Chapter 38
Laiken
The elevator chimes, and even before the doors finish opening, Elody’s boisterous voice carries down the hall.
“Bye, Mimi and Pop-Pop!”
My ex-in-laws say goodbye to their granddaughter, then nod at me before stepping back inside the car.
The doors slide shut, and a second later, feet pound across the wood.
“Daddy!”
The word hits me square in the chest the way it always does. No matter how many times I hear it, it never loses its significance. And it’s doubtful that will ever change.
The penthouse always feels full of life when my daughter is here.
It’s louder, brighter, full of movement and questions.
Toys migrate from room to room. Crumbs appear where I swear there were none five minutes ago.
There’s laughter, singing, and a steady stream of why and what if and watch this, Daddy.
It’s hard to remember a time when my little girl wasn’t the focal point of my life.
I step forward and catch her small body as she barrels into me, backpack bouncing against her shoulders. She collides with my legs, arms locking around my waist before hugging me.
“Hey, bug,” I murmur, bending to brush a kiss against the top of her head. “Did you have fun?”
“Yes!” She pulls back just enough to grin up at me. “Mimi let me pick out the cereal, and Pop-Pop made the eggs wrong, but I ate them anyway because I’m polite.”
I huff out a quiet laugh and run a hand over her hair. “I’m sure he appreciated that.”
By the time Elody drops her backpack and takes off running, Kia is already lowering herself, like she knew exactly what was coming.
Sure enough, Elody launches straight into her arms. Kia catches her without hesitation, hugging her close as my little girl clings to her like she’s been waiting all day for this moment.
I’ve watched people with my daughter. Babysitters with too wide of smiles.
Friends who meant well but never quite knew how to connect.
Even Sarah, back when she still bothered to pretend.
But Elody has never warmed to someone like this or clung with her whole being.
It’s as if she already trusts Kia to be there for her.
When Kia presses a kiss against Elody’s hair, thick emotion swells in my throat, and it takes a moment to get myself under control. This is what I’ve always wanted. Someone loving my little girl as much as I do.
Elody pulls back, her face turning serious. “Can I call you Mommy now?”
My throat tightens as emotion rises so swiftly, it’s almost difficult to choke back. I blink hard, but my vision blurs anyway, because I understand what that question means. Elody isn’t asking out of innocence. She’s asking because she wants it and feels safe enough to claim it.
Kia doesn’t flinch or look to me for guidance. She simply cups Elody’s cheek and holds her gaze. “Of course you can, sweetie.”
I’ve spent so long trying to protect my little girl, trying to give her stability and make sure she never feels abandoned again.
That’s when I realize Kia isn’t just stepping into our lives, she’s choosing us.
Elody beams, pure joy lighting up her face, before nestling against Kia’s stomach.
I freeze with the realization that this baby will be her sibling.
I always wanted more kids. I wanted the noise and mess and too many shoes by the door.
I wanted dinner conversations that overlapped and birthdays that felt like events instead of just another ordinary day.
After Sarah left, I buried that longing and told myself that what I had was enough.
Wanting more felt ungrateful, and longing for a life I couldn’t have felt like tearing open a wound that never fully healed. So I packed the grief away and tried to forget about it.
And now, everything I secretly dreamed of is standing right in front of me.
My wife.
My daughter.
My unborn child.
Somehow, without planning or hoping for it, I built the family I thought I’d forfeited the right to want.
Kia’s gaze lifts to mine over Elody’s head, and within it, I recognize the same mix of awe and fear along with the understanding that what we’re building is bigger than either of us expected.
Before I realize I’m on the move, I’m already crouching beside them.
As soon as my hand settles at Kia’s waist, she leans into me.
Her fingers slip over mine before giving them a squeeze.
“This is so much more than I could have hoped for,” she murmurs.
My thumb brushes her knuckles. “I promise, it’s only the beginning.”
Elody pops her head up, gaze bouncing between us. “So we’re a family now? A real one?”
“We’ve always been a family,” I tell her, voice rough with emotion. “We’re just adding to it.”
With a grin, she pivots abruptly in a way only a four-year-old can. “Can we play at the park? I want to go down the dragon slide.”
Kia laughs, the sound light and easy. “Absolutely. That sounds fun.”
“You’ll slide with me?” Elody asks, her excitement growing.
“Maybe once or twice.”
Elody pumps her fist. “Yay!”
When my phone buzzes, I slip the device free of my pocket and glance at it. My lawyer’s name lights up the screen. As tempting as it is to ignore the call and continue living in our little bubble, that’s not possible. Not when there’s so much at stake.
“Go on,” I say, flashing them a smile. “I’ll meet you there.”
My gaze stays locked on my girls as I answer. Mark dives straight into paperwork and timelines.
Elody waves. “Bye, Daddy! See you at the park!”
I watch as they head toward the elevator, my daughter tugging my wife along. Kia laughs as she fixes Elody’s scarf before pulling on her own jacket.
They look like a family.
Because they are.
I spent years holding the world together with control.
Now I have something worth letting go for.
Something I’ll fight like hell to protect.