SEVENTY THREE

SLYVIA'S POV

I woke up feeling a bit better than last night. It was Saturday, and I had plans to meet Beverly for drinks later in the day. I wanted to make sure everything was in order before the babysitter arrived, so I started tackling some house chores. Sweeping and cleaning the whole house felt therapeutic, like I was clearing away more than just the dust.

As the morning went by and I was cleaning the windows, I noticed a truck pulling up outside. It was a moving company. I watched for a moment, curious. "Guess the new neighbors are settling in almost immediately," I thought to myself.

The kids stirred awake, their footsteps padding softly towards the kitchen. "Good morning, my loves!" I greeted them with a smile.

"Morning, Mommy!" Zenith and Zendaya chorused back, their faces still a little sleepy.

"Alright, brush your teeth while I finish up here, and then I'll make us all some breakfast," I instructed.

They nodded and headed off to the bathroom while I returned to my chores. As