Michelle’s eyes showed hurt, and I regretted my words. She said softly, “I’m not asking you to be their father right away. I just want you to give us a chance. We could be a family, Tom. You, me, Jack, and the kids. We could make this work.”
Jack added, “I’m scared too. I’ve seen Mom get hurt before, and I didn’t want to see it happen again. But if you stay, if you’re really in this, I think we could be okay.”
After a long pause, I said, “Alright. I’ll stay. But if we’re going to make this work, we need to be honest with each other. No more secrets.”
Michelle’s eyes filled with tears of relief. “I promise, Tom. No more secrets. We’ll do this together.”
In the days that followed, we prepared for the arrival of Sarah and Lucas, the two children Michelle would soon adopt. When they joined us, they were shy and overwhelmed. I knelt down to introduce myself gently, trying to make them feel welcome.
Michelle said warmly, “We’re here for you. We’re a family now.”
As the day ended, I stood in the hallway with Michelle. The house was quiet, and the weight of our new situation settled. She slipped her hand into mine, and for the first time, I didn’t feel fear. I felt certainty.
We had started building our family, and though the road ahead wouldn’t be smooth, I knew I was where I was meant to be.
