Juno had an idea of how they were supposed to begin, looking around at the messiness of the treehouse, now in a sad decrepit state.
She held the relic close and whispered, "Where do we begin?"
Juno had a feeling. The treehouse stood waiting, but it wasn't ready - not yet. They'd need supplies, tools, and a plan. As if reading her thoughts, Solani stepped behind the willow and returned with a box, worn but sturdy.
"We found a few things," she said, lifting the lid. "Some boards left out for recycling, a few ribbons from Ms. Link, an extra lantern, and this - " She held up a small hammer. "Papa gave it to us. Said to be careful."
Juno took it gently, inspecting the weight in her hand.
"We found an extra one that no one uses," Kaylani added, bouncing slightly.
"I gathered some branches that fell near the trees," Kalen said, his voice quiet but proud.
"And Papa had a box of nails left over from fixing the stair railing," Kaylani chimed again, clearly thrilled to be part of the effort.
Solani reached into her pocket and unfolded a piece of paper - handwritten, creased at the edges. A list. She scanned it once, then began tearing it into four pieces.
"One for each of us," she said, handing them out. "We'll start here."
Juno looked down at her piece. It read:
Sweep the leaves. Clear the floor. Make space for new things
Juno didn't see it as a chore. Not yet. But the way Solani handed her the list, the way each child held their piece like it mattered - it felt like something more than a task. It wasn't just a chore - it was their first shared promise. It felt like the start of something sacred.
It wasn't just a task - it was a beginning.
It didn't feel magical yet - but maybe, one day, it would be.