Try Begging

Episode 183

When I came out of the bathroom after roughly combing my hair and changing into only my wet underwear, Ellie was already ready to go out and waiting for her mother in front of the front door.

While Grace put on the coat hanging on the wall, Ellie carefully covered the five dolls in the toy cart with blankets, even mimicking her mother's speech.

"It's cold. If I go out like this, will I catch a cold?"

The mother and daughter's first routine each morning was to go to the bakery across the street to buy bread, as Ellie would never eat bread that was more than a day old. Every morning, Ellie would take her favorite dolls in a toy cart, like a mother taking a walk with her baby in a stroller.

"let's go."

The front door opened and the clattering sound of a small cart being dragged echoed through the apartment hallway. As she took the elevator down to the first floor, Grace looked down at the small head wearing a fur hat and smiled happily.

Just two years ago, a child who was so scared of elevators that he cried and said the world was going to end for him is now reaching for the lever and saying he will pull it.

"When I was a baby, I cried and said it was so scary."

How cute it was to hear her babble as if she was complaining. When I brought up the subject again today, like an old man living in old memories, Ellie raised her head and became upset.

"Don't look up!"

"Really? You didn't cry? Then who was the baby that cried back then?"

Grace teased the child more, pinching his cheek as he rolled his feet.

"Ellie is not a baby anymore."

"Really? Isn't that Ellie's baby?"

"No, no. The baby is here."

Ellie pouted and pointed to the dolls sitting closely together on the cart.

"It's a shame. Mom liked grown-up Ellie, but she also liked baby Ellie."

This time Grace stuck out her lips and muttered. At that moment, the turquoise eyes looking up at her wavered, and Ellie hugged Grace's legs tightly and hung on.

"Ellie is a big baby."

Grace picked up her 30-month-old daughter, who was too big and heavy to be a baby. She patted her on the back and whispered to her as if she were a baby.

"My baby, don't grow up too fast."

I was both proud and sad to see her bravely step forward to buy bread on her own. It reminded me of myself when I was younger. I know it's an excessive worry, but I was suddenly afraid that my daughter would follow in my footsteps of growing up too early, wanting to be loved by adults.

Grace pressed her cheek against Ellie's soft cheek and repeated it like a spell.

You stay a baby, because I still love you.

"Hello."

Today, too, a little girl entered the bakery, holding a toy cart in one hand and her mother's hand in the other. The owner, who was just taking out freshly baked bread from the oven, greeted the mother and daughter with a smile.

"The little girl is our first customer today."

As usual, the woman picked up a handful of almonds stewed in sugar and cinnamon from the display case and gave it to Ellie as a gift.

"Have a day as sweet as this almond."

"Wow-."

"Thank you, I should do it."