Chapter 13 - Liam Meets Daniel
Daniel and I dated slowly.
Painfully slowly.
Six months passed before he met Hailey.
I watched everything.
How he spoke to her.
Whether he respected her boundaries.
Whether he understood he wasn't replacing anyone.
He did.
Then Liam arrived early one afternoon.
Daniel was helping Hailey build a wooden puzzle.
The room froze.
Liam stared at him.
Daniel stood.
"I'm Daniel."
"I know."
Of course he knew.
Hailey ran toward Liam.
"Daddy!"
Liam picked her up.
His eyes remained on Daniel.
Later, he asked me outside.
"Is he living here?"
"No."
"Does he stay overnight?"
"That's not your business."
"It is when my daughter—"
"Stop."
Liam stopped.
"You don't get to interrogate me about fidelity."
His face reddened.
Then faded.
"You're right."
That was new.
Old Liam would have fought.
This Liam swallowed the hypocrisy.
He looked through the window at Daniel.
"Is he good to her?"
"Yes."
"And you?"
I hesitated.
"Yes."
Liam nodded.
"Then I guess that's what matters."
He walked away.
I stood on the porch stunned.
Maybe people could change.
Not enough to undo what happened.
May you like
But enough to stop repeating it.
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