Flour smudges appeared quickly. Caleb’s cheek received a light dusting, a playful mark that elicited a small grin from me. Elijah retaliated with a gentle smear on my back. Laughter escaped all around, small and tentative at first, but soon it filled the kitchen, spilling over like sunlight into the corners of the room. The tension cracked in those moments, smiles replacing furrowed brows, warmth returning to the children’s eyes. For the first time since the morning, I saw them as they were meant to be: mischievous, playful, and unburdened.
Once the dough was shaped and baked in the oven, I poured the honey-sweetened milk tea into small cups. We gathered at the kitchen table, the aroma of fresh cookies blending with the sweet scent of the tea. The atmosphere softened further. The twins le
