SCOTT POV

My mother's voice broke through the fog of my grief, pulling me back to the present. I blinked, slowly returning to the world around me, and saw the sadness in her eyes as she looked at me.

"Scott?" she called gently, concern evident in her voice.

I tried to muster a small smile for her, but the pain in my heart was still too raw. "Hey, mom," I replied softly. "I'm not hungry."

Her response was a chuckle, a hint of amusement in her eyes as she wiggled her head and sat beside me. It was a simple moment of connection, a reminder that even in the darkest...