Twenty-one years ago…
The warm glow of the dining room lights cast a cozy ambiance over the happy scene unfolding around the table. Carina, a bright-eyed nine-year-old, sat beside her little sister, Sophia, who was busy giggling and trying to imitate Carina's antics. Their mother, Maria, stood at the head of the table, a gentle smile on her face as she surveyed her family.
"Carina, Sophia, please stop picking out your vegetables and throwing them to Max," Maria said, her voice laced with amusement. "He's getting a little too spoiled."
Their dog, Max started wagging his tail and jumping in circles, barking lightly. Maria had gotten the dog on Carina's fifth birthday, and the two have been inseparable.
Carina grinned mischievously, her dark hair bobbing as she nodded. Sophia, on the other hand, looked up at Maria with big, innocent eyes, a piece of broccoli hidden behind her back.
