Valeria's POV
Friday afternoon, I was waiting in the car outside Whitmore Prep when Elliot came running out. I excitedly stepped out of the car and scooped him up, my heart bursting with joy that for the first time he started this school, he was happy instead of sad.
When I dropped him down, he faked a frown and crossed his arms. "Mommy, you shouldn't be scooping me up like that anymore. I'm not a baby."
I knelt down to his height. "Hush now," I chided playfully. "You'll forever be my baby boy."
His face lit up.
"Well, I can live with that." He chuckled and practically threw himself into the backseat, his backpack landing beside him with a thud.
"Mommy, you won't believe what happened today!"
I started the car engine. "Tell me everything."
"We had this huge assembly in the auditori
