Valentina lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t shake the image of Evelyn’s blood from her mind. She had worked so hard to move past the trauma of her mother’s death, but tonight it felt as fresh as it had five years ago. She rolled onto her side, pulling the blanket tighter around her, trying to will herself to sleep. But the memories wouldn’t leave her alone. She remembered being six years old, standing in the bank next to her mother, holding her hand. She remembered the sound of gunfire, the feel of her mother’s hand slipping from hers, and the sight of the blood. Valentina squeezed her eyes shut, but the memories kept replaying. Eventually, exhaustion overcame her, and she fell into a fitful sleep. Her dreams were plagued by the same images—her mother’s face, the sound of the gunshot, the pool of blood spreading on the bank floor. Each time she woke up gasping, her heart racing. The third time she woke up screaming, Sofia was there, shaking her gently. “Valentin
Pietro pulled up to the quaint restaurant, still shaking off the remnants of his red-eye flight. The convention had been draining, and he was looking forward to a quiet meal before heading over to Skylar’s to pick up his daughter, Sophia. The bell above the door chimed as he entered, and the warm, homey aroma of baked bread and fresh herbs greeted him. “Table for one, please,” he said to the hostess, offering a tired smile. She nodded and led him to a small table by the window. Pietro settled in, glancing over the menu, when a familiar voice caught his attention. “Mr. Reynolds, you must understand, our growth potential is immense,” the voice was insistent, pleading. Pietro’s eyes darted to a corner booth where Jason, sat with another man. Jason’s face was set in a stern mask, his posture rigid. “No, Marcus. I’ve heard enough,” Jason said, cutting the other man off. Pietro’s interest waned, and he turned his attention back to the menu. He had just decided on a pasta dish whe
A few days later, Pietro arrived at Skylar’s house with a bright bouquet of balloons and a bag of gifts, ready to bring some joy to the kids. As he stepped out of his car, he could hear the laughter and shouts of children playing in the backyard. His own daughter, Sophia, was already here, enjoying the afternoon with Skylar’s children and her brother Emilio’s daughter. She seemed to be here more often than their own place. He liked it though, at least she wouldn’t be all on her own.Skylar greeted him at the door with a warm smile and a peck to his cheek. “Hey, you! The kids are going to be so excited.”Pietro handed her the balloons returning her kiss. “I thought they’d like these. And I’ve got some gifts in here for all three of them too.”Skylar’s eyes sparkled. “You always know how to make their day.”They walked into the house, where Emilio was lounging in the living room, a soccer game playing on the TV. Jared, and Lorenzo ran up, their faces lighting up at the sight of the
Skylar paced around the living room, glancing nervously at Valentina’s closed bedroom door. Emilio sat on the couch, head in his hands, deeply worried. Valentina, had been struggling with anxiety for a few days now, and had experienced three panic attacks in just two days. It had been a sudden twist from the years she had gone without an attack, and the intensity was alarming. Her cousins, Jared and Lorenzo, were energetic boys who didn’t fully understand the impact of their loud noises and constant activity on Valentina’s condition. Currently, she had locked herself in her room and had refused to talk to anyone. Her sobs were deafening and the boys had been freaked out by her sudden behaviour, Lorenzo even going as far as sitting in front of her room, and balling his eyes out as she cried inside. That was to be expected as he had grown up with her and had been with her longer than Jared. Jared on the other hand, had been curious and kept asking questions about the current situatio
As the credits of “The Lion King” rolled, Skylar stretched and glanced at Jared and Lorenzo, who were yawning and rubbing their eyes. “Alright, boys, time for bed,” she said gently. “Aww, do we have to?” Jared whined, though he was clearly exhausted. “Yes, you do,” Pietro said with a chuckle. “You’ll thank us in the morning when you’re woken up for school.” Skylar and Pietro ushered the boys upstairs, tucking them into the bed in one of the guestrooms. “Goodnight, sweethearts,” Skylar whispered, kissing their foreheads. “Goodnight, Mommy. Goodnight, Pietro,” they murmured sleepily. As they left the boys’ room, they bumped into Sophia, who was heading to her own room. “Goodnight, Sophia,” Skylar said, giving her a warm hug. “Goodnight, Skylar. Goodnight, Dad,” Sophia replied, hugging her father. Once the kids were settled, Skylar and Pietro headed back downstairs. Skylar scanned through the movie options, looking for something they could enjoy together. She finally settl
Skylar gently nudged her sons awake with a soft whisper and a bright smile. “Time to get up, guys. We have a big day ahead.”Jared groaned and rolled over, while Lorenzo rubbed his eyes and sat up, looking around blearily. Skylar moved to check in on Sophia, who was already up and preparing for school, her dark hair neatly brushed and her uniform tidy.“Morning, Sophia,” Skylar said, giving her a quick hug. “How did you sleep?”“Pretty well,” Sophia replied with a smile. “I’m just getting my stuff ready.”“Great. I’m going to get the boys cleaned up and dressed,” Skylar said, heading back toward the boys’ room.At that moment, Pietro walked in. “Hey Skylar, I’ve got the boys. You focus on everything else,” he said, his eyes twinkling with excitement.Skylar smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Pietro. That would be a big help.”With a nod, Pietro scooped Lorenzo up, who giggled in delight. “Alright, little man, let’s get you and your brother cleaned up,” he said, carrying Lorenzo to the
Jared trudged into school with a heavy heart, his small shoulders slumped as if carrying the weight of the world. The usual chatter of the school corridors sounded distant to him as he made his way to his classroom. Today, they were learning about family, a topic that made him feel uneasy. As the teacher began the lesson, Jared’s mind drifted away, lost in his own thoughts. He knew what was coming, and he dreaded it. Each student would have to stand up and talk about their family, and Jared knew that when his turn came, he would face ridicule. The minutes ticked by slowly until finally, it was time for the dreaded task. Jared’s heart raced as he listened to his classmates share stories about their loving families. He felt a pang of jealousy, wishing he could have a story like theirs to tell. When his name was called, Jared hesitated for a moment before slowly standing up. His hands trembled as he began to speak, his voice barely above a whisper. “Um, my family... well, it’s jus
Pietro pulled up to the kindergarten just as Skylar emerged from the building, holding Lorenzo’s hand. The young boy’s face lit up when he saw Pietro, and he broke free from his mother’s grip, running to the car with exuberant energy.“Pietro!” Lorenzo shouted, jumping into the car.Skylar followed more slowly, her eyes catching Pietro’s. “Hey,” she said softly as she climbed into the passenger seat. She glanced back at Jared, who sat quietly in the back, staring out the window. “Jared, sweetie, how was your day?”Jared shrugged, his voice barely audible. “It was okay.”Skylar frowned, her worry deepening. Pietro had texted her that something had happened in Jared’s school. Before she could ask more, Pietro gave her a small, reassuring nod and mouthed, “Later.” Skylar bit her lip and nodded back, deciding to let it go for now.The drive to Pietro’s house was filled with Lorenzo’s happy chatter, a stark contrast to Jared’s silence. Skylar kept glancing at Jared through the rear-v