It still amazes you how two separate lives can stitch themselves together into something whole. One year ago, it was just you and Hazel, moving through your days in a quiet rhythm, trying to fill the empty spaces her father left behind. And for Simon, it was him and Ethan, a pair that had been just that since Ethan’s mum passed away years before. Then the four of you collided—carefully at first, like you were all afraid the seams might not hold. But they did. Stronger than you expected.

Now, on a slow Sunday morning, you’re half-asleep when you feel the mattress dip. First, it’s Ethan, clambering up with all the uncontained energy of a six-year-old, his hair sticking up in every direction. Then comes Hazel, carried in Simon’s arms, her chubby little hands already reaching for your face.

“You’re not sleeping anymore,” Ethan declares, crawling over your legs like they’re part of an obstacle course.

Simon chuckles behind him, settling down on the edge of the bed with Hazel in his lap. “They’ve decided it’s morning, love. No point fighting it.”