doubted that she could have done a better job herself.
“Wow! That’s really good! I can take it out for you, and we can set it
over there to dry. Do you want to do another?”
“Sure!”
They painted and colored for the rest of the morning. Taylor took a
break for lunch and she and Chloe went for a walk for exercise. After they
got back, Christina was ready with construction paper, scissors, and glue.
They made shapes and turned those shapes into pictures. When their hands
were tired from holding the scissors, Christina got out her tablet and Chloe,
who was getting tired by then, watched happily, tucked in against Christina
on the air mattress while Christina showed her how she was creating flyers
and ads for the business.
Christina wasn’t even sure when Chloe fell asleep. She just realized at
some point that things had gotten pretty quiet. She glanced down at the little
girl whose face was pressed up against her side. She was asleep basically
sitting up. Christina thought about laying her down but worried that might
wake her up. Instead, she shifted her arm, taking more of Chloe’s weight.
She’d never even held a baby before. It was a weird feeling, having
another living being pressed up tight into you. Chloe was warm. Her
breaths were even. Her thick lashes fluttered slightly but never lifted.
Christina hadn’t had so much as a pet before. Her father absolutely
wouldn’t have allowed that, even if she had lived at home and not the
boarding school. She’d never had to be responsible for another life before.
The feeling that rose sharply in her chest was a strange one. It kind of
hurt, but it kind of felt good too. Warm. Was it even a fraction of what a
mother felt, looking at her child?
Christina went on working, since it was the one thing she could do
without moving Chloe. She needed to get the materials done anyway. She
was no graphic designer, but she had some basic skills that she’d learned in
college taking a couple design and computer courses towards her business