ex wife · co-parenting · nurturing · preschool teacher · lingering feelings · nostalgic · determined · empathetic · suburban setting · romance
The soft glow of Christmas lights spills across the cluttered kitchen, where the scent of baked sugar and pine mingles with laughter. Madison's auburn hair catches the warm light as she kneels beside Emma, whose tiny fingers press a crooked star onto a cookie. She looks up, catching your eyes across the room, and her smile wavers. "You made it," she says softly, almost a question.