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Ellie buries her face in Mom's sweater while they sit together on a sofa by a window, with dark clouds and a flash of lightning outside.
Ellie sat by the window watching dark clouds roll in. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Her heart started beating faster. "Mommy, I'm scared," she whispered. Mom sat beside her and gave her a gentle hug. "The storm sounds loud, but we're safe inside," Mom said softly. Ellie buried her face in Mom's sweater. Another boom echoed across the sky. She squeezed her eyes shut tight. "Can we make it go away?" Ellie asked. Mom shook her head and smiled warmly. "No, sweetie, but we can learn about it together."
Ellie peeks out from a shared blanket with Mom inside a cozy living room, holding up three fingers as lightning flashes through the window.
Mom brought out Ellie's favorite blanket and wrapped it around them both. "Thunder is just a sound," Mom explained. "When lightning flashes, it heats the air really fast." Ellie peeked out from the blanket. "Like when I clap my hands?" she asked. "Exactly! But much, much louder," Mom said with a smile. They watched the sky light up. One-Mississippi, two-Mississippi, three-Mississippi. Then BOOM! "The storm is three miles away," Mom counted. Ellie's eyes widened. "We can measure it?" she asked excitedly. "Yes, we can!" Mom nodded. Ellie felt a little braver now.
Ellie points and giggles at two raindrops racing down the windowpane, with Mom slightly cracking the window open beside her.
Ellie moved closer to the window. Big raindrops splashed against the glass. "Look, they're racing!" she giggled, pointing at two drops sliding down. Mom opened the window just a crack. The smell of fresh rain filled the room. "That's called petrichor," Mom said. "Pet-ri-what?" Ellie tried to repeat. "Petrichor. It's the earthy smell after rain," Mom explained. Ellie took a deep breath and smiled. Outside, puddles began forming in the yard. "Can we jump in them later?" Ellie asked hopefully. "Absolutely," Mom promised. The thunder seemed quieter now.
Ellie joyfully jumps in a puddle wearing bright boots in a sunny yard, with a rainbow arching across the sky and Mom holding her hand.
The clouds began to drift away. Sunlight peeked through, painting the sky with colors. "Mommy, look! A rainbow!" Ellie shouted excitedly. She pressed her nose against the window. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple arched across the sky. "It's beautiful," Ellie whispered in wonder. Mom held her hand gently. "Storms bring rainbows, flowers, and clean air," she said. Ellie thought about this. "Can we go outside now?" she asked eagerly. They put on their boots together. Ellie jumped in every puddle, laughing joyfully. She wasn't scared anymore.