Chapter 3.2

Now that the twins were almost two, she couldn’t take her eyes off them, which delayed her preparations for opening the café. Even so, she studied whenever she had time at home, reading books and learning not just how to make drinks but also how to bake cookies.  

Of course, she made mistakes at first. She burned cookies to a crisp and failed to measure ingredients properly even when following recipes, resulting in strange flavors. But as she kept trying, her skills improved. She wouldn’t say it herself, but her cookies had become good enough to share with others without embarrassment.  

She shared the cookies she baked with her neighbors, and they all enjoyed them.  

“Did you make these yourself, Leticia? They’re delicious!”  

Hearing someone compliment her cookies was touching in itself. She felt proud.  

She began experimenting with her favorite ingredients, going beyond just following recipes.  

After cookies, she tried making madeleines, and then meringues. Through this process, she learned something about herself: she enjoyed creating things and seeing the results of her efforts. Realizing this, she not only started making desserts but also took up knitting and sewing.  

“Leticia, would you like to bake cookies together sometime? It’s a hobby of mine too.”  

One of her neighbors came to visit her. It was Mia, who lived next door. Mia was a year older than her and had a five-year-old daughter named Ariel. Ariel, with curious eyes, pointed at her.  

“Pretty lady!”  

The innocent voice of the child made her smile naturally. After a moment of hesitation, she opened the door for them, and for the first time, she baked cookies with someone else.  

It was her first time doing something with a woman her age. She wasn’t sure how to act around Mia and fumbled awkwardly. But Mia spoke to her in a natural tone and behaved comfortably, putting her at ease.  

“Can I come again next time?” 

Mia asked before leaving. Leticia nodded.  

“Yes, of course.”  

“I’ll come again, Leticia.”  

She thought Mia was just saying that, but the next day, Mia came back with Ariel. And the day after that, and the day after that.  

As they spent more time together, they grew more comfortable with each other. Ariel stuck close to the twins, while Leticia and Mia shared stories and their hobbies. They even exchanged cookies they had baked, giving each other feedback.  

“I’m so glad to have a neighbor my age with similar interests. And it’s even better because you have kids too.”  

Mia always brought a gift when she visited, usually dolls or toys for the children. Thanks to her, Selina, Killian, and Ariel became close friends, playing with the toys together.  

Mia was a gentle and kind person. Even when Leticia made mistakes, Mia never raised her voice or made sarcastic remarks. This made it easier for Leticia to grow comfortable with her.  

“Leticia, why don’t you try selling what you’ve made? I’m sure people would buy them. Not only are they delicious, but you’re also skilled at making them look beautiful.”  

Mia sincerely praised her handiwork. Leticia felt her ears burning. She still thought she had a long way to go.  

“But… I still think I’m not good enough.”  

“What do you mean? Leticia, have more confidence. You’re talented. Look at these adorable rabbit-shaped cookies. How can you say you’re not good enough? Be objective about your skills.”  

Could it be true?  

Her tendency to be easily swayed made her believe Mia’s compliments. Hearing that she could be confident gave her a small boost of self-assurance.  

“Why don’t you take this chance to sell the cookies and clothes you’ve made? Just give it a try.”  

Mia encouraged her. Though hesitant, Leticia nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and anticipation.  

Mia offered to watch over Killian and Selina, allowing Leticia to gather her courage and take her desserts and clothes out to sell.  

She laid out a mat on the ground, displaying her packaged desserts and clothes. To her surprise, the villagers showed interest.  

“The packaging is so pretty. It’d make a great gift.”  

“These are different from the cookies I had last time. Wow, this cat-shaped cookie is so beautifully made.”  

They added compliments as they bought her cookies and meringues. Some even bought her clothes.  

“This scarf is nice. You used good yarn.”  

They smiled warmly at her. Since it was a small village, she had seen most of their faces before. Perhaps that’s why they spoke kindly to her. But even so, the warmth she felt wasn’t diminished or less meaningful.  

She sold all the desserts and clothes she had brought in just one day. The bag that had felt so heavy when she left home was now completely empty.  

Without realizing it, she hummed a tune on her way back home. She was happy. She was joyful. This kind of happiness was a first for her.  

It reminded her of the time when she went to the night market with Karl Lavresion, enjoying the pleasant breeze while drinking beer.  

She had believed that happiness was something that rarely came her way. She thought that after that moment, happiness had drifted far away from her. But that wasn’t the case. Happiness was closer than she had thought.  

When she returned home, she saw Mia knitting while the children were already asleep. Mia looked at her empty bag and smiled as she said, 

“See? I told you it would sell well.”  

“Thank you, Mia. It’s all thanks to you that I had the courage to try.”  

Leticia placed the bag on the floor and sat down beside her. Mia looked at her with a faint smile, showing no sign of hesitation.  

Were they friends now?  

Was this what it meant to have a friend?  

“Leticia. To be honest, I’ve seen you in the newspaper a few times.”  

“Oh…”  

There had been several instances when stories about her and her mother appeared in gossip columns. It wasn’t surprising if Mia had seen them. Even in this village, there were people who knew quite a bit about her and her mother’s story.  

“The Leticia they wrote about in the newspaper and the Leticia I’ve met in person are completely different people.”  

“…”  

“The newspaper pointed fingers at you, calling you a greedy opportunist, but you’re nothing like that. In fact, you’re the opposite.”  

Unconsciously, Leticia gripped the hem of her skirt tightly. Mia’s tone was simple and straightforward, yet it made her chest tighten for some reason.  

When Leticia didn’t respond, Mia casually changed the subject.  

“I think you can raise the price of your cookies. They’re too cheap considering the quality of the ingredients you use.”  

“But selling them at a high price doesn’t feel right…”  

“If they’re too cheap, people might start doubting their quality. It’s better to price them according to the value of the ingredients. People will still buy them.”  

“…Okay.”  

“And, why don’t we drop the formalities?”  

“Oh.”  

Leticia’s shoulders flinched slightly. When she turned her head, Mia was still smiling faintly.  

“Let’s be friends.”  

Mia put down her knitting and extended her hand. Leticia stared blankly at the hand offered to her. It was strange. Her chest felt tight.  

A friend.  

She had never had one before.  

After taking a deep breath, Leticia finally took Mia’s hand. Mia gently shook it.  

“Let’s continue to get along, just like now.”  

Mia spoke with a bright smile, and this time, Leticia nodded with a smile of her own.  

“Okay.”  

For the first time, she had a friend.  

***

Following Mia’s advice, Leticia raised the price of her cookies. Just as Mia had predicted, people still bought them. In fact, the cookies sold out in less than thirty minutes, as though word of mouth had spread.  

Maybe I really do have a talent for this. At this rate… opening a shop won’t be a problem.  

The confidence that had barely surfaced began to fill her chest in no time. With her newfound confidence, she threw herself into preparing for the shop. Whenever she needed to leave the house to make preparations, she entrusted the twins to Mia.  

Selina and Killian had grown even closer to Ariel, to the point where they would beg to be taken to Mia’s house first. Thanks to that, Leticia felt at ease leaving them with Mia and her husband. Of course, she always compensated them for their help.  

She purchased an empty building, hired contractors to renovate it, and even traveled to the capital to personally shop for interior decorations.  

A few months ago, she couldn’t have imagined herself doing any of this. She was no longer the person who had been lying in bed as though dead. Now, she was running around, meeting people, and taking charge of her own life. She, who had once been so afraid of others…  

The pain in her wrists, which had once been constant, was now gone. The crushing lethargy that had weighed her down had disappeared. Her body felt as light as a feather. Unlike before, when she would shrink away under the gaze of others, she now walked with her head held high and her chest out.  

She had never imagined this side of herself. Even when she called for a carriage, climbed into it, and visited various shops in the capital, she felt like a stranger to herself. But all of those moments were her. She had simply never known it before.  

Feeling like she had been spending too much time outside lately, she cleared her schedule for the day to spend time with Selina and Killian. Selina grabbed her arm and shook it as she said, 

“Mom, I want to see Ariel. Let’s go to Aunt Mia’s house. Aunt Mia’s house…”  

Beside her, Killian grabbed her other arm and shook it as well.  

“Ariel, Mia, Aunt Mia. I want to go see them.”  

The children asked for Ariel almost every day. Ariel was a cheerful and kind child who even laughed off Selina’s mischievous pranks.  

Feeling like she had already imposed on Mia too much, Leticia shook her head.  

“No. We went there yesterday. If we go every day, Ariel and Aunt Mia will get tired.”  

“Nooo, I don’t want that.” 

Selina said bluntly. Killian didn’t say anything but pouted, showing his displeasure.  

“Still, we can’t. Let’s spend today together, just the three of us, okay?”  

Leticia waved a horse-shaped doll, trying to catch their attention. However, the children turned their heads away with sulky expressions.  

“Goodness…”  

Who did they inherit this stubbornness from?  

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Karl Lavresion’s face flashed in her mind. She thought she had forgotten about him, but…  

‘Leti. Are you hungry? Want me to get you something to eat?’

His gentle voice, always looking after her, echoed in her memory.  

Had he been a stubborn child when he was younger? If Karl Lavresion were by my side now, what would he be like? Would he support me and help me with what I was doing? What kind of father would he have been to the children? 

Back then, he had stayed by her side, showing little interest in the children…  

She was startled by her own thoughts, imagining what might have been. Shaking her head, she tried to push the thoughts away.  

“Kids, how about we play ball together?”  

She smiled and suggested it to distract herself. The children responded immediately.  

“Okay!”  

While throwing the ball and laughing with the children, she was able to forget him for a little while. Even if only for a moment.