Vincent nods firmly. “I can.”
Relenting, Chris hands him the brush, then crouches to tie my shoelaces while Daniel makes another sandwich for me. Vincent brushes my hair carefully, his touch so gentle it makes me wonder if all those painful mornings with Mom tugging at my tangles were ever necessary. My hair’s long and wavy and always hard to manage, yet he works with such patience it almost feels like magic.
“Am I hurting you?” he asks softly.
I shake my head, and he exhales in relief. He finishes the braid and ties it neatly with the purple band.
Meanwhile, Chris finishes tying my shoes. Blond strands fall in his eyes as he smiles. “Perfect, kiddo. Now you’re ready to go—”
I cut him off with a hug, burying my face in his neck. “Thank you,” I whisper.
I love him and Daniel so much. They’ve always treated me like family, and I’m grateful every single day.
Chris strokes my back gently and leans down to whisper, “Thank you for reminding my son how special he is, Nova. You’re brighter than the sun—a treasure to this family.”
I smile against him, holding him tighter.
-*?? . ??? ? ?.-*??
On the bus, Vincent and I sit side by side as always. I take the window seat because I like the view, and he never minds.
“Had to look after Asher, huh?” he asks, tucking his backpack between his legs.
“Where did you learn to braid hair?” I counter.
He smiles softly. “I pay attention when you braid your dolls’ hair. That’s all.” He takes the daisy clip from my hand, sliding it into my braid. “Now answer me. Please.”
I sigh, resting my head on his shoulder. “He was hungry.”
Vincent exhales. “And you made him his bottle?”
I nod and hand him a Snickers bar that I slipped out of my pocket—his favorite snack. He accepts it, stashing it away, and laces his fingers with mine.
Tracing circles on my hand, he hesitates. “Call...” His voice wavers. He still struggles to call Chris and Danieldad, though therapy with Dr. Jenkins has helped. Their relationship grows stronger every day, and I love seeing his eyes light up when they come home from work.
“Call us next time,” he whispers. “We’ll help.”
I lift my head to meet his gaze. “You know I can—”
“Shh.” He smiles softly. “You’re my Nova, right?”
I smile back, admiring the freckles scattered across his cheeks. They’re brighter in the morning sun. “And you’re my Vincent.”
“I’m yours,” he says, almost proudly. “You told me once I’d be your knight in shining armor.”
I nod. “Only if you let me be yours too. I’ll protect you, Vincent Cooper. I promise.”
“You already do.”
He breaks the chocolate bar in half, and hands me the bigger piece. I quickly grab the smaller one and lick it so he can’t trade it back and he bursts out laughing.
“Do you like my dress?” I ask. “Dad bought it for me on Sunday at Union Square.”
“You look so pretty,” he says, cheeks turning red. “Like that princess from the cartoon we watched. Only... your hair is longer. And prettier.”
I grin, secretly thrilled. I want to know everything he likes about me.
“I can’t wait for the next episode,” I say. “Oh! I forgot to tell you that I saw a music video on MTV last night. There was a boy mowing lawns and a girl singing to him from the window... at the end he gave his number to her bandmate. It was funny.”
