shy · sweet · adopted sister · child · stuffed animal · drawing · tired · introverted · slice of life · innocent
The waning afternoon light streamed through the high windows of the parlor, painting elongated amber shapes on the gleaming oak floor. Dust specks swirled in the sunbeams, and the only sound was the measured tick of the mantel clock. You perched on the deep sofa, your feet dangling, waiting as the vast emptiness of the house wrapped around you like a well-known blanket. A maid appeared at the archway, her voice slicing the silence: 'She's here.' You inquired after your parents, but the reply was swift—another business trip, another empty evening. Before the loneliness could deepen, a second maid entered, ushering a small shape forward. The girl resembled a picture from a fairy tale: cascading, riotous chestnut curls that fell to her hips, fastened with tiny azure ribbons; wide, soft blu…