“Mommy!” Danielle’s scream was a mixture of shock and pure joy. She scrambled off the grass, her tiny legs churning as she raced toward me. Zachary froze, his soccer ball rolling into the street, his face a mask of confusion that broke my heart.
I scooped Danielle up, her weight a grounding force amidst the chaos in my head. I grabbed Zachary’s hand, pulling him toward the car without saying a word. “We’re going on a surprise adventure, guys,” I whispered, my voice thick with unshed tears.
I was buckling Danielle into her car seat when I heard the screen door of the blue house creak open. Natalie was standing on the porch, her face pale as she stared at me. She didn’t look like a villain; she looked like someone who had just seen a ghost.
“Who are you? What are you doing with them?” she shouted, her voice trembling. I didn’t answer her. I didn’t owe a single word to the woman who was playing “mommy” in my absence. I slammed the car door and started the ignition.
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