The following afternoon, the house buzzed with activity as James and Susy prepared for the neighbors’ visit. Susy moved methodically through the kitchen, arranging cookies on a plate and pouring coffee into the carafe. “Don’t forget to grab the baby blanket,” she reminded James, who was bouncing the baby gently in his arms.
Anna sat cross-legged on the floor near the couch, carefully arranging her toys in a semicircle. “Do you think they’ll bring a present?” she asked eagerly. “Maybe something for her to play with.” James smiled faintly, though his mind was elsewhere. He smoothed the baby’s bright copper hair with his hand, his unease bubbling beneath the surface.