"So after getting my art scholarship, I went to university and discovered fashion was what I really loved." Rosa smiled as she sat at a table and drank her water. "I started drawing up design ideas and interned at a few places before graduation."

"Oh." Satoko sat across from her, looking up with wide eyes.

The two were taking a break from the slides to get something to eat. Satoko asked Rosa how she got into fashion, and Rosa told her story.

"Anyways," Rosa sighed. "The people I interned for were very supportive and let me know it was a hard road, but they said if anyone could make it, it would be me."

"That's nice." Satoko smiled. "I still can't believe you never got a bigger role at any of them or the places you worked for."

"Well, the places I interned for didn't have any positions available when I got out of college," Rosa explained. "As for the places I worked, it was sadly never going to work."

"What do you mean?" Satoko raised an eyebrow.

"Well, the money was good, but I was never going to get a chance to advance my career while I was there." Rosa frowned. "My bosses overlooked me for things like promotions, so it just ended up being a thing I had to leave."

"I'm sorry." Satoko frowned.

"It's fine." Rosa lightly smiled. "Things like that happen in any industry. The best you can do is just keep trying."

"That's better because now you have all of us to help." Satoko instantly smiled at her.

"Good point." Rosa giggled as she patted Satoko's head. "All of you have been amazing since I came here."

"Oh, ho ho ho!" Satoko laughed. "That's cause we can make anything happen."

"I bet." Rosa smiled as she brought her hand back. "I didn't expect Mion and Shion's family to say yes to investing in me, but here we are."

"I'm still curious about something, though." Satoko looked up at Rosa.

"What's that?" Rosa raised an eyebrow.

"How did Maria end up happening?" Satoko asked. "You told us you were trying to break into the industry, but you never talked about deciding to have a daughter in the middle of that."

"Oh." Rosa's eyes went wide before frowning and looking away. "Well, Maria….."

Rosa paused as she looked at Satoko, who was staring at her. She never talked about Maria's history, and no one was ever curious enough to ask. It also wasn't something Rosa was proud of either.

"Maria," Rosa sighed as she kept looking down. "Wasn't planned."

"What?" Satoko frowned.

"Maria's dad was one of the higher-ups at the company I worked at." Rosa frowned. "I thought he really loved me, but then I got pregnant and found out it was a lie."

"A lie?" Satoko's eyes got wide.

"When I told him, he wanted me to abort her." Rosa kept looking down, not wanting to see Satoko looking at her. "He promised he'd see to it I got a promotion and everything I wanted. So, I went to the clinic."

"You what?" Satoko nearly yelled as she jumped at what Rosa was saying.

Almost 2 years ago, Rosa was walking to an abortion clinic. She already talked to her now ex-boyfriend about everything she'd get after doing this. All she had to do was go in there and get rid of the fetus inside her, and she'd be set for life.

"There it is." Rosa looked up at it. "Let's just get this over with."

Rosa was getting ready to cross the street as she stood by a store. All she could think about was getting rid of that dead weight and,

"Wahhhhhh!"

Rosa stopped and saw a little girl in a princess costume standing alone. She looked around and didn't see anyone. She sighed as she moved closer.

"Are you okay?" Rosa kneeled down to the girl.

"I lost my mama." The little girl sniffled.

"Oh, it's okay." Rosa frowned. "Did she go into the store?"

"I don't know." The girl wiped her eyes.

"Okay, how bout we check in there?" Rosa smiled as she offered her hand. "I'm sure she's in there."

The girl slowly took Rosa's hand as they walked inside the store. Rosa was looking around for anyone who might be her mother.

"Do you see her anywhere?" Rosa looked down at the girl.

"No." She sniffled.

"It's okay." Rosa patted her head. "I'm sure we'll find her."

"Bethany!" A woman who looked in her late 30s yelled as the little girl turned to look at her.

"Mama!" She ran over and hugged her.

"Where did you go!?" The woman picked up Bethany and hugged her as she cried. "I thought someone took you."

"I was walking outside like you said, and then when I looked up, you were gone." Bethany sniffled again.

"I'm so sorry, baby." The woman hugged her. "I saw a friend and went to talk and forgot to tell you to stay by my side."

As the woman started to calm down, she looked over at Rosa, who was just standing there.

"Thank you." The woman started to cry as she approached Rosa. "My baby could have disappeared if you didn't look out for her. You're an angel."

"I…." Rosa frowned as she looked away.

"Can I repay you in some way?" The woman sniffled.

"Oh, that's not necessary." Rosa smiled and waved her hand. "I just wanted to make sure she was safe, is all."

"Well, thank you." She smiled as she hugged Rosa, too. "You'd be an amazing mom if you aren't already one."

Rosa's eyes went wide. She was expecting, and the only thing on her mind now was getting rid of it. She didn't even give it a second thought after being told it was for the best and that she wasn't ready to be a mom yet. Rosa started breaking down as the woman's lines ran through her head.

"Are you okay?" The woman backed away.

"I'm sorry." Rosa wiped her eyes and held her stomach. "I just found out I'm going to be a mom, and…. and…."

"Oh, that's amazing, dear." The woman hugged her again. "I'm actually getting ready for my second one."

"Second?" Rosa looked down and saw the woman was pregnant.

"Yeah, hard to believe." The woman rubbed her belly. "My husband and I decided Bethany was so much fun raising that we should have another."

Rosa frowned as she looked away. The woman noticed and got her friend to watch Bethany for her.

"Are you okay?" The woman stood in front of her.

"I don't know." Rosa sniffled. "I'm scared, and I'm alone, and I'm not even sure I'm ready to have a baby. Is it wrong to wonder if I should even have it? What if I'm not ready for that?"

"Dear." The woman placed her hand on Rosa's shoulder. "Every mother asks herself that when they become pregnant. Even the ones that plan that. There's nothing wrong with questioning those things."

"But what about raising it alone?" Rosa looked up at her. "He doesn't want any part in their life."

"Then it's his loss. " The woman patted Rosa's stomach. "The only thing that matters is whether you want that baby or not."

Rosa initially told her boyfriend she was pregnant while smiling, thinking it was the best news ever. It wasn't til she saw him freak out that she realized he didn't see it as good news. Now, after being talked out of having a baby, it felt like she was being talked back into it.

"I think I want this baby." Rosa held her hand over her stomach.

"Then that's all that matters." The woman smiled as she took Rosa's hand. "Let me get you something for your future baby. I have a feeling it will be a girl."

"I said that wasn't," Rosa was dragged through the store, as the woman wouldn't take no for an answer.

After finishing her story, Rosa kept looking down at the waterpark. Although she loved Maria and was happy she had decided to have her, she was still ashamed to admit the truth.

"Well," Satoko broke the silence. "That jerk did lose out on you and Maria."

Rosa looked up and saw Satoko smiling.

"You're the best mom ever, and Maria is the most adorable baby ever." Satoko nodded. "You're better off without that loser."

Rosa smiled as she got up, walked to Satoko, and hugged her.

"Thanks, Satoko." Rosa patted her back. "I really needed to hear that."

"Thank you." Satoko hugged her back. "Hey, you think we could head back and get Maria?"

"Now?" Rosa broke the hug. "But I thought you wanted to spend the day with me one-on-one?"

"This is nice, but I want Maria to be part of our day together." Satoko smiled. "And like you said, I am her sister."

Rosa smiled as she heard Satoko say that before she stood up.

"In that case, let's go get her then." Rosa offered her hand. "I'm sure she wants to see her sister, too."

"Oh ho ho ho." Satoko laughed as she took her hand. "I'm sure she does."

They both started to walk back to the locker room when Rosa saw someone with a camera offering photos. As she approached the man, Rosa pulled Satoko with her.

"Excuse me, could you get photos of us?" Rosa waved to him.

"Of course." The man smiled as he looked down at Satoko. "Are you enjoying the waterpark with your mom?"

"My mom?" Satoko blushed.

"We are." Rosa smiled as Satoko looked up at her with wide eyes.

"Wait," Satoko said. "Are you saying,"

"Okay." The man pulled out his camera. "How bout you two hugging then?"

"Like this?" Rosa picked up Satoko and hugged her.

"Perfect." The man smiled. "Now smile."

"You heard the man." Rosa giggled as Satoko smiled back.

"Sure thing." Satoko hugged her back. "Mom."

Rosa blushed as they both looked at the man before he took their photo.