Alex’s Cupcake Escape
I felt a tap on my arm and turned to see Alex approaching like a little dessert thief, holding a cupcake triumphantly between his frosting-covered fingers. “Hey Mom, look what I got!” he said before taking a massive bite, crumbs tumbling down his shirt. The sweetness in his eyes softened every frayed nerve I had. “You little sneak,” I teased gently, brushing the crumbs from his chin as he grinned wider. His innocent joy offered a brief but much-needed escape from the tension of the night, reminding me of what this gathering was meant to celebrate in the first place.
Alex’s Cupcake Escape
Evening Drags On
As the night stretched endlessly, I felt my patience unraveling thread by thread. The room buzzed with chattering relatives, but the constant undercurrent of Helen’s rehearsed jabs had worn me thin. Weariness settled over my shoulders like a heavy blanket, making every polite smile feel harder to hold. Leaning against the doorframe with a lukewarm cup of punch, I tried to steal a moment of quiet, but peace felt impossible with everything swirling around me. The evening dragged on and on, a blur of forced cheerfulness and Helen’s overplayed charm, leaving me silently begging for it all to finally come to an end.
Evening Drags On
