Present Day - Monday Morning, Three Weeks Later
Sophie stands in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to reach the toothpaste on the counter.
"Need help, baby girl?"
Aria appears behind her, still in her robe, hair messy from sleep. They're both adjusting to the new routine.
"I can do it myself. I'm in kindergarten now."
The pride in Sophie's voice makes Aria's chest ache with joy and terror in equal measure.
Today is supposed to be normal. The first normal milestone in Sophie's life that isn't overshadowed by custody battles or media attention or the chaos of adult mistakes.
Just a little girl starting school.
"Did you pick out your backpack?"
"The purple one with the unicorns. And my lunch box matches."
Sophie has been planning this day for weeks. She's memorized her teacher's
