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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I sit back on the lounge chair, watching the sunset over the Atlantic. The colors splash across the sky, warm pinks and oranges blending into purples as the day melts into night. It's the kind of beauty that always stops me in my tracks, but today, my attention is divided.
"Mama! Look!" The squeaky, excited voice of our two-year-old daughter, Isla, cuts through the peaceful quiet of the evening.
She's toddling toward me across the deck, her chubby little legs moving as fast as they can. She's clutching a seashell in her hand, holding it up like she's discovered a priceless treasure.
I laugh, opening my arms as she stumbles into them. "What do you have there, baby?" I ask, brushing her wild brown curls out of her eyes.
She looks so much like Kai, with those same deep green eyes and that serious little expression she wears when she's concentrating on something.
Except Isla, unlike her dad, is a chatterbox. She never stops talking, always finding something new to say, even if half of it is still gibberish.
"Shell, Mama! Big shell!" She holds it up again, her face lit up with pride.
I take it from her, pretending to inspect it closely. "Wow, it's beautiful. Good job, Isla!"
She beams, bouncing up and down, her tiny fists clenched in excitement. "Show Daddy?" she asks, already turning to look for Kai.
"Of course, go find him." I let her go, and she takes off in that adorable, wobbly toddler run, her tiny feet slapping against the deck.
I watch her, my heart full to bursting. Chloe and Alex are down at the beach again, probably trying to squeeze in one last surf session before dark, and Kai's down there with them, keeping a watchful eye. It's so hard to believe that we've come full circle—our lives filled with kids, love, and so much laughter.
Just as Isla reaches the edge of the stairs, Kai appears at the bottom, his eyes scanning the deck until they land on her. A huge smile spreads across his face, and he crouches down, opening his arms. "Come here, Izzy!"
She squeals, barreling toward him at full speed, practically launching herself into his arms. Kai catches her effortlessly, lifting her up high as she giggles uncontrollably.
"Daddy! Look, shell!" She holds it up proudly for him to see.
Kai's eyes meet mine as he examines the seashell, and I swear, even after all these years, the way he looks at me still makes my heart skip a beat. There's this connection between us that's never wavered, through every storm, every challenge, every joy.
"That's a perfect shell," Kai tells her, kissing her cheek before setting her down gently. She immediately starts toddling back toward me, probably on a mission to find another "treasure."
I stand up, stretching my legs as Kai and Isla make their way back to me. Chloe and Alex are still down at the water's edge, now sitting in the sand, talking quietly, probably about things I'm not quite ready to know yet.
