"It was Liam's 15th birthday, and I couldn't think of anything better than to take him on a vacation. I was still reeling from the loss of my mother and Madam Flora's murder, and the thought of throwing a party felt overwhelming. The fact that the killer was still at large, and the case remained unsolved, only added to my anxiety. I wanted to escape the darkness that had been looming over us for a while, even if it was just for a little while. A vacation seemed like the perfect way to take Liam's mind off things and create some happy memories.
"Hey, Liam? I was thinking... since it's your birthday, we could get out of here for a bit. Just the two of us," I said, trying to sound cheerful.
Liam looked up from his phone, a hint of excitement in his eyes. "What did you have in mind, Mom?"
"Well, I was thinking maybe a trip to the beach? Or the mountains? Somewhere we can relax and have some quality time together."
