Meanwhile, Elena was having trouble choosing fabrics for her baby.
Bright colors and soft textures surrounded her, but none felt quite right.
She picked up several pieces, running her fingers over the material, but nothing matched her vision for her little one.
With nothing else to do for now, as everyone told her to rest, she focused on her pregnancy.
The baby had come during a chaotic time, full of uncertainty and challenges.
However, since the baby was already on its way, she promised herself to treasure it.
She wanted to create a warm and loving environment for the baby, regardless of the circumstances.
"Baby, what fabric do you want? Come talk to Mom again," Elena said gently, caressing her belly.
Elena held up the green fabric and felt a faint warmth radiating from her belly.
"You want green? Alright. How about orange?"
There was no warmth in response. "Not this one then."
A faint warmth was released again.
"Alright, what about this purple?"
Once more, she felt a gentle warmth.
"You chose three colors in total, baby."
Just as she was having a moment with her baby, someone suddenly burst into the room, speaking excitedly.
"Sis Ewe, I wike this pink color! Hmm, maybe the baby doesn’t like it. Can I have it?" Little Mia asked, pointing to a soft pink fabric.
Elena smiled at her enthusiasm.
"How do you know the baby doesn’t like it?" Elena asked, curious about her reasoning.
"The baby is a boy; he doesn’t wike pink," little Mia replied confidently, her small hands on her hips. It was a gut feeling she often thought about.
At one point, she and her brother Ethan had argued about the baby’s gender, which had left Elena feeling helpless.
Elena couldn’t help but laugh at Little Mia’s serious expression.
"Alright, this pink fabric is yours. What do you want to make with it?" she asked, enjoying the little girl’s cute antics.
"A flowery dwess, like Pwincess Flowy," Little Mia suggested, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at the beautiful fabric.
"I’ll tell Grandma Ford to make the dress you want, but you can only wear it inside Paradise," Elena replied, aware of the need for caution outside.
"I pwomise, Sis Ewe," Little Mia said, her face lighting up joyfully.
Elena understood that indulging her wasn’t practical, especially in an apocalypse.
They had to be careful about their resources and try to remain low-key.
If she wore this fabric, she might be kidnapped for appearing wealthy in such a dire situation.
Yet, she couldn’t help but spoil the little girl she had cared for in her past life.
Afterward, the two examined the fabric, and Elena thought of a way to teach Little Mia about colors.
"Okay! Let’s learn some colors while we pick some for you and your friends," Elena said, ready to share her knowledge.
"If we choose a fabwic for ourselves, what about the baby?" Little Mia asked, her brow furrowing with concern that no fabric would be left for the baby.
"Don’t worry, I still have some, and I will choose for the baby myself," Elena reassured her.
Elena then showed Little Mia various colors to help her learn, and the little girl eagerly tried to guess them.
At three years old, she already knew basic colors, could count numbers, and recognized letters.
By next month, she would turn four. To celebrate her birthday, Elena had planned a small surprise party.
She smiled, proud of how the young girl thrived under her care. She felt a deep connection to Little Mia, as if their destinies were intertwined.
"What color is this?" Elena asked, holding up a maroon fabric.
"I... Sis Ewe, this is so hard," Little Mia protested.
The color looked red, but not quite right, and she couldn’t remember the name.
"Try to remember. We’ve learned this color before," Elena encouraged, allowing her to touch the fabric.
Little Mia focused on the color, thinking hard.
’Why can’t I remember?’ she wondered, feeling a bit frustrated.
"Sis Ewe, it’s... Hmm, I think it’s red," Little Mia said, unsure of herself.
"It’s close, Little Mia. Try again," Elena replied gently.
"But it’s red," she insisted, her brows furrowing in concentration.
Elena sensed her frustration as she tried to guess the color.
"Alright, this is maroon," she said with a smile, then picked up a red fabric. "And this one is red."
Little Mia intently looked at the two fabrics and replied, "Sis Ewe, they look the same."
"That’s why you have to be observant," Elena explained, wanting to teach her the importance of paying attention to details.
Little Mia then shared her worries, "Sis Ewe, do you think I’m dumb? My friends went to school while I didn’t."
She felt envious when her friends talked about school while she just listened.
"Of course not! Little Mia is the smartest kid I know. Plus, you’re not old enough for school yet," Elena reassured her, hoping to lift her spirits.
"But I want to go to school and make a lot of fwiends, like Bwother Koby and Sister Lucy," Little Mia replied, her eyes wide with hope and longing.
"Alright, we’ll build a classroom here in Paradise," Elena promised, wanting to fulfill her dreams.
"Yay! You’re the best, Sis Ewe!" Little Mia cheered, her energy returning as she clapped her hands in delight.
Elena smiled, seeing her back to being energetic. "Let’s continue to learn colors, then."
They were both engrossed in their conversation when suddenly, Elena heard a [DING] sound in her head.
"Elena, the boy you wanted to investigate a while ago is here at the shop, crying non-stop," Lydia informed her through her [Telepathy ]skill.
"His mom is sick, and now he’s dragging me to look for her. What should I do?"
"Is his mom unable to stand or walk anymore?"
"Yes, that’s the gist, but his words are all jumbled. It’s hard to understand."
"Alright, wait for me then. I’ll talk to the boy."
She first instructed Little Mia to play with Poochi and her friends, as she would be busy now, and then vanished from the space.