Published: August 3, 2025
Well, the issue with Lutz turned out to be a lack of family conversations, so things settled down somehow. There were still problems with the disparity between siblings, and now that Lutz had become an apprentice and financially overthrown those above, I felt like more complications might arise.
But since we made peace with our parents and they seemed to understand the importance of talking things through, I figured things would work out somehow. Lutz’s living conditions had improved, so I was satisfied.
Now that Lutz’s problem was resolved, what I was really worried about was my mother’s poor health. I even wondered if my own frail constitution had affected her because lately she looked so pale. She still went to work and did housework as usual, but she often ended up bedridden.
This morning too, she looked unwell and seemed dizzy. Before I woke up, my father had already left for work, and he wasn’t around. I couldn’t help but worry about what would happen if my mother suddenly collapsed.
“Mom, are you still not feeling better? Are you okay?”
Seeing her lose her appetite, I asked, and she thought for a while before murmuring, “I wonder if it’s okay to tell you now?”
“Myne, you see, I’m pregnant. You’re going to be a big sister.”
“Huh? Wh-what!?”
It was an unexpected announcement of pregnancy. Surprised, I looked at her belly, but it was still flat and didn’t look like there was a baby inside.
...It must have been morning sickness.
Back when I was Reno, I had no experience with romance, so naturally, I had never been pregnant. As far as I could remember, there weren’t any pregnant women around me either, so my mother was going to be the first pregnant woman I would see up close.
...Oh my goodness! I had only skimmed through books about pregnancy, thinking it had nothing to do with me. Hmm hmm, well, during morning sickness you’re supposed to rest, get good nutrition, and do moderate exercise, right? Right!?
Since I was an only child in my Reno days, I had never been a big sister. I admired the idea of being a wonderful big sister, but could I really become one? Could I become a big sister like Tulli?
While I was swirling in anticipation and anxiety, Tulli burst out joyfully.
“Really!? Wow! I’m going to sew clothes and diapers for the baby!”
Seeing Tulli immediately searching for ways to help the baby, I hurriedly looked for what I could do as well.
“I-I will... um, um...”
The first thing that came to mind for a gift when the baby was born was one thing: something we didn’t have in this house. Something I had looked for first when I arrived here.
“I’m going to make a picture book for the baby!”
“...Eh-hon? What’s that?”
Both Tulli and Mom tilted their heads. No good. They didn’t understand “picture book.” I had to do something quickly.
“A book with pictures! A book made for children to read!”
Tulli’s eyes widened at my explanation, and she suddenly burst out laughing.
“Hahaha, that’s so Myne.”
“If you’re working hard for the baby, it sounds like you’ll be a good big sister.”
I didn’t know if the baby would be a brother or sister, but I was sure I’d dote on them immensely. If Tulli used her sewing skills she honed at work to make clothes, I wanted to focus on making educational toys for my soon-to-be sibling.
“I’ll work hard for the baby. I’ll definitely be a good big sister!”
When I declared that, my family, who had been laughing until then, all gave me troubled looks and scolded me.
“Myne, if you get too excited, you’ll get a fever, so calm down a bit.”
“That’s right. Mom’s health is difficult now, so you have to learn to manage your own health.”
“...I know. I’ll do my best.”
Though I answered humbly, my mind was full of ideas about what kind of picture book to make.
What kinds of books are there for babies? I recalled from my Reno days that the municipal newsletter offered a popular “gift picture book.” It was a peekaboo book with alternating pages of hiding and showing faces.