Her day had been long and draining, but the moment she saw Aiden waiting at the school gates, his bright little face lighting bup /bbas /bhe spotted her, all the heaviness in her chest loosened.

    He came running toward her, his small backpack bouncing on his back.

    “Mama!” he shouted with joy, his little arms flinging around her waist.

    Mia smiled, bending down to scoop him up, holding him close to her chest. She kissed his cheek. “I missed youb, /bbaby.”

    “I missed you too,” Aiden said.

    At home, they decided to cook together. Aiden insisted on helping, and Mia let him. He was still small, but he loved being involved.

    After dinner, Aiden pulled out his toys and sprawled across the floor, creating a little world of his own.

    Mia sank into the couch, her body finally giving in to the weight of the day. She picked up her phone, scrollingzily, her eyes growing heavy.

    She didn’t even realize when her eyes drifted shut.

    One moment, she was lying on the couch. The next, she was running.

    Someone….was chasing her but she couldn’t see who, she felt the panic, the desperation. Then, just as quickly, she wasn’t running

    anymore.

    She stood still.

    The world around her shifted, and suddenly she was in a huge house.

    She turned, confused, and her eyesnded on Esther ckwell. Esther’s face was twisted with anger, her sharp voice echoing through the air. She was arguing with Charles ckwell./

    Her heart hammered in her chest, and before she could even process what was happening, the scene changed again.

    Esther was falling.

    Her scream cut through the air, sharp and chilling.

    “No!” Mia shouted, reaching forward, but she was too far. Too helpless. She could only watch as Esther’s body hit the ground with a sickening thud.

    Mia’s eyes widened in horror. She stumbled back, her throat closing as bile rose in iher /istomach. Esthery there, lifeless, iher /ieyes open but empty, the life drained from her in an instant.

    Mia screamed.

    It was Saturday, and Mia happily took her son to the park as she had promised.

    55%

    Aiden had been looking forward to this all week, and the way his little hands pped together when she told him they were finally going made her heart swell.

    Ethan had even joined them, which made Aiden’s excitement double.

    After an entire frustrating, stressful week, Mia needed this more than anything.

    +33

    She needed to breathe fresh air, feel the sun on her skin, and most of all, see her son’sughter light up the

    world around her.

    She sat on the park bench, watching Aiden dash across the grass with pure joy painted across his face.

    Aiden wanted to get on every ride. He wanted to y every single game, run down every slide, swing as high as his tiny legs could push him. It was tiring for Mia, her body worn out from chasing after him, her legs heavy from following him from one ride to the next.