She opened the box carefully, then hugged me without a word.

Oliver lifted the telescope as though it were a treasure chest.

I promised we would try it on a clear evening with one of his parents nearby.

I had learned not to make plans that required permission I hadn’t yet received.

Daniel sat several tables away with his phone.

Every time I glanced toward him, I saw the same boy who once cried when his bicycle chain fell off, even though he had become a middle-aged man with children of his own.

I wanted to cross the room and tell him I would fix everything.