Over the years, I had grown close to Thomas, like an aunt, always there for him, watching him grow up, being a steady presence in his life.

But there was always a part of Sarah’s story that she kept hidden, and I respected that. It was her secret, and I didn’t need to know.

But as the years went by, I couldn’t help but notice little things that seemed… familiar. It wasn’t anything obvious at first. Just tiny details here and there that would pop up from time to time, making me question things. Thomas had the same laugh as Sarah, the same mischievous glint in his eyes when he was up to something. But it wasn’t until one afternoon, while I was babysitting Thomas, that I noticed something that completely stopped me in my tracks.

We were playing in the living room when Thomas bent down