Emily Taylor had always been the sunshine in her mother’s life. Sarah Taylor, a dedicated nurse, worked tirelessly to provide for her daughter after her husband’s military deployment overseas three years ago. Their modest house on Maple Street was a sanctuary filled with Emily’s artwork and colorful books.

Last Friday, Sarah had been assigned extra weekend shifts. “I have to work, sweetie,” she’d explained, watching Emily’s face fall. “But Uncle Nathan offered to take you to a special place on Sunday with your cousins. Would you like that?”

Emily’s eyes had brightened. Nathan was Sarah’s younger brother, a university biology professor with two children close to Emily’s age. He had always been wonderful with her, nurturing her curiosity about the natural world. Sarah had even bought Emily a brand-new outfit for the special day: jeans with sparkly butterflies and a bright yellow t-shirt.