They had a picnic lunch on the blanket. Sandwiches, fruit, juice boxes.
Simple. Normal. Perfect.
Lily chattered about school. Kai asked Kael about his work. Kael answered patiently, translating business talk into five-year-old language.
"So basically, you help companies work together?" Kai asked.
"Exactly."
"That sounds boring."
Kael laughed. "Sometimes it is. But it's important."
"More important than us?" Lily asked.
"Nothing is more important than you two," Kael said immediately. "Nothing."
Lily beamed.
Kai studied Kael for a long moment. "Do you mean that?"
"With my whole heart."
"Prove it," Kai challenged.
"How?"
"Stay. Keep showing up. Don't leave like—" Kai stopped, glancing at Asher.
"Like what?" Kael asked gently.
"Like Fer-daddy said our other parent would. Before we knew it was you."
Asher's heart broke.
He'd told the twins, years ago when they asked, that their other parent wasn't able to be with them. That it wasn't their fault. That they were loved.
