Daniel hesitated.
Then climbed carefully onto the edge of the bed.
Hannah wrapped her arms around him.
For the first time since his birth, mother and son held each other.
Ethan turned away because watching them hurt too much.
He had missed everything.
Daniel’s first smile.
First tooth.
First word.
First day of school.
All because he had chosen suspicion over love.
When Daniel finally fell asleep against Hannah’s side, Ethan whispered:
“I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
She wasn’t cruel.
Only truthful.
“You don’t.”
Ethan nodded.
“I know.”
“But you saved my twins.”
“I was their surgeon.”
“You stayed.”
“I couldn’t leave.”
Hannah studied him.
Then Ethan asked the question that had been eating at him.
“Their father.”
Her expression changed.
“He’s dead.”
Ethan said nothing.
Hannah looked toward the window.
“His name was Marcus Vale. I met him three years ago.”
