(Sabrina’s POV)
Jake is the last kid waiting when we arrive at Little Learners Academy. He's sitting on the playground, drawing in the dirt with a stick, his backpack beside him. When he sees us pull up, his face lights up and he comes running.
"Mom! Aunt Sophia! Guess what? I made a new friend today and we built a castle in the sandbox and Miss Amy said my painting was the best in class!"
The normalcy of it—his excitement, his innocence—nearly breaks me. I scoop him up even though he's getting too big for it, breathing in his little-boy smell of graham crackers and playground dirt.
"That's amazing, baby. I can't wait to see your painting."
"It's in my backpack. I'll show you when we get home." He pauses, looking between Sophia and me. "Why are you both here? Is something wrong?"
Kid
