Maylily - Chapter 139

The smile on his mother’s face as she listened to Dylan gradually grew softer. Perhaps she’d begun to hope that a younger sibling would come in the near future. Dylan, whose mood lifted along with hers, let out a small grin, and she gently smoothed his hair with her hand as if combing it.

“Why do you want a younger sibling, Dylan?”

“I can’t always keep Emma by my side. I want a younger sibling as cute as her so I can play with them whenever I want.”

Emma was the daughter of his father’s secretary, David. She was six years old this year, with light brown hair like a wheat field and large eyes, and she often visited Prowden with David. Each time, she played hide-and-seek with Dylan or played chess with him.

His father and mother liked Emma, saying she was cheerful and well-mannered, but his great-aunt didn’t like her. She never said it directly, but Dylan could tell from the way she looked at Emma.

It was probably because Emma wasn’t a noble. Playing with a child who wasn’t a noble wasn’t considered proper for someone of noble status. Feeling sorry that Emma received disapproving looks because of him, Dylan often couldn’t play with her as freely as he wanted.

If a younger sibling were born, his great-aunt would love them too, so he would be able to play as much as he wanted. Of course, it would take a long time for that child to grow as big as Emma.

His mother, who had been listening quietly, spoke with a faint smile.

“So you were thinking about that. But Dylan, even if you have a younger sibling, it won’t be easy to play together whenever you want. Your sibling will have things they need to do, just like you, and things they want to do as well. Even if you love each other very much, your desire to play won’t always match.”

Hearing her words, it did seem true. Even with Emma, there were times when they had to take turns because they wanted to play different games.

If a younger sibling were born, there would be more times he would have to give in. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant realization, but Dylan’s thoughts didn’t change.

“I still want a younger sibling. Father said that when he first saw me, he was very happy because I looked so much like him. And after that, he told me many times that he was happy because I’m his son.”

The hand that had been smoothing his hair paused slightly, but Dylan continued speaking without noticing.

“If my sibling is a pretty girl who looks like you, Mom, wouldn’t you be able to feel that kind of happiness too? So when I pray, I make sure to emphasize that part.”

A small laugh escaped his mother, and her eyes grew moist. Her expression was hard to tell whether she was smiling or crying, leaving Dylan confused. She gently cupped his cheeks with both hands.

“Mom already has enough. Dylan, you’ve given Mom more than enough happiness.”

“But I want you to be even happier, Mom. You always try to make me happier too.”

“Come here… closer, Dylan.”

His mother finished speaking with difficulty, her voice choked. Is she trying to hold back tears? Did I say something wrong? Feeling slightly uneasy, Dylan stepped closer, and she pulled him into a tight embrace.

His body still wasn’t completely dry….

Worried that her clothes might get wet, Dylan froze, but a warm drop of water fell onto his shoulder. Carefully, he placed his hand on his mother’s back.

“Mom, are you crying? Did I make you upset?”

“No, it’s because I’m so happy… I’m just so happy. Because Dylan loves Mom so much.”

“But… why are you crying?”

“When happiness fills your heart so completely there’s no space left, it can come out as tears.”

Why? Shouldn’t happiness become a smile? Dylan couldn’t quite understand a feeling he’d never experienced before. Maybe his mother was lying to hide sadness. Still unable to shake his doubt, he gently patted her back.

Then the sound of steady footsteps drew closer, and someone stepped under the canopy. It was his father.

“Maylily.”

At the low voice ringing through the warm air, his mother let go of Dylan and straightened herself.

“Hugh, you’re back? If it’s urgent, you can go.”

His father slowly looked between his mother, who hurriedly wiped her reddened eyes, and Dylan, who stood awkwardly. Dylan’s heart pounded, wondering if he might be scolded. His father rarely raised his voice, but if it involved something wrong toward his mother, it was different. Even if there was no intention at all.

“It’s nothing. It’s been taken care of.”

His father said it as he lightly placed a hand on his mother’s shoulder, as if reassuring her.

“That’s a relief. I was worried since it was taking a while.”

His mother placed her hand gently over his and smiled. Seeing that expression, Dylan realized what she said earlier was true. His mother’s face was as transparent as glass, her emotions always laid bare. Only then did he relax and smile along with her.

After a light snack, Dylan picked up a glass jar that had been placed beside the small table and went to gather shells and conch shells. He brought all the servants nearby with him.

“If I want to fill this jar with pretty ones, I need a lot of people.”

Maylily tried to stop him, imagining the servants trailing after him and struggling under the blazing sun. But for some reason, Dylan was stubborn in a way he usually wasn’t. And Hugh, after exchanging a meaningful glance with the child, unexpectedly allowed it.

“I’ll fill this jar and give it to you as a gift, Mom.”

Dylan shouted excitedly and ran toward the water. The sight of the child naturally leading adults much taller than himself looked exactly like a reflection of Hugh Skaard.

As soon as Dylan reached the water’s edge, he proudly showed a shell he had just found to a servant. His blue-gray eyes, shining like jewels, held a lovely smile.

Watching him, Maylily’s eyes softened, then she turned her head toward Hugh, who sat beside her. He had just put on a white shirt and was drying his hair with a towel.

“Hugh.”

At the gentle call, Hugh’s hand paused. He slowly turned his head and answered with a calm smile. To say something like that to a child with such a gentlemanly face. Maylily’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“You said what we did last night was a prayer? If it weren’t for Dylan, I would’ve never known you could call that a prayer in my life.”

“I wondered what serious conversation you two were having. So that was it.”

“There’s no way we could receive God’s answer with the way we prayed. What are you going to tell the child?”

Hugh burst into an amused laugh at what Maylily had said in all seriousness.

“I didn’t realize my wife had such a bold tongue.”

Maylily flushed all the way to her neck at once. But a stubborn spark rose in her, and she didn’t want to lose like this.

“W-well… I can say things like that too! You say even worse things….”

“I’m impressed. Then I suppose we can move on to the next step.”

It was irritating that Hugh brushed off her protest like a joke, but her curiosity got the better of her. Maylily’s eyes glimmered cautiously.

“…There’s more to go?”

“Endless.”

At the answer that far exceeded her expectations, Maylily’s eyes widened. Only after seeing the smile spreading across Hugh’s lips did she realize it was a joke, and she let out a light laugh.

“Oh, come on….”

“I’m serious.”

The low voice and the brief laugh that followed brushed pleasantly through her heart. Maylily absentmindedly played with the wedding ring on her husband’s finger as she continued.

“Dylan said he’s been praying for a younger sibling ever since he came to live in Prowden. What if he ends up disappointed later?”

“It’s not a bad thing to learn that there’s something in this world you can’t have, no matter how much you want it.”

Hugh answered indifferently, as if he had no desire for another child, but Maylily knew it was consideration so as not to place any burden on her.

The long labor of her first childbirth hadn’t been easy at all, and Maylily was now nearing thirty. It could become a dangerous matter that put her life at risk. So she understood why Hugh found it difficult to express his true wishes openly.

Maylily shifted her gaze from her husband’s profile as he looked out over the distant sea to their son playing along the shore. Dylan sat with his knees drawn up, digging through the sand with a stick. Inside the glass jar placed beside him, the things he had carefully gathered gave off a faint glow.

She imagined a small blonde girl, much smaller than Dylan, sitting beside him and searching for shells together. Dylan was right. Maylily carefully intertwined her fingers with her husband’s large hand.

“That wouldn’t be so bad, but how about teaching him that if you truly wish for something, it can come true?”

Hugh, who had been looking out at the sea, slowly turned his head and looked at Maylily for a moment. After a single ripple passed through his blue-gray eyes, he stood and moved to stand in front of her. Lifting the brim of her straw hat, he held her chin with his other hand. The next moment, his lips brushed lightly against hers, then parted. The brief touch burned hot.

“Then we’ll have to pray diligently, starting tonight.”

Maylily nodded shyly, then hesitated for a moment before saying what she’d wanted to tell him since earlier.

“Thank you, Hugh.”

For raising Dylan into such a warm and loving child.

Her throat tightened, and she couldn’t say the most important part. But Hugh nodded as if he understood everything she felt. Afraid her tears might fall again, Maylily quickly stood up.

“Shall we go help fill Dylan’s jar?”

“Let’s go together.”

The two of them walked along the sandy shore, hand in hand. Dylan, who had been checking how full the jar was, saw them and waved with a bright smile.

Before long, warm sunlight poured down over the three of them standing together. On the beach where the sound of blue waves scattered, the colorful treasures they found were added one by one into the clear glass jar.

<The End>