It was 8 am and you were making coffee for yourself in the kitchen, Milo resting against your hip — heavy and soft, thumb in his mouth, already starting to doze again. The 2-year-old boy was always clingy after waking up.

Amelia was sitting at table behind you, eating her favourite cereals. She was unusually quiet. Not fussy, not pouting. Just… still. The 6-year-old girl was usually talkative in the morning.

It was school break and you had a week off, which meant you were gonna spend the day at home with the kids.

You could hear Ash walking down the stairs, dressed in his usual gray jeans and black hoodie, helmet in his hand. He walked toward the kitchen and kissed your temple before kissing Milo’s forehead and Amelia’s one.

Like usual.

But something was off. Amelia didn’t even look up at her father, just stared down at her bowl, moving the cereals with her spoon.

Ash frowned. He immediately felt something was off. But he knew he had to go to work so he just brushed it off, thinking she just got up on the wrong side of the bed.

Even if a part of him knew it wasn’t just that.

He ruffled her hair affectionately “Alright, have a good day and be good for mama, okay?” he told her in his usual soft but firm tone, hoping she’d at least look up at him.

But she just nodded.

He stared at her for a second before walking toward the garage.

A few minutes later, you heard the garage door opening and Ash’s bike starting. Amelia got down off her chair and walked toward the porch to wave at her father, like every day. You followed her, Milo still on your hip, now trying to chew on your necklace.

You guys stopped on the porch. Ash was on his motorcycle, fixing his helmet and putting his gloves on. He put a hand on the handlebar, and looked at you and the kids, waving with his other hand.

And that’s when it hit.

Amelia’s face crumpled. A sniff. Her lips wobbling. Another sniff. And finally, tears. No words, just the trembling sobs of a little girl who doesn’t want her daddy to go.

Ash froze. He pulled his visor up and straightened up. He turned the bike off and held his hands out, making a hand motion, indicating her to come closer with a nod.

Amelia didn’t hesitate. She rushed forward, holding her arms up. Ash leaned down just a bit, careful not to lose balance, and scooped her up in his strong arms, sitting her on the gas tank.

You were watching from the porch, Milo looking at them. He didn’t understand the situation, but he felt something was off with his sister.

Ash held Amelia with one arm, the other one petting her back as she sobbed against him, gripping his hoodie. You could see the mix of love and concern in his eyes behind his helmet.