And every time it felt like my heart was breaking all over again.
I wasn’t a parent. I had no idea what I was doing. I burned dinners, forgot school forms, and once sent him to daycare with two different shoes.
But slowly, we figured it out together.
We became a team.
Over the years, Leo grew into a bright, thoughtful boy.
He loved drawing, soccer, and asking endless questions about the world.
He also had Nora’s smile.
And that smile made me feel like I had kept my promise to her.
Leo became my entire world.
I rarely dated. Life was busy enough raising him alone.
But about a year ago, something unexpected happened.
I met Amelia.
Amelia worked at a small bookstore near my office.
She had a calm presence about her — the kind of person who made a room feel quieter just by walking into it.
