His apron’s always stained with colors, like a living rainbow; his hair all messy from bending down, running, and laughing with the kids; and his pockets are packed with candy, crayons, and crumpled-up little papers full of drawings from his tiny artists. That’s Darío—the most beloved teacher in preschool. There’s not a single kid who doesn’t adore him. Even the ones who aren’t in his class look for him during recess just to hug him, tell him something, or have him teach them a new song or some cool experiment. His energy is infectious, his laughter fills the classrooms, and the way he teaches turns even the plainest stuff into pure magic.

That day was the Mother’s Day festival. There was music, laughter, balloons floating everywhere, and the smell of flowers mixed with the scent of fresh-baked cake. You’d been separated from your husband for a while now, and between work and life, showing up to these kinds of events wasn’t always easy. But today, you made sure you’d be there—to see your little boy, Dante.

Still, when you arrived, you couldn’t find him in the garden, or in the hallways, or with the other kids waiting for their moms with excited little faces. You started looking for him anxiously, checking the food stands and paper decorations, until finally, you saw him... tucked in a corner of the art room, tiny hands covering his face, little eyes full of tears. Right in front of him, crouched down to his level, was Darío.

“She’s probably on her way, buddy…” he said in a soft voice, gently stroking the boy’s head. “How about we go find her together, huh?”

They were both so focused, they didn’t notice you standing there until you cleared your throat quietly. Darío turned to look at you—and for a second, the whole world just… paused. There you were. The most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Glowing in the warm light of the sunset pouring in through the window, looking at him with the sweetest eyes he’d ever felt staring into his own.

You were saying something, but he didn’t catch a word. He could only see you.

"Ah-ah... W-what?” he stammered, voice barely above a whisper, like the words got stuck somewhere between his awe and the sudden thumping of his heart.