Lorna abruptly stopped fiddling with the ceramic toy, her gaze falling on the ceramic mushroom Allison had just finished modeling. Allison caught her eye as she skillfully crafted another small mushroom, observing it from the corner of her eye. Lorna's eyes sparkled with excitement, though her body remained still and reserved.
Allison placed another set of tools in front of Lorna. Lorna's hands often wobbled, and she had a tendency to knock things over. But Allison dealt with this with great patience, gently sprinkling water on the clay to make it easier to shape. Lost in her own creative world, Lorna hardly seemed to notice Allison's presence. Little by little, she transformed a lump of clay into a neat shape.
It was clear to Allison that Lorna possessed a natural talent and an intuitive grasp of the craft, often requiring no instructions. "Take it easy on your left hand," Allison suggested, gently nudging it. Taking the advice to heart, Lorna remained silent and soon crafted a uniquely shaped mushroom. Allison smiled and handed Lorna the carving tool, which Lorna silently accepted.
Watching this, Kellan murmured, almost under his breath, "Lorna" He remembered a former teacher giving Lorna a carving tool, a moment that had caused her to withdraw, overcome with anxiety. She had even hurt her finger with a file then. But now, as Lorna accepted the tool from Allison, she radiated calm and focus, a stark contrast to her earlier tension. Although reserved with strangers, the tension in her demeanor had lessened. She dutifully imitated Allison's actions. As she watched Allison skillfully carve an intricate pattern, Lorna attempted to imitate her, albeit with a rougher technique, sharpening her concentration despite her confusion.
"Look at this, I finished mine," Allison said, holding up her creation for Lorna to admire. With careful deliberation, Lorna accepted it and gave Allison a quick smile as she showed off her work. The smile surprised both Allison and Kellan.
"Lorna, you're amazing!" Allison exclaimed, awestruck. When Lorna wasn't smiling, she seemed distant, and there was a faint resemblance to Kellan in her features. But when she smiled, it was bright and warm, like sunlight mixed with the scent of roses—a comforting glow. This little angel deserved more than to carry such burdens.
Kellan was momentarily stunned before regaining his composure. "Lorna, you just smiled, didn't you?" he asked, his voice thick with emotion. Although Lorna returned to her reserved nature, Kellan felt tears stinging his eyes. Over the years, he had sought help from countless doctors—both at home and abroad—to treat Lorna's autism, to no avail. Even several ceramics teachers had tried to connect with her, facing intense resistance. She had always been locked in her own world, reluctant to interact with strangers, much less share her creations or feel pride.
It was the first time Lorna had let down her walls in front of a stranger. Even if it was just a fleeting moment—a smile and shared eye contact—it meant everything. Kellan could barely remember the last time he had seen his niece smile like that.