37

                                    

                                          
Maya sat across from Carina, sipping her coffee while Alex happily munched on his cereal, his legs swinging beneath the chair in his usual energetic rhythm.
Maya exchanged a glance with Carina, giving her a small nod. They had been discussing the move for a few days now, but they both knew it was important to include Alex in the conversation. They wanted him to feel excited about the change, not overwhelmed.
"Hey, buddy," Maya said, her tone light as she set down her cup. "We need to talk to you about something really cool."
Alex looked up from his cereal, his big eyes curious. "What is it, Mommy?"
Carina smiled warmly, leaning forward a little. "Well, you know how much we all love our home, right?"
Alex nodded, still chewing, clearly interested but not quite understanding yet.
"Well," Maya continued, glancing at Carina before focusing back on Alex, "we're going to move to a new house soon. It's a bigger place with more room for you to play and run around. And guess what? You'll get your own special room!"
Alex blinked, pausing for a moment. "We're moving?"
Carina nodded gently. "Yes, tesoro. The building we live in now was sold, so we're going to move to a new home. But it's not far away, and you're going to love it."
Alex's brow furrowed slightly. "Do I have to leave my toys?"
Maya chuckled softly, shaking her head. "No way! All your toys are coming with us. And you can help us pick out how to decorate your new room."
Carina chimed in, her voice warm and excited. "How would you feel about having a superhero room in the new house?"
Alex's face lit up instantly, and he dropped his spoon. "A superhero room? Like, with all the superheroes?"
Maya nodded, grinning at his reaction. "Yep, all your favorites! We could get posters, superhero bedding, and maybe even a wall with your favorite characters. What do you think?"
Alex bounced in his seat, clearly thrilled by the idea. "Yes! I want Spider-Man and Batman, and the Ninja Turtles too!"
Carina chuckled, leaning in to ruffle his hair. "We can definitely make that happen, tesoro. You'll have the coolest superhero room ever."
Maya smiled at Carina, then looked back at Alex. "We're going to work together to make it perfect, just the way you want it."
Alex beamed, his excitement overflowing. "I can't wait! It's going to be the best room ever!"
"We can head over for you to pick which room you want to be yours later." Maya said as Alex started dancing across the apartment.
Carina turned to Maya. "If we are going to make a trip over, I think I'll start packing up some of the things in the closet. Might as well be productive."
Maya nodded. "Good idea. I'll help."
They headed back downstairs, and while Alex explored the penthouse, Carina began pulling out boxes from the closet and sorting through them. As Maya helped her pack, she opened one of the boxes and paused, her eyes softening. "Hey, Carina... look what I found."
Maya held up a few baby books, worn but well-preserved. Alex's name was written on the cover in Carina's handwriting.
"Oh, those are Alex's baby books!" Carina said, her face lighting up as she moved closer. She took one of the books from Maya's hands, flipping through the pages. "I made these right after Alex was born. There are so many pictures in here."
Alex, hearing his name, wandered over, his curiosity piqued. "Pictures of me?"
Carina smiled, patting the floor next to her. "Come here, tesoro. I'll show you."