Stars

A brown-haired toddler runs through a pathway of Central Park. The trees show red, orange, and yellow hues against the blue afternoon sky. People of all ages pass by one another. Today, the air is chilly; the boy wears a black sweatshirt.

“Don’t go too far ahead,” says Blake.

“Okay, dad,” says Jared. The toddler ran ahead of his family.

Blake is walking beside Lily, who is pushing a stroller. Inside the stroller, under two blankets, is their one-year-old daughter, Rosie. When she was born, Blake chose a name resembling his mother’s name, Rosalie. Although Blake’s mother is no longer living, she cares for them from above. Blake knows her mother would have loved to see his children. The children are a mixture of their parents' features: Jared has the brown color of Blake’s hair, and Rosie has Lily’s heart-shaped face.

“Let’s head back home.”

Turning the lights off the apartment, Blake guides Jared to change into pajamas. Blake helps his son brush his teeth.