In the days leading up to Saturday, Yael counted down each moment with uncontainable anticipation. Every morning, the first thing he did upon waking was to open his big, bright eyes and ask me, “Mommy, Mommy, is it Saturday yet?”
His little face radiated pure excitement and joy.
By Friday night, he carefully laid out the clothes he planned to wear on the edge of his bed and took a long time to finally fall asleep.
When Saturday arrived, Yael woke up even earlier than me. After dressing neatly, he sat quietly on the sofa with his hands propping up his chin, staring intently at the door, waiting for Silas to show up,
From morning until evening, however, Silas never appeared. The light in Yael’s eyes gradually dimmed, leaving only a forlorn shadow.
“Mommy, does Daddy not like me?” he asked softly, his voice tinged with sadness.
My heart ached as I looked at his small figure, which seemed especially lonely in the growing darkness. Forcing a smile, I tried to reassure him, “Maybe Daddy had something very, very important to do today. Why don’t we call him and find out, okay?”
The phone rang for a long time before it was finally answered. On the other end was the sound of loud chatter and background noise.
