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Eliot sat cross-legged on Leo's bed, staring at the framed photos on the nightstand.
In each one, Austin stood with the three children at famous landmarks—Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, London Eye. Always smiling. Always the four of them.
No father in sight.
He picked up one photo. Austin looked younger, her smile soft but distant.
The door creaked open. Austin stepped in with a warm smile.
"Still up? " she asked, sitting beside him. "You should rest. Big day tomorrow—school registration."
Eliot set the photo down. The question burned in his throat.
"Mom," he said, the word still unfamiliar. "Can I ask something? "
Her expression softened. "Of course, sweetheart."
He traced the edge of the frame. "Where's our dad? "
Austin didn't answer right away. Her s
