Ula was cleaning the dishes, as Laken was trying to help despite not being able to even reach the counter.
"Hey, why don't you go play with your toy?" she tried to get him to leave.
"I want to be like Pa! He helps everyone!" he smiled, as he tried to grab a cleaned plate.
"Pa would want you to go play with a toy, or do you want to see Hops?" she cleaned her hands.
"Hoppy!" he giggled, as she got him ready and gave him a coat to put on.
"Let's go then." she fixed him up, as she brought him outside, during a light snow shower.
Their steps crunched the frozen ground, as they moved to the apartment complex where the others were still living in. Moving up the steps, she made sure Laken didn't trip as they reached their door. She knocked it lightly before Fonda opened it.
"Hops and Brat are getting groceries. And I'm sorry about what happened to Jamal." she began to look down, before seeing Laken.
"Yeah, I, um, just wanted to see if you can watch Laken for a bit. I need to figure some things out, and quietly if you don't mind."
"Fon-Fon!" he smiled, as he rushed up to her legs.
"Hey, Laken!" she smiled, before looking back at Fonda, "I can watch him, don't worry about it. You or I can get him back to you safely. Be careful out there Ula."
Ula just smiled, as the door closed and she just stood there for a few seconds before making her way back downstairs. She sighed, as she returned to ground level thinking about herself in her prime. She hadn't practiced in years, really since having Laken. Perhaps she could get herself back up to speed.
As she reached the cabin steps, she opened the door to still see the ring Jamal got her. She began to grab it, before feeling the cold air seep into the cabin. Ula closed the door, before sliding down on the floor, looking at what he got. She let herself get too soft. This wasn't her.
She stifled a few tears, before getting back up. No, she wouldn't be like this, and she had to believe he would come back. Now, it's time she got her life together again.