187: MEMORIES 4 ARIEL’S POV [FLASHBACK CONTINUES] I sat on a weathered wooden bench in my lush garden, basking in the warm glow of the afternoon sun. Around me, colorful flowers swayed gently in the breeze, their sweet fragrance filling the air. Lukel and Janice, my two little children, played nearby, their laughter echoing through the garden. Lukel, with his tousled hair and mischievous grin, chased after a butterfly, his chubby legs pumping as he tried to catch it. Janice, her curls bouncing with each step, giggled as she ran around a bed of daisies, pretending to be a fairy princess. I watched them with a smile, my heart swelling with love. This beautiful relationship between the three of us was one in a million. The bond between me and my children was unbreakable, a thread that wove through our lives, connecting us in a way that nothing else could. Lukel finally caught the butterfly in his tiny hands, and he ran over to me, his eyes shining with excitement. “Mommy, look what I found!” he exclaimed, holding out the delicate creature for me to see. I gasped in delight, marveling at the butterfly’s intricate wings. “It’s beautiful, Lukel,” I said, giving him a proud smile. “Why don’t you let it go so it can fly free again?” Lukel nodded eagerly and opened his hands, watching with wonder as the butterfly fluttered away into the sky. Janice skipped over to us, a handful of wildflowers clutched in her tiny fist. “Look, Mommy, I picked these for you!” she said, holding them out with a beaming smile. I took the flowers, my heart melting at my daughter’s thoughtfulness. “Thank you, Janice,” I said, pressing a kiss to her rosy cheek. “They’re beautiful, just like you.” The children’s laughter filled the garden, a symphony of joy that lifted my spirits. Even though I was aware that life was full of difficulties and challenges, when I was with the people I loved most, everything else seemed to fade away. The sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the garden. I gathered Lukel and Janice in my arms. “It’s time to go inside, my darlings,” I said, my voice soft but firm. The children protested, not ready to leave their playtime behind, but I promised them another adventure tomorrow. With a final round of hugs and kisses, I led them back to the house, their laughter lingering in the air like the sweetest melody. I tucked Lukel and Janice into bed that night. I knew that I was the luckiest mother in the world. Their love was my guiding light, a beacon that shone brightly no matter what storms life may bring. And as I watched them drift off to sleep, their faces peaceful and content, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the blessings that filled my life. The garden lay quiet and still outside, the flowers closing their petals as night descended. But in my 187: MEMORIES 4 heart, the memory of that perfect afternoon would always bloom. 2/3 I sat on the couch, controller in hand, while Lukel jumped up and down in excitement next to me, Come on, Mom! You can do it!” he cheered as I maneuvered my character through the virtual world of our favorite video game. I smiled down at him and said, “I’m trying, buddy. But you’re just too good at this.” Lukel let out a triumphant laugh as I finally defeated the boss level. “Yes! We did it!” he exclaimed, giving me a high–five. Just then, Janice walked into the living room. “Mom, can you help me with my homework?” she asked, holding up her math book. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was already past her bedtime. “Janice, it’s getting late. Can’t it wait until tomorrow?” I replied, hoping to avoid interrupting our gaming session. Janice pouted, “But I don’t understand this problem, and it’s due tomorrow. Please, Mom?” I sighed, knowing that I couldn’t say no to her. “Okay, Lukel, why don’t you continue playing for a little bit while I help Janice with her homework?” Luke’s face fell, but he nodded understandingly. “Okay, Mom. But hurry back; we were just about to unlock the secret level.” I chuckled and ruffled his hair before turning my attention to Janice. “Alright, let’s see what you’re struggling with,” I said, sitting down next to her on the couch. I helped Janice work through the problem, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful for my two wonderful children. They were so different in their interests and personalities, but they both brought so much joy into my life. “Thanks, Mom. I understand it now,” Janice said, smiling up at me. I returned her smile and said, “Great job, sweetie. Now it’s time for bed.” Janice groaned, but got up and headed towards her room. As she walked away, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt for not spending more time with her tonight. I made my way back to the living room and saw Lukel still playing the game. “Hey, buddy, it’s time to turn off the game and get ready for bed,” I said gently. Lukel’s face fell again. “But we didn’t get to the secret level.” I sat next to him and pulled him into a hug. “I know, but we can try again tomorrow. Right now, it’s time for bed. You don’t want to be tired for school tomorrow, do you?” Lukel shook his head. “No, I guess not.” “1 I smiled and turned off the game console. “Goodnight, Lukel. I love you.” 187: MEMORIES 4 “I love you too, Mom,” he replied, giving me a hug before heading off to bed. 3/3 It was a beautiful summer afternoon, and I decided to take my two little children, Lukel and Janice, out for a walk in the park. The moment we strolled along the green, lush paths, I couldn’t resist the urge to capture this precious moment with a selfie. “Come on, kids, let’s take a selfie!” I pulled out my phone. Lukel, who was always full of energy, jumped up and down with excitement. “Yes! I want to be in the selfie!” he shouted. Janice, on the other hand, was a little hesitant. “I don’t know, mommy; I don’t want to make a funny face,” she said, looking at me with her big, innocent eyes. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Making funny faces is the whole point of a selfie,” I reassured her with a wink. I held up my phone and gathered my little ones close to me. “Okay, on the count of three, we make the craziest faces we can,” I said, trying to contain my laughter. “One…two…three!” I counted, and we all made our most ridiculous faces. Lukel stuck his tongue out and crossed his eyes, while Janice scrunched up her nose and stuck out her tongue. I, on the other hand, made a fish face and winked. We burst into laughter as we looked at the result. “Mommy, you look so funny!” Janice giggled. “You guys look even funnier,” I replied, still laughing. “Let’s take another one; I want to try a different face!” Lukel exclaimed, already making his next funny expression. We took several more selfies, each one getting sillier and sillier. Janice even suggested we take one with our tongues out and our fingers in our ears, pretending to be silly monkeys. As we walked back home, I couldn’t stop smiling at the silly selfies we had taken. It was such a simple and fun activity, but it brought us so much joy and laughter. “Mommy, can we take a selfie every day?” Janice asked. “Of course, my love. We can do that,” I replied, patting her head. “Yay!” Lukel cheered, jumping up and down. I couldn’t hold back a laugh at that. 188: MEMORIES 5
