LAUREN'S POV

We had gotten everything we needed for the decorations. The trunk of my car was filled with colorful balloons, ribbons, confetti, and banners that read Happy Birthday Aria. The whole idea of creating something special for my daughter filled me with excitement, yet, beneath that excitement, there was an uneasiness I couldn’t shake off.

As I drove back home, my right hand stayed on the steering wheel while my left kept drifting toward my phone beside me. I’d been checking it ...