly overjoyed to have another. Although Fraise never said it in front of me, I knew he wanted a sibling. 

The child we named Charles was a very easy baby who slept a lot. I was amazed at how different his nighttime crying was from Fraise’s.

They both grew up to be good children.

When their secondary sex characteristics became apparent, we found that they were both Alpha.

They grew taller than me quite early, and I felt a little sad about how quickly children grow up.

When they graduated from college and started working, most of the children moved out to live on their own. This helps them become independent and allows them to pursue relationships freely.

Fraise got a job with a government agency, following in Lumière’s footsteps.

Charles surprised us.

We thought he had a gentle and quiet personality, but he turned out to be quite determined. While in college, he applied for an exchange program and went to the neighboring country of Talpet.

He seemed to fit in well there and was seriously considering becoming a diplomat.

Most of our relatives live in the central district, so we could meet them if necessary, which made me a little worried. But I wanted to support him. Charles has a lovely personality and is decisive when it matters.

It was quite a challenge to convince Lumière. He was torn between wanting to support Charles and wanting to keep him within reach. In the end, we both sent him off together.

Charles moved to Talpet immediately after graduation and began living there. Within six months, he reported that he had found his soul mate.

Lumière and I were surprised, but we understood. Destined partners are mysteriously drawn to each other. Charles’ interest in the neighboring country was also part of destiny.

Since his partner, an Omega, was from Talpet, Charles officially moved there after their marriage.

Since then, we have visited the neighboring country once a year. When our grandchildren were born, it became difficult for them to come here. So we didn’t mind traveling to see our adorable grandchildren and made it a part of our travels.

◇

“I’m back! I brought him here.”

The voice of our ever-energetic son echoed, unchanged over the years.

“Nice to meet you, I’m glad to finally meet you.”

At first glance, I could tell that the boy next to him was an Omega. He had a gentle aura that seemed to complement Fraise perfectly.

It seems that Lumière’s prediction was correct. I wonder where they met.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Éclair. Welcome to our home.”

Today we’re going to hear all about it. 

Our beloved Fraise, the proof of our love, has finally found her destiny.

It was a very emotional moment. Even if Lumière and I eventually pass away and join the Goddess, these children will remain.

That is how the legacy continues.

The main story has come to an end.

If you enjoyed it even a little, I would be grateful if you could give it a rating.

I also plan to publish some side stories or short stories.