For a moment, silence fell between them.
Kafka stared at her, caught completely off guard by her declaration. His eyes widened, and then his lips parted in disbelief.
"…You?" He said finally, his voice laced with both amusement and incredulity.
"Yes." She nodded, her chin lifting higher, her posture radiating determination even as her fingers trembled slightly at her sides.
"Mom, that tree is twenty feet tall." His lips curved into a smirk, and he let out a soft chuckle. "The bark's smooth as stone, and there are no footholds anywhere. How exactly do you plan on climbing it?"
"Don't underestimate your mother." Olivia said with quiet pride, though her heart was pounding in her chest. "I may have never climbed a tree before...but I'm not helpless."
"I was athletic once, and I still have some of that strength in me...Especially if it's for my son, I can do anything if I try hard enough."
