It was a warm, golden Saturday—one of those rare days when everything felt briefly suspended in peace. The garden was bursting with laughter and life as Ethan arrived with Mrs. Bella, Velaria, and Vera, their arms full of gifts wrapped in soft pastels and shiny ribbons. They had come to visit the twins—baby Audrey and baby Andrew—and to finally meet baby Isabella, who had quietly become a part of Mara's heart and home.
Mara greeted them with a gentle smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes but was kind nonetheless. Ethan, to his credit, was trying. He crouched beside Isabella with a stuffed bunny and a delicate tenderness in his expression. He didn't hesitate or hold back—he treated her no differently than he did Audrey, lifting her carefully, tickling her feet, calling her "princess" like he used to with Audrey.
