Try Begging - Chapter 174.1
As Grace stepped outside, she paused.
“Hee—”
She watched as the child, happily sucking on a piece of apple given by the registration staff, smiled brightly.
Elizabeth.
It was too long to call out. She pondered.
What could she shorten it to? Ellie, Beth, Betty, Lizzie, Lisa… Grace bent down to match her eye level and tried calling out each nickname.
“Ellie?”
The child, who had been preoccupied with the apple, suddenly looked up.
“Do you like Ellie?”
“Uung.”
Seeing the apple smeared all over the child’s face, she knew the answer wasn’t really understood, but it sounded right to her, having drifted away from the child emotionally.
“Ellie.”
It was a cute name but not too childish. It seemed like it would still work when she got older.
“It’s your name. Do you like it?”
As Grace placed the apple back in the baby’s mouth, she recalled a conversation from over a year ago.
“…How old does it have to be to travel long distances?”
Specifically, it was right before the evacuation operation, during the last check-up with that man and the doctor.
“When you say long-distance travel…”
“Enough to go far by boat.”
“In that case, around four months old…”
Grace kissed Ellie on the forehead and whispered,
“Ellie, you’re leaving here with Mommy.”
º º º
“Hiiing—”
“If you’re going to cry…”
Grace furrowed her brow and leaned toward her daughter, pointing with her finger.
“Could you cry over there?”
Before them, an overwhelmingly long line snaked like a serpent. Hidden by the crowd, the exit inspection booth at the end clearly had a turtle sitting there.
“You’re lucky to be in a stroller, Ellie. I’m jealous.”
The line hadn’t moved for several minutes. Grace took the bag she had placed on the stroller’s shelf and set it down on the floor. Wanting to avoid damaging it, she carefully perched on the edge of the bag. She brought the item back to her mouth, but the fussing started again.
“Iiing—”
Ellie had been waving her hands toward Grace, specifically eyeing the scone she was having for her late breakfast. These days, Ellie had to eat whatever Grace was having. If it was something suitable for her six-month age, that was fine, but if not, it meant sneaking bites when the child was asleep.
A plain scone should be okay.
At the thought, she broke off a piece small enough for Ellie to hold, but not so small that she could swallow it whole. When she handed it to her, Ellie’s lips immediately spread into a wide grin.
“Kyaa!”
Grace playfully squeezed the soft cheek of the child who was bringing the scone directly to her mouth.
“Such a little glutton.”
In front of Ellie stood a large bottle filled with formula that had been prepared before they lined up, still full to the brim.
“Hmm? You want to eat everything I have, right?”
“Auuu!”
With a piece of scone in her mouth, Ellie babbled away.
The child sucked on the deliciously browned yellow scone, giggling and smacking her lips, clearly enjoying it but wanting more.
Grace pinched off a small piece from the scone Ellie was holding. Whether realizing she was about to share or simply wanting more, Ellie opened her mouth wide. When she placed the small piece inside, Ellie chewed and laughed.
“Is it good?”
“Hee—”
Ellie waved her hand excitedly while holding the scone. Grace brushed off the crumbs that had fallen onto the blanket, popped a large piece into her own mouth, and kissed Ellie on the forehead as she continued to suck on the scone.
“Ellie. Our pretty Ellie.”
“Maa!”
“Mama. Say ‘Mama’.”
Ellie’s attention was entirely focused on the scone, now wet with drool.
“Hmm? Try it.”
“Bwoo!”
“No, it’s not ‘bwoo,’ it’s ‘Mama!’”
Ellie began to blow bubbles with her saliva again. Grace wiped her mouth with the bib and grimaced, which made the child smile brightly.
What could possibly be so great about this?
“Do you like me?”
It was the same question she had asked a day ago, but the feelings behind it had changed drastically in just twenty-four hours. Admitting the feelings she had been trying to deny, she realized that to this child, she was everything.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
