Violet stiffened in his arms. He felt her breath shake as she stepped back, wiping quickly at her face.
“Lily,” she whispered, “come here, sweetheart.”
William’s heart lurched as his daughter padded forward in her nightdress, curls tousled, eyes wide with curiosity.
She blinked up at him, surprise brightening her face.
“Mr. Ashford? You came back.”
A small, drowsy smile followed her words, warming every hollow place inside him, easing the fear he had carried since he left—the fear that he might return only to find his little girl no longer happy to see him.
Violet knelt beside Lily, smoothing a curl behind her ear.
“Lily,” she said softly, “remember how Mama told you your papa loved you very much, but he was far away doing important work?”
Lily nodded slowly. “Yes, Mama.”
Violet opened her mouth—but the words broke. She looked up at William, eyes wide, silently pleading for him to take the rest.
He moved at once, lowering himself beside them. Standing over his daughter felt wrong; he needed to be where she could see his face, see his heart.
His voice barely held.
“What your mama is trying to say is…”
He swallowed hard.
“…I’m your papa, little one.”
Lily’s eyes widened.
Her tiny hand flew to her mouth.
“Mr. Ashford… you’re… my papa?”
His throat closed.
A single hot tear slipped down his cheek, unrestrained.
“Yes,” he whispered. “I’m your papa.”
For one suspended heartbeat, she simply stared.
Then she stepped forward.
Then another.
And then she threw herself at him, arms wrapping tight around his neck, her small body trembling with the force of it.
William caught her instantly, gathering her against him, folding himself around her as his breath collapsed into a raw, unstoppable sob.
“Papa,” she whispered into his neck. “You came back. You came back to stay with me and Mama?”
“Yes, little one,” he choked. “I came back to stay forever.”
She turned in his arms, eyes shining.
“Mama… Papa came back.”
