When Jason was sneakily peeking through the windows one day, he was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of Thomas, who, instead of scolding, greeted him with a wide grin and an invitation inside. The house, with its mismatched furniture and walls covered in family photos, exuded a warm, lived-in feel that immediately put Jason at ease.
Inside, he found a place that was nothing like the scary stories he had imagined in his mind. Laughter echoed through the hallways, and the smell of something delicious always seemed to be wafting from the kitchen. Thomas’s mother, ever so welcoming and cheerful, treated Jason like her own. When tragedy struck a few years later, and Jason’s mother fell ill, Thomas’s family stood by him, sharing in both his care and his grief when she passed away…