ed since the reunion. He had hoped sleep might wash it away, but his dreams had been fractured

ed faintly up from the kitchen where Noel had set the machine the night before. It should have been a comforting

already rehearsed the role he would play; calm, steady, as if everything

oice still warm with sleep

d her forehead, lingering for a second as though the feel

im then, her brow

early. Couldn't s

I have a lot on my mi

, though her eyes lingered on hi

*

He hesitated over whether he should go ahead with it or not. That evening, when Mason bounded in

n asked, dropping the book onto the co

pencil, guiding him through the equation, but his mind was already racing ahead. When Mason laughed at

uently DNA, was exactly what he needed. He pocketed it quickly, heart

n off to?" she aske

miling easily, praying she wouldn't

and disappeared towa

*

n, crayons scattered across the surface. When she finished, she left behind the straw from her juice box, sticky with the last s

nce this way? But once the thought of doubt had taken root, it couldn't be stopped, it demanded answers. By the end of the day, Nick had sealed bo

*

the distraction in the way he stared too long at drawings, how he snapped at small mistakes. At home, Noel's

ately. Is it work, or i

ting too close. He forced

e a lot of deadlines p

if she couldn't name what it was. That night, as she slipped into bed beside him, Nick lay awake long after. Her hand rested lightly against his

*

x on his way to the firm. He had researched carefully, chosen a private lab, and paid extra for confidenti

to call after him, to accuse him of betrayal. But the street carried on as usual, people hurrying to wor

with unease. One night, he stood at the doorway of the children's room, watching Mason and Maire sleep. Mason sprawled across his bed, sheets tangled aroun

ults came back and it turned out they weren't his, that would equally crush him. He stepped inside quietly, brushing Mason's hair from his forehead, adjusting Maire's blanke

*

papers spread around him, when the notification pinged. He froze

ed as he clicked it open, eyes scann

vided is a

, Mason and M

ruth wash over him. He should have felt free, should have felt foolish for ever doubting. H

e had doubted Noel, the woman who had given him everything. He had doubted his own childr

er back. Maybe he shouldn't? Or maybe he wouldn't. Other than that, he feared the doubt that had taken a deep root in his hear

reen. His jaw was tight, his eyes haunted. The results had given hi