>Mallory
I haven't even had the time to process anything when a group of men and women in uniform approached me and gently surrounded me. Before I could ask what was happening, one of the women stepped forward and extended her hand toward me, her posture rigid and polite.
"Madam, this way, please."
Her tone was firm, but her eyes softened a little as if she could sense how overwhelmed I was.
Mara reacted faster than I did. She reached for Asher, and my son—just when I needed him to cling to me the most—went to her without a single complaint. He wrapped his arms around her neck, calm as ever behind his tinted glasses and headphones. I forced a small smile at her, though my hands were already turning cold, my fingers tightening together as I reluctantly allowed myself to be guided away. I kept glancing back every few steps, checking if Asher was okay, if he was watching me, if this whole thing terrified him as much as it terrified me.
