At that time, her favorite thing to do was to step into the puddles and hop along step by step, or squat on the ground in her little raincoat.
Once, while no one was watching, she snuck to the little goldfish pond in the backyard and crouched by the pond to watch the goldfish.
Raindrops fell into the pond, creating ripples on the surface.
Things that were mundane and unremarkable in the adult world were especially interesting in her eyes.
She completely ignored the rain, squatting by the pond, watching with full concentration. When she got excited, she'd even reach out to touch the goldfish in the pond with her chubby little hands.
So engrossed was she that she didn't even notice when Sylvan Cheney walked up behind her with an umbrella.
Back then, Sylvan Cheney was an eighteen or nineteen-year-old youth, as graceful as jade, calm yet gentle in appearance.
