The front door burst open with a rush of little feet and high-pitched laughter. The sound filled the house like sunshine, bright and unstoppable, and before Isabelle could even set down her mug of tea, Amelia came flying into the living room.
“Mommy! Mommy!” she squealed, her curls bouncing wildly as she all but launched herself into Isabelle’s lap. “Guess what we did today!”
Isabelle laughed, steadying her daughter before they both toppled over. “What did you do, baby?”
Elliott followed at a more measured pace, but even he couldn’t keep the grin tugging at his lips in check. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he plopped onto the arm of the couch, clearly ready to share his own version of the day’s events.
From the other end of the room, Sophia, lounging with one leg tucked beneath h
