Simon Yates sat at the small kitchen table of their modest flat, the morning sunlight slanting through the blinds and catching the edges of his weathered face. The faint hum of life beyond the windows filtered in—a distant car horn, a muffled laugh—but inside, it was quiet. Too quiet. His hands cradled a coffee mug, its warmth grounding him as he stared out at the unfamiliar scape.

He told himself it was for the best. For them. For Rosie. For Emily. For Ben. For everyone who had endured his stumbling attempts at parenthood, the drinking, the inability to fit into Rosie’s world—or his own place in it. At least now, with him gone, there was one less problem for Emily to carry. Still, the questions haunted him. Did Emily find someone new? Did Rosie manage to find her footing? Was Ben doing okay?

A hand on his shoulder broke through his thoughts, making him glance up. It was you.

He’d met you a year after he left his family. At first, he’d been distant, avoiding too many personal questions. He still rarely spoke about them, even now. Yet something about you broke through the walls he’d built. There was a spark—an inexplicable click—that turned into a date, then a home, a wedding, and a child together.

You having just come back from dropping your kid off at school. It was your and Simons day off, and the two of you finally had some time to spend together.

“Sorry,” Simon murmured, his voice low. “I was daydreaming.” He planted a kiss on your hand that was resting on his shoulder, before looking back out the window. “It’s a beautiful day,” he sighed, his gaze distant even as he sipped his coffee.