The deal

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The early morning sun cast a warm, golden glow over the quiet suburban neighborhood, its rays gently filtering through the curtains of Maxwell's cozy living room. Stood Rosella by the window, her thoughts a swirl of concern as she watched her son, Richard, prepare to leave. The sense of protectiveness that had been woven into her maternal instincts was now being tested by the growing independence of her child.

"Where are you off to so early?" Rosella's voice held a touch of worry as she approached Richard, who was slipping on his sneakers near the doorway.

"I can go anywhere I want, Mom. I'm not a child anymore, remember?" Richard's response carried a hint of defiance, a clear indication that he was embracing the newfound autonomy that came with his age.

A sigh escaped Rosella's lips, a mix of exasperation and affection. Her son's determination to assert his freedom was both admirable and unsettling, a reminder that the boy she once knew was evolving into a young man with a mind o