Maya stood by the window, her gaze drifting over the familiar scene. The house was quiet now, but echoes of laughter and whispered secrets lingered in the corners. "It's strange to think how we all scrambled to hide Mom's jewelry," she mused, a soft smile playing on her lips.

Liam, the youngest at six, looked up with wide eyes. "Where will we hide them?" he asked, his voice filled with excitement and innocence. Maya ruffled his hair and replied, "Everywhere, little brother. We must keep them safe for Mom."

Maya tucked a delicate bracelet behind the dusty books on the shelf, while Liam carefully buried a small box in the garden, the earth cool under his fingers. "This is a good spot," he declared with pride, patting the soil down firmly.

"Maya, look what I found!" he shouted, rushing into the house with the box clutched tightly. Maya turned, laughter in her eyes as she saw her brother's discovery. "You found more than jewels, Liam. You found memories," she said softly.

Maya looked at the sparkling pieces, each one holding a fragment of their past. "We did it for Mom," she said, "but we also did it for us, to keep her close."

Maya hugged Liam tightly, feeling the warmth of family around her. "No matter where we are, we'll always have each other," she whispered, knowing that their mother's spirit was woven into each piece, each memory, and each bond they had forged together.