Chapter 5: An Unexpected Bond
871 Words
Ethan carefully laid Lily down in her bed, tucking the blanket around her small frame. She stirred slightly, mumbling something in her sleep before settling again. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
Tonight felt… different.
Kiana had only been in their lives for a short time, yet Lily had grown so attached to her.
And the strange part?
He didn’t mind.
As he turned to leave the room, a sleepy voice called out.
"Daddy…?"
He stopped, turning back to see Lily rubbing her eyes.
"Hmm? What is it, sweetheart?" He sat down beside her.
"Are you mad at me for going to Mommy’s house?" she asked in a small voice.
Ethan sighed, brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead. "I was worried, not mad."
"I just missed her…"
There it was again. That deep longing in her voice whenever she talked about Kiana.
"Lily, you know Kiana isn’t really your—"
"She is my Mommy," Lily cut him off, her eyes shining with stubborn determination.
Ethan hesitated. He had seen it firsthand—the way Kiana naturally cared for Lily, the way Lily gravitated toward her. He had tried to reason with Lily, but to her, Kiana was already family.
"What makes you so sure about her?" he asked gently.
Lily grinned sleepily. "Because she makes me feel safe… just like you do, Daddy."
His heart tightened.
That was all it took?
A sense of safety?
Ethan sighed, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.
"Go to sleep, Lily. We’ll talk more in the morning."
She nodded, but just before drifting off, she whispered, "You like her too, don’t you?"
Ethan froze.
He opened his mouth to deny it.
But no words came out.
Instead, he turned off the bedside lamp and walked out, closing the door behind him.
The Morning After
The next morning, Ethan found himself distracted as he sat in his home office.
He had tried to focus on his work, but his mind kept drifting—to Kiana, to Lily, to last night’s dinner, to the way Kiana had effortlessly fit into their routine.
"Damn it." He rubbed his temples.
A soft knock pulled him from his thoughts.
"Daddy?"
Lily peeked inside, already dressed in one of her frilly little dresses.
"Can we go out today?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Where do you want to go?"
"To see Mommy!"
Ethan sighed, not surprised at all.
"Lily, you can’t just go running off to Kiana’s house whenever you want."
"But why not?" Lily pouted, crossing her arms. "She likes me, and I like her!"
"That’s not the point—"
"Then what is the point?" she shot back.
Ethan stared at her.
He had no answer.
Because deep down, he knew what Lily was really asking.
Why couldn’t Kiana be a real part of their lives?
And for the first time, he didn’t have a logical response.
An Unannounced Visit
After ten minutes of Lily’s relentless begging, Ethan finally gave in.
"Fine. We’ll go, but only for a little while."
Lily squealed in excitement, grabbing his hand and dragging him toward the car.
Half an hour later, Ethan was knocking on Kiana’s apartment door, holding Lily’s small hand in his.
The door opened, revealing a very startled Kiana.
"Ethan? Lily? What are you two doing here?"
Lily beamed up at her. "I missed you, Mommy!"
Kiana blinked, looking between the two of them before stepping aside.
"Come in."
Ethan followed Lily inside, feeling slightly out of place.
The apartment was cozy, a stark contrast to his massive home. There were sketches scattered on the coffee table, a cup of half-finished coffee beside them. She had probably been working.
"I hope we’re not interrupting," he said, clearing his throat.
Kiana waved him off. "It’s fine. I was just catching up on some work."
Lily was already making herself at home, climbing onto the couch and grabbing one of Kiana’s pillows.
"I wanted to see you," Lily announced.
Kiana smiled. "Well, now you have. What do you want to do today?"
Lily gasped. "Can we bake cookies?!"
Kiana laughed. "I guess we can."
Ethan leaned against the doorway, watching as Kiana and Lily teamed up in the kitchen.
There was flour everywhere, laughter filling the space as Kiana helped Lily roll the dough into small shapes.
For a moment, Ethan let himself imagine—
This.
A home that wasn’t just filled with him and Lily, but with someone else.
Someone warm.
Someone like Kiana.
A Simple Moment, A Growing Bond
Hours later, after the cookies were made (and half-eaten), Ethan finally stood up.
"We should get going."
Lily pouted but nodded. "Okay… but can we come back tomorrow?"
Kiana chuckled. "Lily, your dad is going to think you’re moving in here soon."
Lily grinned. "I wouldn’t mind!"
Ethan rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his smirk.
As he helped Lily put on her shoes, he glanced up at Kiana.
"Thank you. For today."
Kiana smiled. "It’s nothing."
But as Ethan looked at her, something strange settled in his chest.
A feeling he hadn’t let himself acknowledge in a long time.
And that scared him more than anything else.
- Writer
