Elsewhere....laughter danced through the air like sunbeams, filling the modest little home with warmth. Yvonne's curls bounced as she ran barefoot across the wooden floor, chasing after bubbles her mother blew from the kitchen doorway. They floated like little ghosts in the late afternoon light, popping gently against her nose and cheeks.
"Got one!" she squealed, clapping her tiny hands together.
Her mother laughed, that soft, musical laugh Yvonne always said reminded her of wind chimes. "You're getting faster every day," she said, kneeling down to sweep Yvonne into a hug.
They spun once, dizzy and giggling, until Yvonne lost balance and landed on the floor with a dramatic thud.
From the armchair in the corner, her father looked up from his book , a worn leather thing with golden edges. He watched them, eyes tired but warm. " I understand you are enjoying yourself, but you should prioritize your health and the baby's well-being."
"Oh hush," her mother said, sticking her tongue out.
Yvonne scrambled up and ran to him. "Daddy! Mommy said a bad word! She said hush!"
He chuckled and lifted her effortlessly into his lap. "You snitch," he teased, pinching her side. "But alright. You're the law now. What's her punishment?"
"Tickles," Yvonne said, grinning devilishly.
Her father smirked. "You heard the boss."
He pounced.
Her mother shrieked and tried to flee. The room was filled with shrieks, laughter, and the sound of love wrapped in chaos. It was the kind of moment no one ever thought would end.
Later that night, the three of them lay under the stars on the back porch, Yvonne tucked between them in a blanket burrito.
"Mommy?" she whispered.
"Yes, sweetpea?"
"Why do the stars blink?"
Her mom kissed her temple. "Because they're alive too, just really, really far away. And when they blink, they're saying goodnight."
Yvonne looked up, blinking slowly. "Then I'm gonna blink at them back forever."
Her father didn't say anything at first. He just stared at the sky, jaw tight.
Eventually, he spoke. "Stars burn out, sweetheart. Everything does."
Yvonne looked up at him. "Do people burn out too?"
He hesitated. "Only the ones who forget how to love."
Her mom shifted uncomfortably, squeezing his hand.
"Don't scare her, Joel ," she whispered, almost pleading.
He sighed and forced a smile. "Right. Sorry, princess. We're not going anywhere."
But the stars blinked harder that night , like they were warning her.
And deep inside the house… in the room Joel always kept locked… something stirred.
"They slept beneath the stars, never knowing how close they were to burning."