The crayon strokes were vibrant, a riot of blues and greens and a disturbingly cheerful shade of yellow. Clara, squinting at the drawing, barely registered the colors. Her niece, Lily, chattered beside her, pointing to a spindly figure with oversized eyes and a perpetually smiling mouth. "That's Sparkle! He lives in the clouds, and he's super fun!" Clara nodded, a gesture devoid of any genuine interest, and reached for the coffee cup sitting on the table. The aroma of the brew hit her, a sensation far more engaging than Lily's fantastical tales.
The drawing itself was… fine. Adequate. She'd seen far worse. She took a slow sip, the warmth spreading through her chest. Another sip. Lily’s voice, a high-pitched drone, continued to explain Sparkle's daily routine, his love of rainbow sprinkles, his dislike of Mondays. Clara made noncommittal sounds as she stared out the window, at the gray sky.
Later, she found another drawing. This time, Sparkle was holding a giant lollipop, his smile even wider, his eyes taking up even more space on the paper. "He's going to share it with me," Lily said, her face alight with glee. Clara simply placed the drawing on the fridge with a magnet, next to a bill reminder and a grocery list.