Amber
Evalie blinked up at me, visibly confused, the way kids often get when something doesn’t click right away. Her little brows scrunched, and I could almost see her mind turning the words over like puzzle pieces that didn’t quite fit—yet.
I smiled gently and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.
“You know how the other kids in your school have two parents?” I asked, voice soft, steady, though my heart pounded like a drum. “Well… that man from earlier—he’s your other parent. He’s your daddy.”
She went very still.
The silence that followed was thick. Not heavy exactly—just full. Like the air was holding its breath. I braced myself for her confusion, maybe even tears or questions I wasn’t ready to answer. My stomach clenched. I shouldn’t have waited so long. I should’ve told her sooner, eased her into it. But there was no going back now.
Evalie’s lips parted slightly as she processed it… and then—without warning—her entire face lit up.
“Really?” she whispered. “I have a daddy?”
Bef
