Little Ariana had a talent no one in the family fully understood—an uncanny ability to bring people together, especially when it came to playtime. At only five years old, she carried the confidence of someone who had organized a thousand games before breakfast. Her older sister, Tilly, adored her energy, even if she didn’t always keep up. And Mom Toma? Well, she tried her best, but between work, laundry, cooking, and the endless list of to-dos, she often hovered near the edge of playtime rather than jumping in.
But today, Ariana had a mission.
The morning had started quietly. Tilly was building a tower of colorful blocks in the living room, stacking each level with the absolute seriousness of an architect designing a skyscraper. Ariana watched for a moment before an idea twinkled in her eyes. She zipped down the hallway to find Mom Toma, who was tidying up the kitchen with her hair tied back and her focus glued to the dishes.
“Mom!” Ariana whispered dramatically, tugging at her sleeve. “We need you. It’s an emergency.”
Toma froze. “What kind of emergency?” she asked, half worried, half amused.
“A fun emergency,” Ariana declared. “Tilly’s building the tallest tower ever, but it needs official grown-up testing. You have to come check stability!”
Toma blinked. “Stability?”
“Yes. Very serious business.”
Before Mom could protest, Ariana grabbed her hand with all the determination of a tiny tour guide escorting a VIP guest. She marched her straight into the living room, where Tilly looked up and gasped.
“Mom! Perfect timing! We’re about to add the final block!”
Toma laughed, realizing she’d been expertly lured into playtime once again. The tower wobbled precariously, and Ariana held her breath, bouncing on her toes with anticipation. Tilly handed Mom the last block as though it were a priceless artifact.
