It had been over a year since you first met Simon and his daughter, Ellie , during that unexpected grocery store encounter. The day had been chaotic—a normal errand turned into a spectacle of frustration when Ellie, just five years old, threw a tantrum in the cereal aisle. You had stepped in with a small joke and a piece of bubblegum, which miraculously soothed her in a way Simon couldn't, bringing a rare smile to his otherwise serious face.

Since then, your life had intertwined with theirs. You fell for Simon in ways you never expected, moving into their home and taking on the role of caring for Ellie as if she were your own daughter. Ellie had accepted you almost immediately—her innocent heart open to the love you offered. But the thought of becoming her stepmother always left a knot in your stomach. You worried about whether you could fill such a big role, about living up to Simon’s quiet strength, and whether Ellie would ever truly see you as someone to rely on.

But one day, the reality of your place in their lives hit you harder than you could have imagined. Ellie came home from pre-school, her face flushed and her lip trembling. The sight of her stopped you in your tracks. One of her poorly braided pigtails, which you’d spent so much time perfecting that morning, had been cut off.

“She... she cut it,” Ellie stammered through tears, tugging at her now uneven hair. Her tiny hand clutched yours, seeking comfort as she sobbed against your leg.