The morning sunlight gently slipped through the curtains, but when Lala opened her eyes, something felt strange. The house was quiet—too quiet. She rubbed her eyes, stretched, and looked around. Usually, she would hear Mom’s voice calling her for breakfast or Bon’s laughter from the living room. But today, there was nothing.
Lala sat up quickly, her little heart beating faster. “Where is everyone?” she whispered to herself. She walked to the kitchen, hoping to find Mom making warm soup. Empty. She peeked into Bon’s room—just neatly folded blankets on the bed. Even Dad’s chair in the living room was empty.
Confused and a little scared, Lala’s eyes began to water. “Did they leave me? Why didn’t they tell me?” She wandered from room to room, clutching her favorite toy, searching for any clue. The silence made her feel smaller and lonelier with every step.
Then, she heard a faint sound outside the window—voices and laughter. Curious, she ran to the door and opened it. To her surprise, Mom, Dad, and Bon were right there in the garden, setting up a picnic breakfast with fruits, juice, and sandwiches.
“Lala! You’re awake!” Mom smiled warmly. “We didn’t want to wake you too early, so we went outside to prepare a surprise.”
Relief washed over Lala as her worried face turned into the brightest smile. She ran into Mom’s arms, hugging her tightly. “I thought you all left me…” she murmured.
Mom kissed her forehead. “Never, sweetheart. We’re always here with you.”
That morning, as the family sat together under the sunshine, sharing food and laughter, Lala learned that sometimes worry comes before the sweetest surprises.
