“I’m reading the news, and it sure looks bad,” Ella said with a heavy sigh, letting the tablet slip a little in her hands as if the headlines themselves weighed her down. Outside, the first hints of autumn were already creeping in—cool air threading through the open window, carrying the scent of damp leaves and the faint metallic tang of approaching rain.
“We are getting fall weather and I haven’t even started on coats yet,” she went on, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Do I go with faux fur this year, or should I splurge on alpaca wool?” Her inner designer, never one to stay quiet, was already sketching imaginary textures and silhouettes in her mind’s eye.
“I was making this duckling-yellow coat for Dandelion,” she added, her voice warming with a sudden burst of maternal pride. “My god, she’s growing up so fast. Can you believe she is already five and a half?” The words tumbled out like a secret she still couldn’t quite believe herself.