The babysitter

Kojo :)

Lucy sat at the small wooden table in Tim's kitchen, the divorce papers in front of her. Her fingers hovered over the signature line as her thoughts raced. This was it—the final step in breaking free from the life she had been trapped in for so long. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she glanced at the papers, her name printed clearly across the page, waiting for her to sign it.

It wasn't the first time she'd signed her name that day, but this time, it felt different. This time, it felt final.

Tim stood at the counter, a coffee mug in his hands, watching her with quiet patience. Emma was in the other room, playing with her toys, but Tim could sense the tension in the air. Lucy had been through so much already, and now, the final piece of the puzzle was falling into place.

"You don't have to do this right now," Tim said, his voice soft. He took a step toward her, setting the mug down on the table beside her. "Whenever you're ready, Lucy."

Lucy met his gaze and offered a faint smile, but it was laced with exhaustion. She had spent years hoping for a way out of the marriage, years trapped in a life that wasn't her own. And now, here she was, on the other side, the divorce papers a symbol of her freedom.

"I know," she said quietly, her fingers brushing the paper. "It's just... hard to believe that it's really over."

Tim nodded, understanding. He had watched her go through so much—seeing the bruises, hearing the stories, and yet, Lucy had always carried herself with such strength. It was hard to imagine the torment she had endured, the fear she had lived with every single day. But today, that fear was finally being replaced with something else—freedom.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy finally signed her name at the bottom of the page. As the pen made contact with the paper, a weight seemed to lift from her shoulders. The finality of it was both overwhelming and comforting.

"It's done," she whispered, the words barely audible.

Tim smiled softly and reached over to squeeze her hand. "You're free now."

Lucy nodded, blinking away the tears that threatened to spill over. It felt like a weight had been lifted, but at the same time, it was as though she was stepping into a whole new world—a world where she could finally breathe, finally be herself.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Tim asked gently.

Lucy shook her head. "Not right now. Maybe later." She glanced over at Emma, who was peeking her head around the corner, her curious eyes watching them.

"You okay, Em?" Lucy asked, smiling at her.

Emma grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "I'm good! Can we play now?"

"Of course," Lucy said, her heart swelling at the sight of Emma's innocence and energy. Despite everything that had happened, Emma had remained a constant source of light in her life.

Tim chuckled softly. "We can play in a bit. But first, we need to do something to celebrate."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Celebrate?"

Tim's smile widened. "Yeah, we've been through a lot. You've been through a lot. You deserve to celebrate this moment."

Lucy wasn't sure what he meant at first, but then she saw the gleam in his eyes. "What are you planning, Tim?"

He just smiled, taking Emma's hand and leading her outside. Lucy followed them, confused but curious. What was Tim up to now?

As they stepped into the backyard, Lucy saw something that made her heart skip a beat—a small, fluffy puppy sitting on the grass, wagging its tail excitedly. It was an adorable little dog, a mix of brown and white, with big, soulful eyes that seemed to be looking directly at her.

"No way," Lucy whispered, her hand covering her mouth in surprise.

Tim grinned. "Surprise."

"You got a dog?" Lucy asked, still in disbelief.

"I thought it'd be a good way to celebrate," Tim said with a shrug, his grin widening. "Besides, you and Emma have been talking about getting one for a while now. I thought, why not make it happen?"

Emma squealed with delight and ran over to the puppy, who happily licked her face as she crouched down to pet it. "I love him! I love him, Lucie!" she exclaimed.

Lucy couldn't help but laugh, her heart swelling with affection as she watched the two of them bond. The puppy was already attached to Emma, and Emma seemed to have taken to him like they'd known each other forever.

"Okay, okay, Em," Tim said, holding up his hands as if to stop her from smothering the puppy with too much love. "Let's not overwhelm him just yet."

Lucy crouched down beside Emma, her heart full. "What do you want to name him, honey?" she asked, her voice soft.

Emma thought for a moment, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Kojo!" she said suddenly, her eyes lighting up.

Lucy chuckled. "Kojo? That's a unique name. Where did that come from?"

Emma grinned. "I don't know! It just feels right!"

Lucy looked over at Tim, who was watching with a fond smile on his face. "Kojo it is, then," she said, nodding in agreement.

They all laughed as the puppy bounded around them, wagging its tail and running in circles, clearly overjoyed with his new family. The simple act of adopting a dog—of giving Emma a new friend, a companion, a source of comfort—felt like the perfect way to celebrate.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the backyard, the three of them spent the evening together, playing with Kojo, laughing, and enjoying the peace that had come with Lucy's newfound freedom.

Later that evening, as they sat on the couch with Kojo nestled in Emma's lap, Tim turned to Lucy.

"I know it's been a lot. But I'm proud of you," he said quietly. "You're stronger than you know."

Lucy smiled, her heart full of gratitude. "I couldn't have done it without you, Tim. You've been there for me every step of the way."

He reached over and squeezed her hand. "You've always been strong, Lucy. But now, you have the chance to live for yourself. To be happy."

Lucy looked at Emma, who was happily petting Kojo, her face beaming with joy. "And I'm going to make sure I'm there for her, always."

Tim smiled, his heart warm with affection. "You'll be a great mom, Lucy. And a great person, too."

The evening went on, filled with laughter and love. For the first time in a long while, Lucy felt truly free—free to live her life the way she wanted, free to embrace the future that lay ahead of her. And as she looked at Tim and Emma, she realized that this was just the beginning.

Together, they would face whatever came their way, as a family, with love and courage in their hearts.

And with Kojo by their side, they knew they could take on anything.