Jinny waited patiently until Slade returned. Once he did, she looked at the colored pencils with something akin to awe. “Ooh! Those are pretty.” 

She took care on choosing her colors, before snagging a piece of paper and starting to draw. It was clear she was struggling with manipulating the colored pencils. Her hands were small and honestly, still learning to coordinate. But she wasn’t deterred. As she drew, she asked questions.

“I think I am ready to go shopping. Can we go shopping later? I have a lot of stuff I want.” She paused, ducking her head slightly. “If that’s okay. Sometimes I don’t get everything I want. Or at least that’s what Okaa-san says.”

She continued to draw, something taking shape on the paper. “Am I allowed to make this room pink? It’s nice how it is, but I really like pink. And purple too! They’re pretty colors.” She paused, looking up at him with the tiniest of smiles. “I know you’re a boy and boys aren’t supposed to like pink. But it would just be this room.” 

Her drawing was almost finished, it seemed. “Also, can we eat lunch? I’m really, really, really hungry.”  Her stomach rumbled as if in agreement. Her eyes brightened briefly. “Can we have cheeseburgers? I like kid’s meal cheeseburgers.”

“There!” Her chatting and her picture done, she held it up triumphantly. It was four figures, drawn in a child’s simple hand. One was her, judging by the size of the figure and the black hair. Two were her parents – if the coloring didn’t give it away, the yellow halos above their heads would. The last seemed to be Slade himself, and she had remembered the eyepatch and given him an orange shirt. Everyone was smiling and holding hands.

She gently placed it on Slade’s lap. “That’s for you!” She smiled warmly. “That’s Okaa-san and Daddy in heaven, and me, and you!”