ANASTASIA’S POV

The soft afternoon breeze rustled through the leaves, swaying the tall trees in the empty private park. The sunlight came through the tree branches in soft lines, casting golden patterns on the grass.

I sat on the picnic cloth spread over the grass with my arms wrapped loosely around my knees as I watched Hailey dash across the open space with her bubble stick.

She giggled wildly as she waved the stick through the air, bubbles floating into the sky before popping in soft, invisible bursts.

“Mommy, look!” she squealed and ran toward me, her little legs carrying her across the open space as she swung the bubble...