Chapter 22
The boys started kindergarten.
It was a milestone Ethan and Claire had been both looking forward to and dreading.
James was ready. He had been teaching himself to read. He was excited to learn new things. To make new friends.
William was excited too. But mostly for snack time and recess.
Michael was... Michael. He was ready to run and play and climb and fight. Ethan had to have several talks with him about not hitting other children. About using his words.
Olivia, not quite two, didn't understand why her brothers were leaving. She stood at the door, crying, as they walked to the bus stop.
Claire held her.
“They'll be back, sweet girl. They'll be back before you know it.”
Ethan watched the bus drive away.
His sons were growing up.
Too fast.
That evening, when the boys came home, they were full of stories.
James told them about the books in the classroom. About the alphabet chart. About how he had already read three books that were “too easy” for him.
William told them about his new friend, Tyler. About the cookies they had shared at snack time. About how he had kissed a girl named Emma on the playground.
Ethan had to have a talk with him about consent and personal space.
Michael told them about how he had pushed a boy who was making fun of James's glasses.
Ethan had to have a talk with him about fighting. But privately, he was a little proud.
Olivia was just happy her brothers were home. She clung to them for the rest of the evening, refusing to let them out of her sight.
Life settled into a new rhythm.
School days. Weekends at the park. Family dinners every night.
Ethan made a rule: no phones at the dinner table. No work. No distractions. Just family.
They talked about their days. They laughed. They argued. They loved.
It was ordinary.
It was perfect.
One weekend, they took the kids to Charleston. To the market.
Claire wanted to show them where she had sold bread. Where Ethan had found her.
They walked through the market, the boys running ahead, Olivia on Ethan's shoulders.
They stopped at the spot where Claire's cart had been.
“Right here,” Claire said. “This is where I stood every day. Selling bread. Coffee. Your orange-almond sweet bread.”
James looked around. “You worked here, Mommy?”
“I did. For a long time. When I was pregnant with you and your brothers.”
William frowned. “Why didn't you work at the bakery?”
“Because the bakery didn't exist yet, sweetheart. This was before. When things were... hard.”
Michael looked at Ethan. “Daddy find you here?”
Ethan nodded. He looked across the street to the spot where he had first seen her. Where he had almost lost hope.
“That's right, buddy. I found your mommy right here.”
Olivia, from her perch on Ethan's shoulders, reached down and patted his head.
“Good job, Daddy,” she said.
May you like
Ethan laughed.
The best job he had ever done.
