“Be good, Sebastian. When Mommy gets there, I’ll buy you more ice cream, alright?”
Then came a man’s voice, deep, gentle, and tinged with affection. “Darling, it’s okay. They just miss you too much. And I miss you too.”
“What should we do?” he chuckled lowly, a helpless kind of warmth in his voice. “We’ve only been apart for one day.”
Reese glanced my way, then turned her back and walked toward the bedroom. Even though she lowered her voice, every word still reached my ears, clear as day.
“Alright, alright, baby. Didn’t I say? One week at most, and I’ll be back.”
“Honey, next time, don’t post on my Instagram…”
“Hmm. I’m not mad, really. Just remember to keep it hidden next time. Love you.”
I collapsed onto the couch like a puppet with its strings cut.
A wave of invisible needles pricked at my chest, not sharp but steady and suffocating. The pain didn’t scream, but it spread slowly, tightening around my ribs until I couldn’t breathe.
Reese and I had grown up side by side. We were the classic childhood sweethearts — everyone knew we’d end up together.