Chapter 178

• Three years had passed, and Lauren, or Lorry as Lily affectionately called her, had grown into a precocious and endearing child. The kitchen, once a place of solitary contemplation for Lily, was now filled with laughter and the clatter of tiny utensils. On this particular morning, Lily stood by the stove, her eyes fixed on her little daughter, who sat on a miniature chair, looking like a tiny queen in her kingdom.
• "Hey Lorry , what do you want for breakfast, sweetie?" Lily asked, her voice warm with affection. Lorry looked up at her mother with big, round eyes that sparkled with a maturity beyond her years. She pondered the question for a moment, her small hands clasped together in her lap.
• "Whatever you like, Mommy," Lorry replied, her voice soft but firm. "Whatever you make, I like." Lily's heart swelled with love and a tinge of nostalgia as she heard the words. There was something about Lorry’s response that reminded her of Lewis, Lorry’s father. The way she phrased her words, the gentle tone—it was as if Lily was looking at a miniature version of him.