*Michael*

The weight of Thomas in my arms felt much lighter than the worry sitting in my chest as I navigated our path back to the bungalow. The day's events had twisted into something surreal, and now, with the sun beginning to dip toward the horizon, reality seemed to be held together by a thinning thread. But there was comfort in routine, and I clung to it like a lifeline.

"Okay, kiddos," I murmured as we crossed the threshold into the sanctity of our home, "movie ...