~Narrator’s~

“Rawr!” Blue squeals, flinging his little arms around the giant stuffed lion like it’s the best thing in the entire world.

The foyer is filled with his giddy laughter as Leo crouches beside him, grinning wide. The lion’s mane is shaggy and golden, its glassy eyes cartoonishly big, and it stands almost taller than Blue himself. The toddler’s joy is instant, pure, and loud. His chubby fingers squish the lion’s nose, and he tries to ride it like a horse, failing and giggling all over again.

Jennie kneels next to them, both hands over her mouth as she laughs softly. “He loves it,” she says, breathless from smiling. Her...