LILY
The house was unusually quiet that evening, the kind of silence that made every creak of the floorboards and soft hum of the air conditioning feel amplified. Alice had been sitting at the dining table, pushing her food around her plate, cheeks slightly flushed. Her usual chatter was gone, replaced by a small frown and occasional sighs. At first, I had tried to distract her with stories, playful questions, even a quick game with her crayons, but nothing seemed to break through her sudden lethargy.
I pressed my fingers to her forehead while she wasn’t looking. Too warm. My heart skipped. “Alice?” I murmured gently. “Sweetheart, are you feeling okay?”
Her small nod barely convinced me. “A little tired,” she whispered, leaning back against her chair.
I took a deep breath and moved tow
