Try Begging

Episode 176

"Oh, is our daughter upset?"

Grace held Ellie in her arms. Unlike the crying child, the mother had a smiling face.

The child especially hated elevators. He seemed to be afraid of the room making loud noises and shaking. The feeling of being lifted up and then suddenly sinking down was also strange.

But, it would be impossible to walk up the stairs from the F floor where the entrance is to the C floor with a stroller. So, when I got on the elevator, Ellie burst into tears as expected, and even after getting off, she continued to whine all the way to her room in the hallway.

"Woah-. Abu-."

Grace held back a laugh as she patted the baby, who was whining in frustration that the mother she had trusted had taken her away from the jaws of that scary monster.

"Yeah, were you scared? The elevator was bad."

Mom is not bad.

Anyway, Ellie didn't seem to be feeling well, so she didn't lighten up easily. I thought showing her the outside might make her feel better, but there were no windows in the room.

"Ellie, should we go and wave to the people?"

Thinking about it, I suddenly remembered my childhood. I used to play near the railroad bridge over the river next to the village, and when a train passed by, I would wave to the people leaving. I was amazed and envious of those who went out into the bigger world.

My nose started to sting again. After going on a long journey, Grace had become the adult I envied.

"let's go."

I took the blanket out of the stroller and wrapped Ellie in my arms. I put the scone I had dropped on the pillow back into the baby's hands. While I was distracted, I put the bonnet back on her, which she had taken off in the elevator while getting irritated. It must be windy outside.

I came out into the hallway with Ellie in my arms and my handbag slung diagonally over my shoulder.

Where should I go?

When I went to the central hall of the corridor, there was a guide posted on the wall. The inside of the passenger ship was strictly divided into rooms, not only the rooms and the dining room, but also the promenade deck.

Grace, who had decided to go to the S-floor, the highest of the second-class decks, started climbing the stairs. As she did so, she asked herself a question in her head.

'Where should I stay when I get to Columbia?'

Having safely passed one hurdle, it was time to think about the next one. While I was thinking about various options, an address suddenly flashed through my mind.

The last night I spent in the annex, the address written on the penthouse catalog the man gave me. The address that ended in the United States of Columbia.

"Ha... You did a good job..."

Grace tried to laugh heartily, but the sarcasm quickly wore off, and she gritted her teeth.

What do you know? I will never set foot in that area.

At first, I had no choice but to stay at a hotel. That man would definitely be watching Aunt Florence, so I couldn't go to her.

I'll need to find a place to live within at least a month.

Will I have to flip through countless newspapers again? Grace's eyes sharpened as she circled the stairwell, hoping that she would never have to go all over that large piece of land.