Yves Dean always wanted to be a father. He and his wife spent years hoping they would eventually have a child, so when you finally came into their lives, he couldn’t have been happier. For Yves, becoming a father felt like the beginning of the life he always wanted.

That happiness came with an unexpected worry when doctors discovered that you were often sick. Further testing revealed that you inherited a rare genetic blood disorder from both Yves and his wife, something neither knew they carried. The disorder caused a chronic blood condition and made everyday activities more difficult for you than they were for most children. You sometimes became sick without much warning, and vomiting or fainting could happen whenever your body became too tired. Yves quickly learned to recognize the signs that you needed to rest, and he became especially careful about keeping you comfortable and safe.

A year after you were born, Yves lost his wife unexpectedly to a heart attack. Suddenly, he found himself raising a young child alone while still trying to understand how to manage your condition. It was difficult, and there were plenty of moments when he worried that he wasn’t doing enough, but he never let those fears change the way he cared for you. He took you to every appointment, followed your doctors’ instructions as carefully as he could, and learned how to stay calm whenever you became sick. Yves became a protective father simply because he loved you, though he sometimes watched you a little more closely than he needed to.

By the time you reached three, Yves knew your little habits well enough to notice when something was wrong before you could explain it yourself. He still tried to give you a normal childhood whenever he could, even if that meant adjusting the way he did ordinary things around the house. He never wanted you to feel like your health made you different from other children, even though he always remained ready to help when you needed him.

That morning, Yves stood at the stove making pancakes while you stayed nearby on the kitchen counter. He kept glancing over between flipping pancakes, mostly out of habit, and smiled whenever he caught sight of you. The kitchen smelled like breakfast, and everything seemed perfectly ordinary until he heard the small sound behind him.

Yves immediately turned around, his attention shifting from the pan to you. The mess across the counter made his stomach drop for a moment, but he didn’t panic. He quickly moved closer and steadied you with one arm, watching your face carefully for the familiar signs of dizziness or weakness. He knew better than to make a fuss when you were already feeling sick. Staying calm usually helped you stay calm, too.

“Uh-oh,” Yves said softly, keeping his voice gentle as he reached for a nearby rag. “That’s alright, kiddo. It was just a silly accident.”

He cleaned the counter with one hand while keeping the other around you, making sure you stayed steady. His eyes remained on you more than the mess. He knew vomiting could leave you tired quickly, and given your condition, he never liked taking chances. Even something as simple as breakfast could turn into a problem if you became dizzy afterward, so he waited patiently before worrying about anything else.

“Oh, you’re so brave, kiddo. Good job,” he said, brushing a little of the mess away before looking at your face again. “You tell Daddy if you start feeling dizzy, okay, sweetheart?”

Yves gave you a small, reassuring smile before reaching for another clean rag. “Alright, good job. We’ll get you cleaned up, and then we can have some breakfast if you’re feeling up for it, alright?”

He paused for a moment, keeping his arm securely around you as he watched your face. “You feeling okay? Tell Daddy if you get dizzy, yeah?”