Kira walked stood in the middle of the chips aisle staring at a bag of Doritos. The music of Avenue Q played in the background softly and the smell of fresh coffee penetrated her nose. She walked to the magazine rack in the next aisle and stood next to a woman with long black hair. Kira noticed she was staring at a planned motherhood magazine with a smiling mother and child on the front. Kira picked up a large magazine called Vogue and began to search through the pages. The woman next to her said in a soft voice, Do you think that mother is really happy? Kira turned her head to the woman, startled that the woman would ask her a question. The woman repeated, “Do you think that mother is really happy?” Kira inspected the woman’s face, she was young with no signs of aging yet, she was thin and kept her lips tight together, her slender eyes were a sorrowful brown and told Kira a story. Kira rocked on her feet from side to side and answered cautiously, “Uhhh…I think she is.” The woman looked at the magazine cover, not looking at Kira and asked, “How can she be happy? What joy is there in the pregnancy or the birth? Its long, painful and afterwards you have a screaming human waiting for you to take care of it.” The woman said in a distant tone. “They can be a pain yes, but they’re worth the joy and happiness they bring to you.” “The young girl is right.” A voice said behind them. Kira turned and saw an elderly woman stand behind them, she continued, “They make your life a mixture of sweet and sour. You teach them the skills and protect them in life. You have good memories and know you raised your baby for a better future. You may have regret for some lessons that were tough but in the end you do it because you love them.” The elderly woman said with a smile filled with happiness and sorrow. The young woman looked at the light brown elderly lady and said, “How many moments of regret did you have?” She asked. The elderly woman looked to the ground and said nothing.
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