after the death of her mother, leighton's father sends her to a boarding school halfway across the world to be taught a lesson. she knows no one and no one knows her.
but the cherry on top is who her roommate is.
#2 in ptsdawareness
#2 in anxiety
#...
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The late afternoon sun filters through the curtains, casting a soft, golden light across the living room.
I sink deeper into the couch, watching Chloe and Alex play, my heart swelling with a quiet kind of happiness.
Chloe's curled up on the floor with a rainbow of crayons scattered around her. She's got this adorable look of concentration, her tiny tongue peeking out of the corner of her mouth as she carefully draws.
At four years old, she's already so full of curiosity, always asking a million questions, always wanting to know more. She's so much like me, it's almost scary sometimes—bright, artistic, and always buzzing with energy.
"Mommy, look!" Chloe leaps up, holding her drawing above her head like a trophy. "It's a rainbow for Pebbles!"
I laugh softly, glancing over at Pebbles, who's stretched out in the sun, lazily watching everything from her windowsill perch. "That's beautiful, Chloe. I'm sure Pebbles will love it."
Across the room, Alex is sitting by Kai, his little hand clutching Kai's shirt as he babbles away. He's only two, but he's already trying to copy everything his big sister does. His soft brown hair sticks up in all directions, and his bright green eyes—Kai's eyes—are wide with wonder as he watches Chloe.
Kai catches my eye and grins, that rare smile that never fails to make my chest tighten. His arm is slung casually around Alex, and even though he's quiet, I know he's soaking in this moment, too. This is our little family—chaotic and messy but perfect in its own way.
Chloe skips back to her crayons, plopping down with a thud, her curls bouncing. She's humming to herself now, a soft little tune that makes me smile.
Her world is so simple, so colorful. Everything is magical to her.
Alex, meanwhile, is busy trying to climb into Kai's lap, his chubby hands grabbing onto Kai's shirt. "Uppie," he says in that sweet, stubborn way he does.
Kai chuckles, lifting him effortlessly and setting him on his knee.
Gosh he's strong.
"There you go, buddy," Kai murmurs, ruffling Alex's already messy hair. He's so gentle with them—so different from how he used to be when we first met. Back then, he was all rough edges and quiet walls.
Now, watching him with our kids, it's like the weight he always carried has lifted, at least a little.
I get up and wander over to them, leaning against the back of the couch where Kai sits. I rest my hand on his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips.
He tilts his head back to look at me, his eyes soft in the fading light.
"You okay?" I ask, my thumb tracing absent circles on his shoulder.
"Yeah," he says, voice low and full. "More than good."
I smile at that. It's not often Kai expresses things outright, but when he does, it hits me right in the heart.
