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Afternoon sunlight fills the living room where cardboard boxes tower in uneven stacks. Mom and Dad tape and label crates while Hayden twirls bright ribbons between them, their faces lit with excited smiles.
Riley watched boxes stacking high. Mom smiled, blonde hair shining. Dad labeled crates, brown hair rumpled. Hayden twirled ribbons, promising adventures in Australia. 'Exciting and scary both,' Mom said.
Inside the softly lit airplane cabin, Riley grips Bun-Bun against her chest while Dad holds her hand across the shared armrest. Nearby, Hayden sketches fluffy clouds on the window shade, calming Riley with a gentle grin.
On the airplane, Riley clutched Bun-Bun. 'My tummy wobbles,' she whispered. Dad squeezed her hand, warm. 'Brave means scared and moving,' Dad said. Hayden drew clouds, making Riley giggle.
Outside the airport under bright mid-morning sun, gum trees sway behind the family. Riley hugs Hayden beside a luggage cart, while Mom laughs and lifts her face to the eucalyptus-scented breeze.
They landed to bright Australian sunshine. Gum trees swayed, smelling like peppermint. Mom laughed, 'New smells, new stories'. Riley hugged Hayden, missing her old park. Dad whispered, 'Missing means you loved'.
On the vibrant school sidewalk, morning light glows across painted murals and rainbow flags. Riley hides behind Mom’s legs clutching Bun-Bun, while Hayden kneels at eye level, offering a reassuring smile toward her little sister.
Their street led to a colorful school. Riley hid behind Mom's legs. 'Too big,' she murmured, squeezing Bun-Bun. Hayden knelt, eyes kind and steady. 'I'll walk beside you today,' Hayden said.
Indoors in the cozy kitchen, early daylight streams onto the table where open lunchboxes reveal sandwiches. Mom gently braids Riley’s light brown hair as Riley sits still on a stool, breathing calmly and counting on small fingers.
Lunchboxes clicked; sandwiches smelled like home. Mom braided Riley's light brown hair gently. 'Feelings don't need fixing,' Mom whispered. 'We notice them, then choose steps'. Riley breathed deep, counting to four.
Outside the wrought-iron school gate, birds dart through crisp morning air. Dad kneels on the footpath, wind-tossing his brown hair, promising Riley—who stands with jittery knees and backpack straps clenched—that he will wait right there after school.
At the gate, birds chirped wildly. Riley's knees jiggled like tiny drums. Dad knelt, brown hair wind-tossed. 'I'll wait right here after school,' he promised. Riley nodded, heart thumping brave beats.
Inside the brightly colored classroom under noon light, Riley carefully places her crayon drawing of Bun-Bun on a small desk surrounded by alphabet posters. She whispers ‘Hello, new things,’ smiling shyly at the vibrant space.
In the classroom, colors popped everywhere. Riley whispered, 'Hello, new things'. She placed Bun-Bun drawing on desk. She missed her old swing suddenly. Riley breathed, 'Missing means I loved'.
On the sandy playground after classes, golden afternoon sun stretches long shadows across slides and swings. Kneeling alone near the edge, Riley traces simple shapes in the dirt with one finger, her face thoughtful yet determined.
Outside, laughter skipped like pebbles. Riley traced shapes in sandy dirt. She remembered building forts with neighbors. 'I can try one small hello,' she decided. Her shoes shuffled two brave steps.
Riley finds a heart-shaped note in her lunchbox.
At lunch, Riley opened her box. A sticky note waited, heart-shaped. Mom wrote, 'We love you, explorer'. Hayden drew a tiny surfing koala. Riley giggled, munching crunchy apples.
Under the slanting late-afternoon sun outside the school doors, Riley sprints across wet pavement, backpack bouncing. Dad swoops her into the air while Hayden stands beside, both smiling wide as Riley announces her big-and-little day.
The bell rang; Riley spotted family. She ran, backpack bouncing, smiling wide. 'Today felt big and little,' Riley said. Dad lifted her high, laughing. 'Brave doesn't mean not scared,' Hayden added.
In the softly lit kitchen at dusk, rain speckles the window beyond Mom’s steaming pot of swirling cocoa. Riley sits on the counter telling her stories, and Mom listens closely, hugging her as fragrant steam curls upward.
At home, rain tapped soft rhythms. Mom brewed cocoa, swirls like galaxies. 'Tell me everything you noticed,' Mom said. Riley shared worries, wins, and wonders. They hugged, making home feel everywhere.
At the front garden path in bright morning light, magpies perch on the fence singing. Riley, shoes freshly tied, stands between Mom and Dad who each squeeze one hand, all three stepping forward toward the distant colorful school.
Morning again, magpies sang hello. Riley tied shoes, whispering, 'One step'. Hayden grinned, 'I'll cheer beside you'. Dad and Mom squeezed her hands. Together, they walked toward the new.