Evelyn's POVWhen I got back from the office, the house felt quieter than usual. I went straight to Leo’s room. He was sitting on his play mat, quietly lining up his toy cars in a perfect, straight line. He didn't look up when I opened the door, but I saw his little shoulders stiffen."Hey, Leo," I said, sitting on the floor a few feet away from him. "Those are some fast cars."He looked at me quickly, then back at his toys. "Blue one is the fastest. Daddy says it looks like his car.""It does," I said. I picked up a small green truck. "Can I play for a minute? Just until I have to get dressed?"Leo nodded slowly. "Okay. But don't crash them. I don't like when they crash.""I won't crash them. I promise." We sat there for about fifteen minutes. I asked him about his lunch and if he liked the pancakes. He started to relax, even telling me about a bird he saw outside his window. It was a small, normal conversation, but to me, it felt like winning a marathon.Eventually, Mrs. Higgins kno
Last Updated : 2026-02-24 Read more