The next morning, the apartment was filled with the soft, golden light of dawn and the delicious aroma of fresh breakfast. Eloise had woken up early, her spirits so high that she had taken it upon herself to whip up a massive spread of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Toby was already sitting at the island, his wooden sword propped beside his chair, happily drenching his stack of pancakes in syrup.
Demetrius and I sat across from them, sipping our morning tea and coffee. The adoption papers, neatly signed by Eloise in dark blue ink, sat at the edge of the counter beside the property sheet for the three-bedroom house.
"I still can't believe this is happening," Eloise said, setting a fresh pot of coffee on the trivet and looking down at the signed parchment with a soft, bewildered smil
