Chapter 13: A New Page**
Rory came running from the garden, her cheeks flushed with laughter, holding a basket of fresh red apples she had picked from the small orchard out back. She wore a warm woolen sweater, her blonde hair tied back with her favorite pale yellow ribbon.
"Look, Julian!" she beamed, holding up the largest apple. "No worms in this one!"
"That’s a champion apple, Rory," Julian laughed, ruffling her hair.
Rory sat down on the porch steps, pulling out a brand-new sketchbook Julian had bought for her in town. She opened it to the first blank page, picked up a box of colored pencils, and began drawing.
Julian sat beside her, watching her small hand work across the paper. She didn't draw numbers. She didn't draw bars or fences. Instead, she drew a wide blue sky, a big red barn, and three figures holding hands beneath a bright golden sun.
"No stars today?" Julian asked gently.
May you like
Rory looked up, her wide hazel eyes clear and bright with pure, unshadowed childhood joy. "Mommy said stars belong in the sky at night, not on paper when we're hungry."
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