I shifted to the side, adjusting Haille in my arms, trying to calm her. She only fussed more, burying her face into my neck.
“Elena,” Jessica said gently. “Come take the photo.”
I hesitated. Honestly, I was exhausted.
And as if reading that, Harley walked over.
“Elena,” he said calmly. “I can hold her for a bit.”
I shook my head instinctively. “It’s okay. She’s fussy.”
“Exactly,” he replied lightly. “Sometimes kids calm down faster with someone else.”
Jessica nudged my arm lightly. “You’ve earned five minutes of not being a superhero, okay? You look exhausted.”
She grinned. “Just give Haille to Harley. See? Their names even rhyme—Harley, Haille.”
I huffed. “You’re impossible.”
Harley chuckled. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
Then I shifted my gaze to Haille in my arms. “Haille, do you want Harley to carry you?”
Haille didn’t say anything, but she turned her eyes toward Harley.
Harley smiled at her. “C’mon, Haille.”
She looked at him, eyes half-closed. Her small hand reached out.
“Hawley...” she murmured.
I paused, then nodded. “Okay,” I said quietly. “Just for a bit.”
When Harley reached for Haille, he paused, wiping his dusty hands against his jeans first.
I shifted my grip, and he took her from me carefully, one arm supporting her back while the other steadied her legs.
“Hey, princess,” he said softly. “Tired, huh?”
Haille rested her head against his chest almost immediately. Something twisted softly in my chest as I watched.
We lined up for the photo, me to one side, Jessica to the other, Harley in the middle holding Haille. Voices overlapped, people laughed, someone shouted for us to move in closer.
Click.
Before the second photo, Haille’s breathing slowed.
“Asleep?” Jessica whispered.
Harley glanced down and smiled. “Yeah. She’s asleep.”
I looked at my daughter, eyes closed now, cheek resting against Harley’s shirt, her breathing calm and steady.
“Sorry,” I whispered.
Harley shook his head. “All good.”
The photo session ended. People slowly drifted away.
