Alex clicked the blue track piece into the exact spot his daughter had indicated.
Later that night, after all four children had fallen deeply asleep in a huge pile of pillows on the living room sectional, Elena and Alex stood together in the kitchen, drinking warm tea.
“Do you still think we should try to get back together?” Elena asked quietly.
Alex took a long moment before responding. “At first, I did. I think I confused guilt and regret with love, and I wanted to fix everything all at once.”
“And now?”
“Now I know our kids can’t be a bridge to rebuild a broken marriage,” Alex said, looking directly into her eyes. “I want to be their father, even if you and I are just co-parents for the rest of our lives.”
Elena watched him silently for a long moment. “That’s the first time you’ve ever given a good answer without making a five-year plan first.”
