Emma
The apartment in Kingston had begun to feel like home.
Soft daylight streamed through the wide windows of the sitting room, settling on the grey couch and the neatly packed boxes stacked against the wall. Everything looked exactly like it had online; spacious, clean, and quiet. Two bedrooms. A roomy kitchen. A small lobby that gave the place structure and warmth. It was enough. More than enough.
Alex loved it. He moved around the apartment with restless excitement, his footsteps echoing lightly on the floor as he explored every corner. Every few minutes, he ran back to me, wrapping his arms around my waist like he needed constant proof that I was really there.
“Mommy,” he said again, hugging me tight.
I smiled and kissed his hair. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Later, I stood in the
