Expect The Unexspected

Childhood

**Setting:** A dimly lit bedroom filled with soft toys and colorful drawings on the walls. The faint sound of muffled voices and shouting can be heard from downstairs, but inside the room, it's a small sanctuary. Veronica, five years old, is tucked under her covers, clutching her favorite stuffed bunny. Her mother, Grace, enters the room, her face adorned with a carefully crafted smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

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**Grace:** (sitting on the edge of Veronica’s bed, brushing a stray hair behind her ear) “Hey there, sweet pea. Ready for our story?”

**Veronica:** (nodding, her eyes wide and hopeful) “Yes, Mommy! Can we read about the princess again?”

**Grace:** (forcing a bright smile) “Of course! The princess and her brave knight. Let me just find where we left off.” (She picks up the book from the nightstand, her hands trembling slightly as she opens it.)

**Veronica:** (noticing her mother’s hands) “Mommy, are you okay? You look... funny.”

**Grace:** (quickly masking her expression) “Oh, I’m just a little tired, sweetheart. You know how it is. But I’m here for you, aren’t I?”

**Veronica:** (frowning slightly but not wanting to upset her mother) “Yeah. You always come to read to me. I like it when you do.”

**Grace:** (her smile softening, she leans closer) “I love it too, darling. Your smile makes everything better.” (She clears her throat and begins reading.) “Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, there was a beautiful princess named Lila…”

**Veronica:** (snuggling deeper into her blankets, her eyes fixed on her mother’s face) “Mommy, do you think I could be a princess one day?”

**Grace:** (pausing, her gaze distant for a moment) “Of course you can, sweetheart. You’re already my little princess.” (She forces a laugh, but it sounds hollow.)

**Veronica:** (leaning closer, whispering) “You’re my queen, Mommy. You’re the best queen ever.”

**Grace:** (her heart aching at the innocence of her daughter’s words) “Thank you, love. That means so much to me.” (She continues reading, her voice soothing despite the turmoil she feels inside.) “And the brave knight promised to protect Princess Lila from all the darkness in the kingdom…”

**Veronica:** (her eyelids growing heavy) “Mommy, do you think the knight will always protect her?”

**Grace:** (looking down at her daughter, her smile faltering) “I hope so, Veronica. Sometimes, we have to be brave on our own too. But remember, you’re never alone. I’ll always be here for you.”

**Veronica:** (yawning, her voice barely a whisper) “Promise?”

**Grace:** (placing a gentle kiss on her forehead) “I promise, my little princess. Always.”

(As Grace continues to read, her voice becomes a lullaby, wrapping around Veronica like a warm blanket. The muffled shouting from downstairs fades into the background, and Veronica drifts off to sleep, comforted by her mother’s presence, even as Grace fights back tears, knowing the reality that awaits them both.)

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**(The scene fades as Grace closes the book quietly, watching her daughter sleep, her heart heavy with the burdens she carries, yet filled with love for the little girl who still believes in fairy tales.)****Setting:** The morning sun filters through the curtains, casting a warm glow in Veronica's room. She stretches and yawns, the remnants of her dream fading as she hops out of bed, her stuffed bunny in hand. Excitedly, she runs down the hallway toward her parents' room, eager to see her mother.

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**Veronica:** (bursting into the room) “Mommy! Mommy, are you awake?”

(She stops short as she sees her mother, Grace, lying in bed, her face buried in the pillows. The sight of her mother’s red, puffy eyes and the split on her lip sends a wave of confusion and concern through Veronica.)

**Veronica:** (voice trembling) “Mommy? What’s wrong?”

(Grace lifts her head slowly, her eyes glistening with tears. She tries to muster a smile, but it falters as she sees the worry etched on her daughter’s face.)

**Grace:** (forcing a shaky breath) “Oh, sweetheart… I’m okay. Just a little tired, that’s all.”

**Veronica:** (taking a step closer, her small voice filled with concern) “You don’t look okay. Did you cry? Why are you sad?”

(Grace wipes her eyes, attempting to compose herself, but the effort only makes her feel more fragile. She sits up slowly, pulling the covers around her.)

**Grace:** “Sometimes, grown-ups have hard days, honey. It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

**Veronica:** (climbing onto the bed, her bunny clutched tightly) “But I want to help! You’re my mommy, and I don’t like it when you’re sad.”

(Grace’s heart aches at her daughter’s innocence. She reaches out, brushing a hand over Veronica’s hair, trying to find comfort in her little girl’s presence.)

**Grace:** “I know, my love. Just being here with you helps more than you know.” (She takes a deep breath, trying to steady her voice.) “Can we read a story together? Just like last night?”

**Veronica:** (nodding eagerly, though her eyes still reflect concern) “Yes! The princess and the knight! I want to hear it again!”

**Grace:** (managing a soft smile) “Alright, let’s do that.” (She reaches for the book on the nightstand, her hands shaking slightly as she opens it.) “Once upon a time…”

(As Grace begins to read, her voice trembles but gradually steadies, the familiar rhythm of the story wrapping around them like a warm embrace. Veronica snuggles close, her eyes brightening as she listens, but she can’t shake the feeling that something is very wrong.)

**Veronica:** (interrupting gently) “Mommy, if you’re sad, can I be your princess and make you happy?”

**Grace:** (tears welling in her eyes again, but she smiles through them) “You already are my princess, Veronica. You make me so happy just by being you.”

(As they continue reading, the weight of the world feels a little lighter for Grace, if only for a moment, as she finds solace in her daughter’s love and the magic of their shared stories.)

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**(The scene fades with Grace reading, her heart heavy yet hopeful, as she clings to the joy of motherhood amidst the struggles she faces.)**