LAUREN'S POV

“And how was school today?” I asked, as I scooped her up from the ground. She let out a squeal of laughter, her small arms wrapping tightly around my neck as I lifted her and settled her onto my lap.

“We didn’t really do much in school today,” she answered matter-of-factly, her tiny legs swinging back and forth as she leaned against me. “We just did some drawings and that was all.”

Her voice — high-pitched, innocent, yet so full of life brought an automatic ...