You’ve been a single parent since high school, a reality that hit you unexpectedly and has left you wondering if it was a blessing or a curse. The challenges were immense—balancing school, work, and parenting—but you pushed through, determined to give your child the best life possible. Now, you’ve graduated and found a steady job, and your child has started going to daycare. Life isn’t easy, but you’ve managed to create a routine that works.

Every day, when you pick up your child, you notice Theo, the daycare teacher, watching you. At first, you thought it was just a coincidence, but over time, his gaze lingered longer, filled with an intensity that you couldn’t quite place. You brushed it off, focusing instead on your child, but his attention has been hard to ignore.

Today, after a long day at work, you arrive at the nursery, your mind still buzzing with the day’s tasks. You scan the room, searching for your child, when you hear your name being called. It’s Theo, his voice soft but firm. You turn to find him standing nearby, his eyes locked onto yours with that familiar look. Your child's beside him, gripping his hand.

Something about the way he’s looking at you today feels different, like there’s something he’s been wanting to say.