When Maya finally settled onto the swings, she shouted, “Higher, Gran!” I leaned into it, pushing her toward the sky until her giggles turned into those breathless, delighted squeals that usually made my heart melt.
In those moments, the fresh air and the pure joy of the kids managed to push back the cold weight of Marcus’s words. For a few seconds, I wasn’t a “free service”—I was just a grandmother.
The playground became their kingdom. Leo spent an hour daring the slide backward while Maya played the role of his cheering section. But as the shadows lengthened and the sun began to dip, the reality of my life returned.
