Katherine arrived at the office on time, as always. She set her bag down gently, brushing a few strands of hair from her eyes before powering on her computer. As the screen blinked to life, her thoughts wandered.
Nathan and Maya.
That morning, over cereal and milk, both kids had reminded her with matching wide eyes and spoonfuls of cornflakes that they still hadn't picked out a gift for Julio's birthday.
"We can't go without a present, Mom," Nathan had said with the seriousness of a diplomat, and Maya had nodded solemnly, "Julio will be sad."
Katherine smiled faintly at the memory and made a mental note: find a gift this afternoon after work.
The usual hum of the office picked up. Katherine focused on sorting documents, though her mind kept drifting. Despite herself, it always circled back to the same thing lately: Felix.
