Neither seemed aware of how closely I was watching. Maybe that was why it affected me so much. There was no pressure. No expectations. No grand declarations. Just small moments. And sometimes small moments mattered more than dramatic ones. A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Mom!" I barely had time to react before Eli crashed into me. Nearly knocking me over.
"Careful."
"I'm starving."
"That's your permanent condition." He grinned. Then immediately launched into a detailed explanation of practice. Apparently one of his teammates had scored a goal. Then fallen over. Then blamed the grass.
The story grew more ridiculous with each retelling. Rowan joined us a moment later. His expression was relaxed. A rare sight lately. The border attacks had been consuming most of his atten
