“Mom, your cap is the most valuable thing in this room. Sophie is absolutely going to wear it. And those dumplings? Andrew and I will be eating them for weeks, and they’re better than anything from a restaurant.”
Lydia wiped her eyes and then laughed, young and bright for a moment. “Well, now I finally understand. You’re not just a princess—you’re a queen, and Andrew and I are your happiest, most loyal subjects.”
Then, with great care, she kissed sleeping Sophie on the forehead. To Lydia, that tiny girl was the most precious thing in the world. In that warm home, love, mutual respect, and family happiness had settled in for good.
