Cole watches him go, his hands shoved in his pockets, his eyes following Cohen with a look I can’t quite place. There’s something so raw about it, like he’s seeing the child he never thought he’d have. The child he’s just getting to know.
When Cohen disappears down the hall, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I feel like I’ve been holding it all together today, trying to keep the fragile balance between past and present. I’ve been so focused on making today work, on making this feel normal, that I haven’t let myself feel the weight of it all until now.
I blink, and suddenly there’s a tear slipping down my cheek.
“Kenna?” Cole says, his voice thick with concern as he takes a step closer to me.
I shake my head, trying to wipe the tear away quickly, but it doesn’t work. Another one slips out, and then another.
“I’m okay,” I whisper, even though it’s not true. “I’m just…I’m just happy. This is something I didn’t realize I needed. How much I needed you both.”
Cole’s eyes soften, and he steps closer to me, his hand gently brushing mine. “You’ve done so much on your own, Kenna. I’m just glad I’m here now. I’ll figure this out. We’ll figure this out.”
I nod, trying to steady my breath as I fight back the tears. Cohen doesn’t like it when I cry. He always asks why, and I don’t want him to see me like this. But it’s hard not to when everything is so overwhelming. The joy, the love, the fear, the hope. It’s all mixed together, and I don’t know how to separate it.
Cole pulls me into a hug without saying anything. It’s not tight, not forceful—just enough to let me feel like I don’t have to carry everything by myself anymore. His hand rests on the small of my back, warm and steady. I close my eyes, allowing myself to lean into him, even if just for a moment.
For the first time in a long time, I feel safe. Not because everything is perfect—it’s far from it—but because I’m not alone. And that somehow makes all the difference.
A small voice calls out from down the hallway. “Mom, why are you crying?”
I sniffle and try to smile, wiping my eyes quickly. “It’s nothing, sweetie. Just happy tears.”
Cohen steps into the room, looking up at me with his wide, innocent eyes. “You’re happy?”
“Yeah,” I whisper, bending down to meet his gaze. “I’m happy.”
He gives me a serious look, as if considering my words for a moment. “Well, you shouldn’t cry when you’re happy. It’s okay to smile. You should smile more, Mom.”
My heart swells with pride as I laugh softly at his wisdom. “I’ll try, Cohen. I’ll try.”
Cole kneels beside us, ruffling Cohen’s hair gently. “She’s got a good smile, huh?”
“The best,” Cohen says with a grin, then runs back toward the hallway. “But she cries too easily!”
I shoot Cole a look, amused and embarrassed, and he chuckles under his breath. It’s the moment we used to share withoutthinking—soft, private, understood. And now, somehow, we’re finding it again.
Later that evening, as I tuck Cohen into bed and kiss his forehead, I feel a calm settle over me. We’ve taken the first steps today. The first steps into something new, something different. It won’t be easy, but I think, for the first time, it might be worth it.
Cole’s here. He’s in our lives now. And Cohen, my sweet boy, is going to have the father he deserves. Even if it takes time, even if it’s slow, we’ll get there. And today, today was the first step.
As I walk back into the living room, Cole is still sitting on the couch, his elbows on his knees, staring at the floor like he’s sorting through every emotion he’s ever had. I sit beside him, not saying anything at first. Just being near him. Letting the silence settle between us.
Finally, he says, “I was so scared today.”
I nod. “Me too.”
He looks over at me, eyes tired but clear. “But I want more days like this. I want to be there. Not just for him. For you too.”
I feel something shift in me, something deep and long-buried. A flicker of hope.
I reach for his hand. “Then let’s take it one day at a time.”
He squeezes my hand gently. “Yeah. One day at a time.”
Tomorrow is a new day, and I’m ready to face it. With Cole. With Cohen. With all of us.
Chapter Twenty-Four
