Mia's POVThe weight of disappointment settled in my chest."A feeling," I sighed."I understand your skepticism..""Sophie," I said carefully, "I appreciate everything you've done. Really. But Kyle is dying.""The universe has a peculiar sense of timing," Sophie interrupted. "Do you know when I first heard about you?"I shook my head."Eighteen months ago, when Kyle approached me about using my resources to investigate the networks threatening your family. He showed me photographs—you, the children, your little apartment, that ridiculous dog with his tongue always hanging out." Her smile was soft, remembering. "But what struck me wasn't the pictures themselves. It was the way Kyle's hands trembled when he held them."She removed her glasses, folding them. "This is a man who has faced down corporate raiders, hostile takeovers, death threats from business rivals. I have personally watched him negotiate billion-dollar deals without so much as a raised pulse. But photographs of his famil
MiaAlexander bounced slightly in his hospital bed, his natural enthusiasm overriding the heavy emotions of our conversation. "Are you going to help Kyle and Mama get back together?""Alexander," I warned, but Sophie was already laughing."Oh, mon petit, I think they can manage that all by themselves. Sometimes grown-ups just need a little time to figure out what's really important."She stood gracefully, smoothing down her impossibly elegant outfit with movements that looked choreographed. "First, I have a question for you."She moved to where Madison sat with her painting, crouching down to examine the little girl's artwork with genuine interest. "This is beautiful, ma petite. Is this your family?"Madison nodded shyly. "It's me and Alexander and Ethan and Mia and Kyle and Gas. We're all holding hands.""It's perfect," Sophie said softly, then straightened to face me. "Now, Mia, I want you to tell me all of you and Kyle."I glanced at the children, all of whom were suddenly paying v
Mia's POVSophie Field settled back into her chair with the fluid grace of someone who had never encountered an uncomfortable piece of furniture in her life. Her eyes moved over me with the methodical precision of an art appraiser examining a newly discovered canvas, taking inventory of details I wasn't even aware I possessed."Your skin," she said suddenly, tilting her head like a curious bird, "has this luminous quality. Like moonlight through frost-covered glass. The photographs Kyle showed me were lovely, but they completely failed to capture the way light seems to gather around your cheekbones."I touched my face self-consciously, feeling the warmth of what was probably a blush spreading across the very cheekbones she'd just complimented. "I look terrible," I said honestly. "I've been wearing the same clothes since yesterday, I slept in a hospital chair, and I haven't seen a mirror in—""Nonsense!" Sophie waved one perfectly manicured hand as if physically brushing away my object
Mia's POVThe morning light filtering through the hospital window had that particular quality of winter sunshine, weak and pale, like watercolor paint mixed with too much water. I'd been dozing in the uncomfortable reclining chair beside Alexander's bed, my neck stiff from sleeping at an awkward angle, when the soft sound of his voice pulled me back to consciousness."Mama, my tummy is making happy noises."I opened my eyes to find Alexander sitting up in his hospital bed, his dark hair sticking up in all directions, cheeks pink with health instead of fever. The IV in his small arm was still connected, but his eyes were bright and alert, no longer the glassy look of illness."Happy noises?" I asked, stretching the kink out of my neck as I sat up properly."Like when you make pancakes on Sunday mornings. Rumbling sounds that mean it's excited for food." Alexander pressed his hands against his stomach, grinning. "I think it's saying 'feed me, feed me, feed me.'"Ethan was curled up in t
Mia's POVThe fluorescent lighting in this section of the hospital corridor cast everything in harsh relief—the worn vinyl chairs, Thomas's rumpled suit, the exhaustion etched into the lines around his eyes. His hands kept opening and closing in his lap, fingers spreading wide then forming loose fists, like he was trying to hold onto something that kept slipping away."Thomas," I said again, settling into the chair beside him. The plastic was cold through my jeans, and I could smell the particular mix of antiseptic and industrial coffee that lived in hospital walls. "What do you mean this is your fault?"He didn't look at me immediately. Instead, his gaze fixed on a point somewhere past my shoulder, toward the nurses' station where the night shift moved with quiet efficiency between patient rooms. A soft chime echoed from someone's monitoring equipment, followed by the whisper of sneakers on linoleum."Victoria called me yesterday morning," he said finally, his voice so low I had to l
Mia's POV"Are you our dad?"Kyle went completely still in his chair."Alexander," Kyle said softly. "Would you like me to be your dad?"Alexander studied Kyle's face intently."I think so," Alexander said finally. "You came to save us when the bad people took us. And you stayed here all night to make sure my fever went away. And you brought Gas to find us." He paused, then added with devastating simplicity, "Dads are supposed to protect their kids, right?""Yes," Kyle whispered. "Dads are supposed to protect their kids.""So you want to be our dad?"Kyle's eyes found mine across Alexander's bed, a question and an apology and a thousand unspoken words passing between us."Alexander," Kyle said. "I would be honored to be your dad. Yours and Ethan's and Madison's, if she'd like that too. I want to protect you and take care of you."Alexander's face lit up with the kind of pure joy, "Really? You really want to be our dad?""More than anything in the world."Alexander seemed satisfied wit