His Knees, His Pleas, But Our Son's in Peace

I carefully dressed Cyrus in his favorite outfit, a bright blue shirt with little yellow boats printed all over it, and navy shorts that matched perfectly. He looked adorable, and I couldn't help but smile as I fastened the buttons. "You're going to look so handsome when we meet your swimming teacher later, Faye!" I said, ruffling his hair.] Cyrus beamed up at me, his eyes shining with excitement. "I can't wait, Mom! I really like her. She's a great swimmer, right?" "Yes, she is! She's super talented, and I think you're going to learn a lot from her," I replied, feeling a wave of happiness at his enthusiasm.] When we finally opened the door to leave, my heart sank. Suddenly, several dead rats tumbled to the floor. They landed with a sickening thud. They were covered in blood, and it looked as if they had been mistreated and abused. My stomach turned at the sight, and I felt a rush of panic.

"Mom!" Cyrus exclaimed, his eyes widening. He took a small step back, but then he squared his shoulders, looking brave. "I'll protect you!" I was taken aback, my heart racing, but I quickly knelt down to his level. "Cyrus, it's okay," I reassured him, forcing a smile. "It's just a prank. Let's clean this up, alright? We won't let it ruin our day."[]

With shaking hands, I grabbed some paper towels and started to clean the doorway, trying to mask my unease. Once the mess was cleared, I took a deep breath. "Let's go for a drive, buddy. We're still going to have a fun day!"]]

As we got into the car, I tried to push the image of those rats from my mind. But when we arrived home, I noticed that the plants in the yard looked chewed and scarred. The bite marks were uneven and messy. "Mom, look!" Cyrus pointed, leaning forward in his seat. "What happened to the plants?"]

I frowned, glancing at the garden. "I'm not sure, sweetie. It looks like something might have been nibbling on them." Just then, I felt Tina stir restlessly. "That looks a lot like a mouse bite," she hissed. [

My heart raced, and I looked around cautiously. The yard seemed peaceful enough, with kids playing in the distance and laughter filling the air. I didn't want to scare Cyrus, so I forced a smile. "Let's not worry about it now. We've got swimming lessons to get to!"]]

As we arrived at the pool, I spotted Faye. She was bright and cheerful, her enthusiasm shining through. "Hey, Doris! There's my little swimmer!" she called, her eyes lighting up when she saw Cyrus.]]

"Faye!" I greeted her, genuinely happy to see her. "Thank you so much for agreeing to teach him!" "Oh, of course! I'm thrilled to be here!" Faye said, kneeling down to Cyrus's level. "Are you ready to have some fun in the water?" Cyrus nodded eagerly, and I felt a warmth in my heart watching their interaction. Faye was wonderful with kids, and I could tell Cyrus felt comfortable with her.]

"Cyrus, you're going to love swimming. It's one of the best things in the world!" she said, and Cyrus beamed back at her.]

I watched from the side as Faye guided him through the basics. Carlos stood beside me, smiling at the scene. "You know, your PACK has really good genes," I said, glancing at him. "With a great scientist like you and a fantastic athlete like your sister, it's no wonder you swim so well."[I]

Carlos chuckled softly. "Faye's always been competitive. She started swimming before she could walk, I think." He gestured to where Faye was encouraging Cyrus to kick his legs in the water. "Go, Cyrus! You can do it!" Faye cheered, and I could see the joy in Cyrus's face as he splashed around.

After the swimming session, Faye turned to me with a bright smile. "Doris, why don't you join me for dinner later? It'll be a ladies' party, just us girls. No boys allowed!" she laughed. I felt a thrill at the idea. "That sounds wonderful! I'd love to get

His Blogs But Our Son's in Peace

81.1%

to know you better." Carlos took Cyrus off to the side, giving us a moment to chat.[]Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Faye and I quickly bonded over stories of our lives. I shared my journey of getting divorced and raising Cyrus on my own, while Faye opened up about her experiences as a talented athlete. "It's so cool to see someone stand out in a crowd like you," I said, genuinely impressed.[]

She grinned. "Thanks, Doris! It's not always easy, but it's worth it. And Cyrus is going to be an amazing swimmer, I can already tell. He's such a bright kid!" Faye beamed, looking at him with admiration.[]

Cyrus swam to the side, looking proud as Faye praised him. "You're doing great! Keep up the good work!" she said, clapping her hands.

After a couple of hours of swimming and laughter, it was time to go. Faye hugged me tightly. "I can't wait for our girls' dinner! We'll have a blast!"

"Me too! Thank you for everything today," I replied, feeling grateful to have met someone so inspiring.

As I pulled up to pick up Cyrus later, I was surprised to see him and Carlos waiting for me. They both looked startled when they saw me and Faye, who were already hugging and calling each other "best friends." "What's going on here?" Carlos raised an eyebrow, but I could see the hint of amusement in his eyes.]