The morning sun climbed higher, its golden light spilling over the small farm. Andra and Tanya worked side by side, their hands busy sorting vegetables and mending baskets for the market.
But their minds were elsewhere, and their eyes kept drifting toward the shade of the old oak tree where Alexander sat with Tori.
The little girl had perked up now, filled with the curiosity of a child. Alexander was crouched in the dirt, drawing shapes with a stick, while Tori watched him intently, her small fingers mimicking his movements.
When he scratched out what he claimed was a rabbit, her quiet giggle floated through the air like a tiny bell.
“She likes him,” Tanya muttered as she glanced toward them. There was a faint smile on her lips.
Andra’s hands slowed as she turned her gaze to the pair
