“Please… anything helps.”
It was soft, almost apologetic.
Normally, Daniel would have walked past. The city was full of people asking for spare change. But something about the voice made him pause.
He turned.
Across the street, sitting on the edge of the sidewalk, was a woman holding a small cardboard sign.
Beside her stood three little boys.
Daniel frowned.
They looked about four years old—thin but clean, wearing worn jackets that had clearly been donated by someone.
And they were identical.
Triplets.
One of them held the woman’s hand.
Another clung to her coat.
The third stared curiously at the busy street.
Daniel’s gaze slowly moved to the woman’s face.
His breath caught.
“…Emma?”
The name slipped from his lips before he could stop it.
The woman looked up.
For a moment, confusion crossed her face.
Then recognition struck.
Her eyes widened.
“Daniel?”
The world around them seemed to fade away.
Daniel felt something twist inside his chest. Emma looked different—thinner, tired, her hair tied loosely under a worn scarf.
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