KAEL
The moment I heard that tiny voice say ‘Mummy’, something inside me cracked wide open. It wasn’t just a word, it was a call from a heart that had been waiting, breaking, and hoping for too long. And in the silence that followed, I swear, the whole world stood still.
Ravenna turned like she’d been struck by lightning. She didn’t hesitate, she just moved. A sharp gasp left her lips as she dropped to her knees beside the small cot where Riven sat, wide-eyed and trembling, her lips already wobbling.
“I’m here, baby,” Ravenna whispered, reaching out with shaking hands. “I’m here, Mummy’s here.”
That’s when the dam broke.
Riven burst into sobs so fierce, so raw, they made my chest ache. Her small hands clawed at Ravenna’s shoulders, her cries loud, broken and desperate. Ravenna pulled
