As Axton Bradley turned to check on his sister, he called out, "Keep an eye on Oaklynn, alright?"
He didn't need to say more—he knew exactly how to look after his little sister, and the feel of her tiny hand in his never failed to warm him.
"Brother, I need to use the restroom," Oaklynn whispered, tugging at Axton's hand as she came to a stop.
Axton jogged over to Clare to let her know he was taking Oaklynn to the restroom, promising to meet her at the exit in a bit.
"I'm scared, brother," Oaklynn admitted, squeezing Axton's hand tighter. Having grown up in Canada, the noisy bustle of this new place made her uneasy.
Axton knelt down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Don't worry, I'll be right here waiting," he reassured her with a smile, pointing toward the end of the hallway. "Be brave."
Oaklynn nodded and cautiously made her way to the restroom. Not long after, she came hurrying back with her head down and bumped right into a man.
Lucien Bradley quickly crouched to steady the little girl before she could fall. A jolt of concern hit him—but her face struck him with a strange, nagging familiarity that tugged at his heart.
"Thank you," Oaklynn said, stepping back from his hold with a small smile that showed off her dimples. It warmed Lucien in a way he didn't expect, and oddly, the moment she moved away, an unexpected emptiness washed over him.
"What happened, Oaklynn?" Axton asked, jogging over to take his sister's hand. He gave Lucien a brief nod before turning back to Oaklynn. "Mom's probably worrying now. Let's head back."
Lucien watched the two children walk away hand in hand, a lingering smile touching his lips.
Later that evening, after Clare had tucked her kids into bed and switched off the nightlight, she drifted into the living room. She found Harleyoutside, casually flipping through a gossip magazine with a glass of red wine in hand. Harley motioned for her to join.
"So, is this my trial by fire?" Clare joked, pouring herself a glass and taking a small sip.
Harley set down her glass, studying Clare while lazily swirling her own. "Six years without a word, and now you're back with two kids? Motherhood suits you—gives you a certain polish."
"I didn't think the years would fly by so fast, or that I'd end up back here," Clare said with a wry grin toward Harley. "Things went south with my uncle's business, and life got rough there. Raising two kids on my own wasn't easy. I figured it'd be better to come home. I'm counting on you to have our backs."
Harley listened to Clare's brief account, all too aware of the unspoken weight of being a single mom with two kids. She wrapped an arm around Clare's shoulder with a friendly laugh. "Don't worry. As long as I've got food and drink, I'll make sure you three are taken care of!"
