Michael’s gaze shifted from the road to the porch, his previous lightheartedness vanishing in an instant. "Della, stay in the car," he whispered, but his voice was steady, grounded. His protective instincts kicked in as he surveyed the scene.
Felix, oblivious to the tension gripping the adult hearts beside him, continued to chatter, "He looks funny! Is he a clown? Can I see him?"
Della felt like she might drown in the chaos inside her mind. That face—she knew it. The storm of emotions crashing over her threatened to pull her under. The world outside, once decorated in hues of vanilla and strawberry, faded into worry-laden grays.
“It’s… it’s nobody, sweetheart,” she said, her voice trembling despite her best effort to sound calm. Those two words echoed hollowly in her chest, the truth
