"Hey, big brother!"
she exclaimed, her voice filled with playful enthusiasm.
"Guess what? I found a ladybug in the shelter today, and it had the most beautiful spots! Do you want to see?"
John forced a small smile, his heart heavy with grief as he struggled to mask his pain behind a facade of normalcy.
"That sounds amazing, Vanessa,"
he replied, his voice tinged with sadness.
"But maybe later, okay? Right now, I... I have something important to take care of."
But Vanessa was undeterred by her brother's somber demeanor, her playful spirit shining through as she continued to chatter away, oblivious to the weight of the world pressing down upon them.
"Okay, but you have to promise me you'll come see it later,"
she insisted, her eyes wide with anticipation.
"And then we can have ice cream and play hide and seek, it's too boring inside the shelter!"
