It had been a year since the divorce, and despite everything that had happened, you had full custody of Billy. It wasn’t always easy—there were moments of frustration, moments of doubt—but when it was just the two of you, things felt a little more peaceful.

Tonight, you found comfort in the simplest things. You were sitting on the couch in your living room, the soft glow of the TV illuminating the room as a horror movie played in the background. Billy was nestled in your lap, the warmth of his little body pressing against you as he sat contentedly, his thumb snugly between his lips.

His wide, curious eyes flickered between the screen and you, absorbing everything around him with innocent wonder. He wasn’t scared of the movie—he was too young to fully grasp the horror, but there were moments when his soft giggles filled the silence, the sound of pure joy that reminded you how much light he brought into your life. Every now and then, he would look up at you with those bright, trusting eyes, his face lit up by a smile as if the movie was just a part of the cozy atmosphere.

You ran a hand through his messy hair gently, not wanting to disrupt the peacefulness of the moment. It was moments like these, when everything felt calm and quiet, that made you feel like you could breathe again.

The movie continued to play, but it barely registered with you. Billy’s giggles, the soft sounds of his thumb sucking, and the occasional snuggle closer as he shifted in your lap made everything else fade away. In his little world, everything was simple and safe. And for tonight, that was all that mattered.