Mom..." I whispered.
Before I could take another step, she rushed toward me and wrapped me in the warmest hug.
"Oh, my baby... I missed you so much."
The moment I heard her voice, the tears I'd been holding back escaped.
God...
I'd missed my mother.
Every year, when Dad's death anniversary drew near, she disappeared for a few days. No calls. No explanations. Just grief.
But this year...
She came back early.
Maybe...
Maybe she was finally beginning to heal.
I slowly pulled away from the hug and looked at her.
She was still beautiful.
But the sadness in her eyes hadn't left.
"How have you been, Mom?" I asked quietly.
She smiled and wiped the tears from my cheeks.
"I have a beautiful announcement to make."
Before I could ask what she meant, she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the living room.
As I followed her, my slippers crunched against the shattered pieces of John Maya's mug.
I didn't dare look down.
As soon as we reached the living room, Mom clapped her hands.
"Boys! Upstairs! Now!"
A loud groan echoed from the sitting room.
Lycan.
He reluctantly paused his football match.
Logan finally looked up from his phone before following behind him.
"Becca!" I shouted.
She came running from her room and almost knocked the air out of Mom as she threw herself into another hug.
"I missed you!" Becca laughed.
Within minutes, everyone had gathered inside Mom's room.
She looked at each of us with the biggest smile I'd seen in years.
"I have an announcement for my wonderful children."
She paused dramatically.
"I know you've all been through so much..."
Another pause.
Then she smiled.
"You're all going to Winter Camp!"
Silence.
Then my heart stopped.
Winter Camp.
The last time we'd gone...
I was twelve.
Now I was seventeen.
Next year...
I'd be eighteen.
Which meant...
I'd see John Maya again.
My first love.
I glanced at Becca.
The excitement on her face was impossible to miss.
I rolled my eyes.
She was probably already planning how many boys she'd flirt with.
Typical Becca.
Lycan and Logan looked far less excited.
"Mom," Lycan asked carefully, "I thought you said none of us would ever go back to Winter Camp."
The smile on Mom's face trembled.
"I just..."
She swallowed hard.
"I just wanted to make all of you happy."
Before I knew it, I was hugging her again.
She was trying so hard.
Ever since Dad died five years ago, she'd spent every day carrying all of us on her shoulders.
"My sweet Mom..."
"If you're done crying," Lycan muttered, "someone should probably make dinner."
He walked out before anyone could respond.
I smiled to myself.
That was just Lycan.
He acted cold.
But I still remembered catching him crying while holding Dad's picture one night.
He loved us.
He just didn't know how to show it.
Logan quietly left the room too.
I helped Mom sit on the edge of the bed.
"Mom..."
"Hm?"
"I'm turning eighteen in six months."
She smiled.
"My baby's becoming an adult."
Her voice shook.
Mom had always talked about wanting to see me become an adult.
The doctors had told her that the cancer wasn't getting any better.
She rarely spoke about it.
But we all knew.
I forced myself to smile.
"You'll be there."
She squeezed my hand.
"I hope so."
Becca wrapped both of us in a hug.
For a moment...
It felt like nothing was broken.
Like we were still a normal family.
And maybe...
That was enough.
But None of us knew the winter camp would be the beginning of everything falling apart .