Chapter 31 The Young Shall grow.

The house was too quiet, with a stillness that seemed to settle into the air with a mixture of nostalgia and anticipation. I stood at the window, watching the sunset on our backyard, bathing it with a warm golden glow. In the background, I faintly heard children playing and smiled. It's hard to believe that our little girl, Lily, is now in middle school. The days had hurried by so quickly, and with every day that went by, I could see a bit more of Kai and me in her. I turned away from the window as visions of the first time I held her swam in my mind. She had been so small, so perfect. It was still possible to get choked up at the memory of her giggles, her small hands clutching mine. Now, she grew to be all her own person, full of dreams and ideas, ready to take on the world. "Mom!" Lily's voice echoed down the hall from the front walk, pulling me from my reverie. Into the room bounded Lily, backpack over one shoulder, her face all aglow. "Hey, sweetheart," I find myself saying, mo