Faith's Pov
The afternoon light was soft and warm, painting golden stripes across the living room floor. I hummed a little tune, unwrapping the new clothes I bought. The weight of the world felt a little lighter, just for a few hours. I even got Marco a new toy car, a shiny red one, which he was currently crashing through an imagined city on the rug.
"Hey, little man," I said, sitting beside him. He looked up, his eyes bright with play. "Can Mama talk to you for a minute?"
He nodded, pushing the car aside. "Is it about my new toys? Did you like the tower I made out of pillows?"
I laughed. "It's even better than that. It's about Astor."
Marco's face lit up even more. "Astor! He's nice, Mama! He let us stay in his beautiful castle!"
I smiled, my heart feeling full. "He did, didn't he?
