Brittany's POV

Alexander pulls me gently but insistently through the doorway, his grip firm and unyielding. Behind us, Avery waves with an easy, playful flourish of her fingers, her smile wide and genuine.

Caleb, the adorable little bundle of energy perched on her hip, calls out with a chubby-cheeked grin, "Bye, Afa!" The toddler's voice carries a sweetness tinged with innocence, yet also a peculiar acceptance of the strange world these adults ...