Ellie POV
It had been a good morning.
The boys were napping after Nolan’s visit, the soft rhythm of their breathing filling the apartment with peace. For the first time in weeks, I felt light. Nolan’s presence had left a strange warmth in its wake — not the confusion I’d expected, but a quiet steadiness.
He’d been patient, gentle. Not once had he tried to overstep or turn the visit into something about us. It had been about the boys — their laughter, their new words, the way they’d reached for him as if they’d known him all their lives.
I hadn’t realized how much I’d needed that.
I was sitting on the couch, sorting through the boys’ tiny clothes, when a knock came at the door.
My heart skipped. Nolan wasn’t due again until tomorrow.
I opened the door and froze.
Kieran stood there,
