Before he can finish, Syd and Ari’s voices echo through the foyer, “Ms. Kind!” It’s a joyous welcome for me, filled with the kind of love that only children bring to my heart.

Syd charges into my arms while Ari casually leans against the wall with her leg adorned with colorful, sparkling gems. I can’t help but gasp in delight, “You finished?”

A hint of uncertainty crosses Ari’s face as she replies, “Yes, do you like it? I ran out of some of the colors, so I wasn’t sure if it looked tacky.”

“Tacky? Girl, it’s beautiful,” I assure her, pulling her into a gentle hug. “Just like you.”

Their embrace warms my heart more than the sunniest Georgia afternoon.

Then, Vic chimes in, trying to join us, “Hey, I like the glittery jewel thingies, too, you know?”

Ari giggles, her voice now loud and confident, “It’s not the same coming from you, Dad. You’re supposed to like everything we do. But Ms. Kind tells the truth.”

From the corner of my eye, I catch Vic jokingly muttering, “Since when?” Sparking playful glances between us.

However, our reunion is briefly interrupted by an indifferent meow, drawing everyone’s attention.

Ari gasps excitedly, “You have a cat?!”

I nod, sharing in her excitement. “We have a cat.” I teasingly glance at Vic, who rolls his eyes as the girls whisk Tum Tum away to play.

As we make our way into the foyer, Ms. Vicky’s comforting presence envelops the space. “I thought I heard laughter in this house again. Kerry, it’s so good to see you.” She says, pulling me into a tight hug. It feels like coming home.

“It’s so good to be back,” I reply, my heart swelling. “Thank y’all so much for taking a chance on me.”

She smiles, a twinkle in her eye, “Well, let’s get you settled in. I’ll show you to your room so you can freshen up and prepare for the rest of the week.”

“But grandma!” Syd whines, her voice full of insistence. “We wanna play with Ms. Kind.”

“Not now, girls! You’ll have her all to yourselves soon. Let her breathe, okay? She’s got a lot planned for you over the next few days.”

“That’s right!” I chime in, a playful gleam in my eye. “We’re gonna have so much fun! Starting tonight, but it’s our little secret, okay?” I whisper, bending down to their level. The girls giggle, nodding fervently as we exchange pinky promises.

Vic watches us with a soft smile playing on his lips before he and Ms. Vicky lead the way down the hall. I try to take in the bajillion rooms, but when we turn the corner, I suddenly come face-to-face with an extremely handsome, somewhat younger version of Vic.