Sitting in her large wooden rocking chair, Bernadette gently rocks back and forth, occasionally glancing outside to catch snippets of neighborhood gossip. Suddenly, realizing how beautiful the day is, an idea crosses her mind: Why not take them outside? If they get tired enough, they'll be quiet.

In a firm, authoritative voice, she calls the children to her. "How about we go play outside? What do you think?"

Dylan and Léa eagerly agree without hesitation, their faces lit up with joy. They head down to the backyard, and Bernadette brings out a few toys to keep them occupied: a ball, a frisbee, and some chalk to draw on the ground. The children are as happy as if it were their birthday morning. Together, they play with the ball and invite Bernadette to join them. She hesitates for a few seconds before agreeing; What wouldn’t I do to make them happy? She thinks, stretching her legs and exchanging a few passes with them.

Three minutes later, Bernadette realizes she’s not twenty anymore. Her body aches, and every movement requires more effort than it used to. Yet, the sight of her grandchildren’s bright smiles fuels her determination, pushing her to keep going. But just as Bernadette moves toward the ball, her neighbor steps outside and leans against the metal fence. Seizing the perfect excuse to take a break, she straightens up and waves, grateful for the momentary reprieve.

"Sorry, kids, but my neighbor needs to talk to me. Continue without me; I'll be back to play soon," she calls out, seizing the chance. She heads toward the fence to join her neighbor, catching her breath. With one arm resting on the fence, she chats with her neighbor while keeping an eye on Dylan and Léa.

The children enjoy their playtime, laughing and exchanging passes. Nothing suggests any trouble, and Bernadette lets her guard down during the conversation. They dive right into the neighborhood gossip: dissecting every word Mrs. Lauzon uttered, who's been caught doing what, and of course, who hasn't lived up to their end of the bargain— just the usual juicy chatter between women of their age.

Bernadette intervenes occasionally, reminding the children to lower their voices to avoid disturbing the neighbors.

But the one time Bernadette fully turns her head to speak with her neighbor, she hears Dylan shout, "NOT TOO HARD!"

Bernadette watches as the ball hurtles straight towards Dylan's face. The impact reverberates sharply, signaling to Bernadette that the afternoon might be coming to an abrupt end.

Dylan is knocked to the ground by the ball's impact, eyes wide as he stares at the horizon. Within moments, he breaks down in tears, crying out incomprehensibly, much like his mother had done earlier that morning.

She rushes to his side along with Léa, while the neighbor discreetly retreats indoors. Only Léa’s words reverberate loudly in the yard: "It was an accident, I didn’t mean to!" Léa is visibly shaken, fearing the consequences. But Bernadette, with incredible composure, takes Dylan's face in her hands to assess the damage. When she sees Dylan’s little nose starting to bleed, she calmly takes a handkerchief, presses it against his nose, and holds him in her arms as Léa desperately tries to explain the accident.

As Bernadette comforts Dylan, she turns to face Léa. Panic is evident on Léa's face when Bernadette looks at her, but Bernadette’s words calm her instantly: "I know, I know. Calm down. It was an accident, I saw everything."

Léa lets out a long sigh of relief, while Dylan, still cradled in Bernadette's arms, suddenly bursts out, "But Grandma, she did it on purpose! It’s obvious she threw it super hard," his voice choked with tears once more. Léa panics internally for a few seconds, fearing that Dylan might change Bernadette’s mind about the accident, but Bernadette interrupts him with a firm tone, "Hey, that's enough. It was an accident. These things happen. It’s not the end of the world, so stop."

She checks Dylan’s nose again to ensure the bleeding has stopped, then comforts him before turning her attention back to the shattered moment.

She sets Dylan down and quickly glances to see if her neighbor is still by the fence, but to her dismay, she finds the neighbor gone. Disappointed that her daily gossip fix has been cut short, Bernadette resigns herself to wait until tomorrow for more updates on her neighbors. She sits on the stairs, her mood dampened despite the sunshine. Encouraging the children to resume play, she watches them quietly this time.

Léa moves away from her little brother and prefers to play alone in a corner while Dylan tries to regain Bernadette’s attention but she sits with a lifeless stare, her disappointment palpable as though her world has been shattered by the interruption.

After an hour of watching them play separately, Bernadette pulls herself together. It's not the end of the world... catching up on the latest gossip... after everyone else. She lets out a long, melodramatic sigh of discouragement and calls out to the children, "Kids, it’s almost time for dinner. Come on, let's go inside."

Dylan and Léa exchange a look of animosity just before climbing the stairs under Bernadette’s watchful gaze. As Bernadette climbs the stairs, fatigue overwhelms her again. The adrenaline from the little accident has faded, and the exhaustion from playing with the kids is setting in once more. Her mind wanders to the familiar question: "What are we going to eat?"

Considering the options in the fridge, nothing appeals to her. Meanwhile, Dylan and Léa stand before her, brimming with energy. I guess I failed. I wanted to tire them out, she mutters to herself. Out of sheer laziness, she gives in to convenience, "How about pizza? What do you think?" Within a second, the two children look at each other, their animosity disappearing as they scream with joy at Bernadette’s suggestion. They cling to her as she calls the local pizzeria. Restlessly, they wait for the pizza delivery, each finding ways to occupy themselves, but the tension hangs heavy in the house. Every sound from outside grabs their immediate attention.

When the delivery person knocks on the door, they are the first to arrive. Bernadette pays for the pizza, and they follow her like ducklings following their mother. Opening the box, Bernadette watches as they devour their slices, momentarily forgetting their earlier quarrel. At least this will calm them down, she thinks. A festive atmosphere fills the kitchen, and they engage in a lively conversation.

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After the meal, Dylan approaches her with a soft voice, striking a princely pose. "Can I use the computer too?" Bernadette glances at Léa to prevent her from opposing the request. "Yes, you can use it. Léa has had her turn plenty today."

Dylan settles at the computer while Léa opts for the television. Bernadette takes the opportunity to wash the dishes quietly but keeps a watchful ear.

An hour later, Dylan returns to the kitchen, where Bernadette is sitting in her old rocking chair, resting her sore feet. "What is it, my darling?" Dylan hesitates for a few seconds, searching for words. "I need help. I don’t understand some things." Exasperated but patient, Bernadette calls out to Léa in the living room, "Léa, can you come explain to your little brother, please?"

Without protesting, she joins him in the computer room. Bernadette keeps an eye on them.

Calmly, Léa explains the basics of computing to her little brother, patiently correcting things one by one. Bernadette closes her eyes for a few seconds but is quickly brought back to reality when Dylan gets up and leaves the computer room. "Can I have some juice, please?"

Bernadette pours him a glass of juice and offers one to Léa as well, who accepts. As Léa gets up and leaves the computer room, Bernadette watches as the little girl’s attention is drawn to something invisible behind her. Slowly, the world around Bernadette seems to grind to a halt, leaving her a helpless observer. In the filtered sunlight, Bernadette strains to discern what has caught Léa's interest.

"Dental floss?" she mutters, her unease growing as she struggles to make sense of the unfolding scene, feeling detached and powerless to intervene.

The floss gets caught between Léa’s fingers, and higher up, it pulls on a potted plant hanging on the wall, causing it to start tipping over.

Bernadette yearns to act, to do something—anything—desperately wishing her body could move faster, even as she knows deep down it's already too late. She watches in horror as the plant teeters agonizingly slowly. "NOOO!" her mind screams, her heart sinking.

When Léa sees the plant tipping, she instinctively drops to the floor, covering her head with her hands and letting out a small scream of fear.

The pot falls directly onto the computer desk, shattering on the keyboard and scattering black soil everywhere. The keyboard tips sideways, getting wedged between the desk and the chair, then catapults the remaining broken pot directly onto the shelf near the computer.

Horrified, Bernadette witnesses the scene in slow motion, her heart breaking at the sight and her rage growing exponentially because she can’t move.

The broken pot fragments hit the shelf holding several other flower pots and plants. The impact knocks the shelf down, sending the pots crashing to the floor, scattering soil all over the room.

"NO, NO, NO! NOT MY NIGHTMARE COME TRUE, IT’S A DISASTER, SOMEONE KILL ME!!!"

Bernadette finally manages to move a foot forward, inch by agonizing inch. Finally gaining control, she enters the room with Dylan following closely behind. Meanwhile, Léa remains curled up on the floor, panicked and disoriented.

Bernadette takes a deep breath even as she wants to scream, but her attention is drawn to something above the window. Another dental floss string moves, tethered to a pot. It suddenly comes loose, snagging the curtain rod and sending the pot hurtling toward the window.

Before Bernadette could even raise her hand, the pot collided with the glass, smashing it into shards, and the plant plummeted two stories below. Her heart sank with a mixture of despair and rage, the sound of breaking glass piercing her soul. Her eye starts twitching furiously, and a murderous aura begins to emanate from her, enveloping the small room as a chilling cold settles in.

After checking for any lingering danger, Léa slowly lifts her head to assess the situation. As she does, a wave of terror washes over her upon encountering Bernadette's intense, lifeless gaze. Without a word, Bernadette directs Dylan towards the nearest wall with a firm push. She grabs Léa by the ear and drags her back to the wall of punishment.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME, YOU LITTLE MONSTER, SERIOUSLY?!"

As Bernadette forces Léa against the wall, her anger explodes into a torrent of uncontrollable spanking, each strike prompting immediate tears from Léa.

Each slap reverberates through the house, freezing Dylan in place as he watches, afraid to even flinch, lest he draw attention to himself.

Bernadette loses track of how many times she strikes, but finally halts, her conscience demanding she stop after a dozen. Léa's legs tremble, her body frozen with despair as she weeps inconsolably.

After this scene of violence, Bernadette turns to Dylan and gestures for him to come forward. Dylan steps forward slowly, like a condemned man walking to his execution. "You sit at the table and stay silent. Is that clear?!" Dylan doesn’t resist and sits at the table, hands on his thighs, back straight, discreetly observing Bernadette.

She quickly grabs bags and everything needed to clean up the mess in the computer room, not forgetting to barricade the window.

While working, she mutters things under her breath the children can’t understand, furious as she picks up her plants and flowers as if handling lifeless bodies. A tear in her eye, she works tirelessly, occasionally sticking her head out to check if the children have moved.

Every time she looks at them, Dylan's eyes silently inquire: "Will we be executed tonight or at dawn?"

Bernadette's curses and mutterings fill the house with a heavy gloom, and as she hauls the trash bags outside, an icy chill seems to trail behind her. It takes Bernadette a grueling two hours to tidy everything up, her rage unabated throughout. She's compelled to pause periodically, visibly struggling to regain her composure in the simmering tension.

Once the work is done, she heads toward Léa, looking down at her. She restrains herself from hitting her again, a sliver of humanity holding her back. "Young lady, what you did is unforgivable," she says, pointing to a small cot in her room. Without another word, Léa understands her life is spared for tonight, but she must go to bed immediately and in silence. She can’t help but whisper a faint "sorry." Bernadette remains impervious to Léa and watches her settle into bed for the night. Léa lies down with tears in her eyes, struggling to sleep on her back because of the pain in her buttocks.

In the midst of the tense atmosphere, Dylan waits for the perfect moment to ask if he can leave the table. When he judges the timing to be right, he inquires, only to receive Bernadette's cold and lifeless reply: "You can go play in the kitchen... quietly."

Dylan complies and brings a few small cars, while Bernadette takes her place on the chair, knitting and watching Dylan play. Most of her attention, however, is fixed on the bedroom, keeping an eye on Léa.

Apparently, Léa falls asleep quickly, which slightly calms Bernadette, allowing her to continue knitting and further calming herself.

Time passes, and Dylan's bedtime arrives. Precisely on time, she sends him to the small cot next to his sister. Without a word, he quietly goes to bed while Bernadette continues rocking in the kitchen, now giving 100% of her attention to the bedroom. “No words or murmurs,” she repeats to herself, “they will sleep, I’m not their mother!”

Bernadette rocks and mourns inwardly, Why did Léa do such a thing? Why is she so mean?

Minutes pass, then hours, and Bernadette’s usual bedtime comes, but she resists fatigue, preferring to ensure the children are asleep before she goes to bed. Several times, she peeks into the bedroom to visually check if they are sleeping and nothing in particular catches her attention.

Despite her frustrations, Bernadette steals a moment to look at them with the love of a grandmother and thinks, I still have good little children despite everything.

When the clock strikes eleven, Bernadette can no longer resist fatigue. Discreetly, she heads to her bed and starts her usual routine: she sits, pulls the covers, tucks the blanket under her feet, and finally lies down.

Bernadette takes deep breaths, trying to calm her anger and clear her mind for sleep. Yet, what soothes her most is the steady, calm breathing of her grandchildren, which gently lulls her into slumber.