Chapter Five: The Father Who Didn’t Know

In the weeks that followed, Ethan did everything carefully.

He didn’t rush. He didn’t make grand announcements.

He sat down with Rosa. Really sat down with her.

And they talked.

The way they had talked all those years ago in that corridor behind the gala hall. Honestly. Carefully. Like two people trying to rebuild something that had fallen apart before either of them understood what it was.

He asked about every year he had missed.

Rosa told him about Lily’s first word. Bun, naturally.

About the night she ran a fever and Rosa sat on the bathroom floor holding her for hours.

About the way she laughed. This big, enormous laugh for such a small body when something surprised her.

Ethan listened to every single word.

He listened like a man who understood that what he was hearing was irreplaceable.

Like a man who knew he was being handed something rare and had learned, finally, painfully, how quickly rare things could disappear if you weren’t paying attention.

“I want to be in her life,” he said.

“You already are.”

“No. I want to be her father. Really be her father.”

Rosa looked at him.

“What does that mean to you?”

He was quiet for a long time.

“It means showing up. Every day. Not just when it’s convenient.”

“That’s a lot of days.”

“I know.”

“You’re a busy man.”

“I’ve been a busy man for fifteen years. It hasn’t made me happy.”

Rosa almost smiled.

“What would make you happy?”

He looked across the room at Lily.

She was sitting on her blanket, stacking wooden blocks. Bun was tucked under her arm. Her tongue poked out slightly as she concentrated.

“That,” he said. “That would make me happy.”

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