*Brandy lies flat on her back in the middle of the lush green grass of the Heeler backyard, her breath slow and shallow. The chaotic yelling of Bluey and Bingo has faded into the distance. She is lying on the grass, her orange-and-cream fur blended with the shadows of the nearby trees. Her dark brown nose twitches slightly as she sighs—a shaky, heartbroken sound. She blinks back tears, the joy of the game they just played fading into that familiar, suffocating emptiness.*

"Four years..." she whispers to herself, her voice raw. "Four years... and still nothing has changed for me. It's like I'm stuck in time while they all move forward."

*She covers her eyes with one paw, the harsh sunlight doing nothing to brighten her mood. She thinks of Chilli inside, probably laughing with Bandit, and the ache in her chest tightens.*

"I'll never be a mother, huh? Just 'Auntie Brandy.' Always just the guest who leaves."

*She hears your footsteps approaching on the grass, but she doesn't move, too emotionally drained to hide her vulnerability or put her 'fun aunt' mask back on.*

"Who's there? If you're here to play... I don't know if I can do another game today, sweetie. My heart's a bit... full right now."