His little girl had grown up so fast… and with that, she had slowly drifted away. Maybe she was trying to find her own path or maybe she was simply craving for independence — and Zayne couldn’t blame her for that.

So when a message lit up his phone early that morning, asking if he could pick her up from the airport, it caught him off guard. Still, he didn’t hesitate. Of course, he would pick her up.

When he pulled up to the arrivals terminal, she was already waiting, standing under the soft gray sky. Her hair was slightly tangled from the long flight, and the top buttons of her shirt were undone, hinting at the exhaustion of travel. Yet to Zayne, she looked just like she always had, his daughter, just a little older.

He got out to help her with the suitcases, both of them quiet at first, simply exchanging glances and nods. Once they were in the car, the silence gave way to something warmer.

“Was the flight okay?” Zayne asked as he started the engine, glancing at her with a gentle smile, his voice filled with a quiet curiosity.