"But why ske-tch them...you can direc-tly... stitch them, right?" Milo asked, his voice hesitant, looking at her sketch with wide, unsure eyes. His hands covered half his face, clearly trying to avoid fully looking at the "naked ghost body."
"No... No... Need to draw a n-naked ghost body, it’s improper to draw that!" he exclaimed, his voice high-pitched, as if he’d just seen something scandalous. His entire face turned beet red, and it looked like he might run out of the room any second.
Ruby raised her brow, finding his awkwardness amusing. She leaned back slightly, arms crossed. "Little Milo, it’s just a drawing. I’m not looking at an actual person without clothes. Designers do this all the time to get their ideas right."
"Wh-what’s a designer? And why can’t you make cloth directly? Why do you need this n-naked ghost thing?" Milo stuttered as he nervously glanced at the sketch again but quickly looked away.
He’d never had formal schooling, and concepts were completely new to him.
Ruby sighed, but her tone softened as she saw his confusion. She knew Milo wasn’t educated about such things. "A designer," she began patiently, "is someone who creates ideas for how something will look—like clothes. Designing is the first step in making something beautiful and functional."
"But... why sketch? Can’t you just stitch it?" he asked again, his voice hesitant as if he felt too stupid to understand but still wanted to know.
"Okay, listen," Ruby said, her voice encouraging. "Imagine stitching a piece of fabric without a plan. What if it turns out bad? Once fabric is cut or sewn, you can’t undo it. Fabric is expensive, Little Milo, and mistakes waste time and materials. But when you sketch first, you can fix mistakes on paper. If something doesn’t look right, you erase it—no harm done."
Milo blinked a few times, processing her words. His gaze shifted back to the sketch, though he still looked flustered. "So... sketching helps you plan?" he asked hesitantly.
"Exactly!" Ruby nodded, pleased. "Sketching is like making a map. Once you know where you’re going, it’s easier to get there. That’s why I sketch before stitching—it’s the smart way to do things."
Milo’s face relaxed a little, though the redness didn’t entirely leave his cheeks. "But... the ghost body..." he muttered shyly.
Ruby chuckled at his persistence. "That’s called a base, Little Milo. Designers use it to see how clothes will look on a real person. It’s not improper—it’s professional."
Milo looked down, fidgeting with his hands. "I... didn’t know. Sorry for asking so many questions," he mumbled, embarrassed.
Ruby reached out and pinched his soft cheek lightly. "Don’t apologize! I like it when you ask questions. It means you’re curious and want to learn. No one is born knowing everything, Little Milo. We all learn as we grow. Even I didn’t know this stuff until I started designing."
She noticed him nodding, listening intently, and she found it refreshing. She loved when people were genuinely curious about things they didn’t know. This was the same quality she looked for when hiring for her company—someone who was always eager to learn and explore new ideas.
Milo’s face lit up slightly at her words, though he still looked shy. "You’re so smart, wife," he said softly, peeking up at her with admiration.
Ruby smiled warmly, her tone teasing. "And you’re so sweet, Little Milo. Don’t be afraid to ask me anything, okay?"
Milo nodded, his awkwardness fading slightly as he watched her go back to her work. Though he still avoided looking at the "naked ghost body." sketch, he seemed a little less nervous now.
Ruby didn’t speak afterwards, and Milo didn’t say anything either. He didn’t want to disturb his wife, and since he had nothing to do later, he stayed by her side and watched her draw strokes. It was very interesting to him, the way her hand moved with such fluidity, creating shapes and lines that he couldn’t quite understand but felt drawn to. He found himself completely absorbed in watching her work.
The bed, though, was so soft. Milo shifted slightly, feeling a warmth spread through his body as he sank deeper into the plushness of the mattress. His mind drifted to the memory of how he’d bounced on the bed back at the shop, his face turning slightly red at the thought. He still felt embarrassed, recalling that moment now.
As Ruby continued sketching, she was very focused, and Milo’s eyelids grew heavy.
He blinked a few times, trying to stay awake, but the soothing rhythm of her drawing, combined with the soft cloud bed beneath him, made it hard to keep his eyes open. He tried to resist, but with each blink, his body grew more and more relaxed, until the urge to sleep became overwhelming.
Unable to fight it any longer, Milo finally gave in, allowing his eyes to close gently. His breathing slowed, his body nestled deeper into the bed, and he drifted off to sleep beside Ruby.
Ruby noticed the faint sound of Milo’s steady breathing and glanced over. He had fallen asleep, his head slightly tilted, and his body leaning back on the soft bed. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she shook her head lightly.
"Really, Milo?" she muttered under her breath, but there was no annoyance in her voice—only amusement. She set her notebook aside, gently guiding him to turn so she could sleep more comfortably. With a soft sigh, she adjusted his position and placed a pillow under his head.
She continued sketching quietly, letting her strokes fill the silence of the room. It felt peaceful having someone nearby, even if he wasn’t talking. It had been a long time since she had someone silently supporting her, and though he wasn’t doing anything, his presence felt comforting.
After finishing a draft of her third sketch, Ruby stretched her arms and turned back to look at him. His lips were slightly parted, and his chest rose and fell in a soothing rhythm.
—To be continued...🪄