His Knees, His Pleas, But Our Son's in Peace

Chapter 100

I carefully dressed Cyrus in his favorite outfit, a bright blue shirt with little yellow boats printed all over it, and navy shorts that matched perfectly. He looked adorable, and I couldn't help but smile as I fastened the buttons. "You're going to look so handsome when we meet your swimming teacher later, Faye!" I said, ruffling his hair.] Cyrus beamed up at me, his eyes shining with excitement. "I can't wait, Mom! I really like her. She's a great swimmer, right?" "Yes, she is! She's super talented, and I think you're going to learn a lot from her," I replied, feeling a wave of happiness at his enthusiasm.] When we finally opened the door to leave, my heart sank. Suddenly, several dead rats tumbled to the floor. They landed with a sickening thud. They were covered in blood, and it looked as if they had been mistreated and abused. My stomach turned at the sight, and I felt a rush of panic.

"Mom!" Cyrus exclaimed, his eyes widening. He took a small step back, but then he squared his shoulders, looking brave. "I'll protect you!" I was taken aback, my heart racing, but I quickly knelt down to his level. "Cyrus, it's okay," I reassured him, forcing a smile. "It's just a prank. Let's clean this up, alright? We won't let it ruin our day."[]

With shaking hands, I grabbed some paper towels and started to clean the doorway, trying to mask my unease. Once the mess was cleared, I took a deep breath. "Let's go for a drive, buddy. We're still going to have a fun day!"]]

As we got into the car, I tried to push the image of those rats from my mind. But when we arrived home, I noticed that the plants in the yard looked chewed and scarred. The bite marks were uneven and messy. "Mom, look!" Cyrus pointed, leaning forward in his seat. "What happened to the plants?"]

I frowned, glancing at the garden. "I'm not sure, sweetie. It looks like something might have been nibbling on them." Just then, I felt Tina stir restlessly. "That looks a lot like a mouse bite," she hissed. [

My heart raced, and I looked around cautiously. The yard seemed peaceful enough, with kids playing in the distance and laughter filling the air. I didn't want to scare Cyrus, so I forced a smile. "Let's not worry about it now. We've got swimming lessons to get to!"]]

shining through. "Hey, Doris!

course! I'm thrilled to be here!" Faye said, kneeling down to Cyrus's level. "Are you ready to have some fun in the water?" Cyrus nodded eagerly, and I felt

going to love swimming. It's one of the best things in the world!"

the side as Faye guided him through the basics. Carlos stood beside me, smiling at the scene. "You know, your PACK has really good genes," I said, glancing

she could walk, I think." He gestured to where Faye was encouraging Cyrus to kick his legs in the water. "Go, Cyrus! You can do it!" Faye cheered, and I could see the joy in Cyrus's face

Faye turned to me with a bright smile. "Doris, why don't you join me for dinner later? It'll be a ladies' party, just

Our

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Chapter 100

Cyrus off to the side, giving

Cyrus on my own, while Faye opened

going to be an