“Bye bye,” the child said, as she put down the last little teddy bear. She hugged forcefully, as this will be the last time. She gently layed it in the old cardboard blx that read “Donations” in her mother’s neat handwriting.

A small tear runs down her cheek while she swallows the lump in her throat as she wills herself not to cry. “You’re eight now, you don’t need stuffies anymore” she tells herself with as much conviction as she can muster.

Her mom enters the room and leans against the door. “Sweetie, are you done packing?” Her mother says softly. She wipes the tear away and turns to her mother. “Yeah mommy. Let’s go. I-I’m ready.” She takes one last look at the box before closing it and walking away towards the moving truck- towards her future.