Donovan paced the length of the small park, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, fingers brushing against the cool metal of the coins he hadn’t spent yet. The laughter of children echoed around him, a symphony of innocence that he found both comforting and grating. Jenevanae was in the thick of it, a burst of energy darting from one group to another, her giggles sharp and sweet against the mundane backdrop of everyday life.

He watched her, captivated by the way she flitted from one game to the next, her joy a beacon that drew him in. There was a simplicity to her happiness that he envied. What would it be like to see the world through her eyes?