Interlude-For you are a Nishizumi Part 1

                                    

                                          
18 years ago
                          
"Awwwhhhh!" "Awwwhhhh!" "Awwwhhhh!"
                          
A baby's cry fill the bedroom, Shiho's bedroom that is, at her family's estate where she was currently living. She had been walking around the room reading reports on the accuracy shooting her observers had witnessed during Kuromorimine's training camp being held on the school carrier.
                          
Yet with the sudden crying from her infant child, that she was holding as well in her other arm, got her full attention now. She place the papers on the bed, then gave her the full attention that her infant child needed.
                          
"Oh Maho, are you mad at mommy for not giving you attention?" Shiho said with a warm smile down at her daughter.
                          
"Awwwhhhh!" "Awwwhhhh!" "Awwwhhhh!"
                          
"I'm sorry sweetie, you have mommy's attention now. What do we need?"
                          
"Awwwhhhh!" "Awwwhhhh!" "Awwwhhhh!"
                          
Shiho didn't smell that her infant needed to be change. She had also just breastfed her a few moments ago and she wasn't due for another nap for a little bit. That left Shiho in a bind as to what to do to calm her child.
                          
That's when she notice that Maho's hands were reaching out as if they were searching for something. Shiho knew she should bundle her infant up to help calm them, yet she had a special reason she didn't do this. Knowing now what her infant daughter wanted, she walk back over to the bed and sat down.
                          
She then lower Maho down to her stomach area. Doing her best to support her infant's neck, she turn Maho over a bit. Instantly the infant grab at the fabric of her shirt, gripping it tightly in her little hands. Shiho knew Maho wasn't just grabbing the fabric mindlessly, she was reaching out for the little life growing behind it. Maho was soon calm, being near her unborn sibling was what the little one had wanted.
                          
"Can't believe you know you have a little sibling on the way already," Shiho said down to her infant daughter.
                          
She remember the first time she had done this, Maho had been crying uncontrollably one night, no matter what Shiho try to do to calm her down. Yet when she became so tired and allow her child to rest against her stomach, she became calm, especially when she grabbed at the area. Since then, whenever Maho began to cry while waving her arms, Shiho put her against her stomach to be near her future sibling.
                          
"There, do you feel better?"
                          
A little gurgle escape Maho's lips, making Shiho chuckle, then felt like having a pretend conversation with her daughter.
                          
"So what's the final word? Boy or Girl?"
                          
A little gurgle escape the infant's mouth, a girl.
                          
"How can you be so sure?"
                          
A longer gurgle, just because I can.
                          
"Yet your daddy wants a boy."
                          
A long gurgle, I don't care, I want a sister.
                          
Shiho chuckle at that statement. "I am going to tell him you said that."
                          
Another long gurgle, don't you dare!
                          
"Fine, fine, it will be our little secret. Just between us girls," Shiho said.
                          
Her comment seem to satisfy her infant daughter, who now stop gripping her shirt, then look up at her. Shiho smile down at her daughter then brought her up to her breast. Then began to gently sway her body left to right, while softly humming a lullaby. Maho slowly close her eyes, at peace in her mother's arms.
                          
Once her baby was appeased and sleeping soundly, Shiho gently rose from her bed and put Maho in the crib. Shiho smile once more at her sleeping child, then went back over to pick up the reports to begin her pacing around her room once more as she analyze the reports thoroughly.