🤖✏️ Baby's First Wish

第十三話: Lessons and Experience

"Alright," Nikki began, turning to face Alice with a warm smile that seemed to chase away any lingering shadows of doubt or hesitation. Alice was a little preoccupied with pancakes that had only improved over the last few days, but she knew this had to be something worth listening to. "Today, I thought we could try something a little different. I know you've been enjoying all these activities, but I think it's important for you to also explore your own interests. Anything you might have regretted missing out on during your youth. What do you say?"

Alice hesitated for a moment, her fingers twisting together in her lap as she weighed her decision. The idea of venturing into uncharted territory was both thrilling and terrifying, sending a shiver of apprehension down her spine. But Nikki's unwavering support and gentle encouragement soothed the tempest of emotions swirling within her, and she found herself nodding in agreement.

"Okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the steady beat of her heart. "I think...I'd like to try painting."

"Painting?" Nikki echoed, her eyes lighting up with delight. "That's a fantastic idea! We can set up an easel outside, and you can paint whatever captures your imagination. How does that sound?"

"Really?" Alice asked, her eyes widening with surprise and joy. "You mean it?"

"Of course!" Nikki replied, her enthusiasm infectious. "This is your journey, Alice, and I'm here to support you every step of the way. So go on, grab a brush and let your creativity flow!"

The morning sun cast a golden glow over the garden as Alice dipped her brush into a palette of vibrant colors, her hand trembling with nervous excitement. Nikki stood beside her, offering words of encouragement and guidance as Alice looked nervously at the blank canvas before them. For all her excitement about doing something creative for a change, she wasn't sure how to start. Should she work on a background first, or the subject of the painting? She didn't know the best technique, and she realized that she had so many ideas but didn't know which of them would make the best painting, or if she would even be capable of sketching them.

"Remember, there's no right or wrong way to paint," Nikki reminded her gently, her voice a soothing balm for Alice's frayed nerves. "Just let your heart guide you, and trust in yourself."

Alice nodded slowly, and she knew it was true. In the past her learning had always been focused on understanding the right answer, but there was no right and wrong here. Just what felt right at the time. With a little hesitation she dipped her brush into the paint, and made a first line on the canvas. She didn't know which idea it was going to be yet, but she thought that she might see something in it once she had started.

With Nikki's constant reassurance, it turned out to be the right approach. Just a few minutes later, Alice found herself getting lost in the rhythm of the brushstrokes, the swirling colors melding together like a symphony of light and shadow. And as the painting slowly revealed itself, she felt a sense of pride and accomplishment welling up within her – a feeling that had been long dormant but now pulsed through her veins like liquid fire.

"I did it," she whispered, stepping back from the easel to admire her handiwork. The scene depicted a sun-drenched meadow, alive with wildflowers and dancing butterflies, and a tiny shape in one corner that might just have been a kite as the only sign of human presence in the scene. The picture was a testament to the beauty and wonder that lay hidden within her soul.

"You certainly did," Nikki agreed, her arm wrapping around Alice's shoulders in a gesture of both congratulations and comfort. "You see? You're capable of so much more than you realize. You just need to believe in yourself."

As they stood together beneath the azure sky, their hearts brimming with newfound confidence and hope, Alice knew that she was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. With Nikki by her side, she would continue her journey into the past, embracing the joys and sorrows of her youth with open arms and an unbreakable spirit.