“DAD!”
“Hey buddy. Surprise.”
“You’re home! You’re home! Mom said three more weeks!”
“Came back early. Missed you too much.”
Haley came in behind him. When she saw me, her expression shifted through a dozen emotions—relief, nerves, realization—before she wrapped her arms around me.
“Dad,” she murmured. “It’s okay. Everything’s okay.”
I spent the next hour just being a dad again. Letting them talk about school. Cody’s baseball practices. Haley’s latest art project. Acting like nothing was about to blow up.
Then I saw Kendra’s car pull in.
Door opened. “Kids! I grabbed pizza for—”
She froze in the doorway.
“Hi, honey. I’m home.”
The blood drained from her face. Full-on panic. She kept looking from me to the kids like she was searching for an exit.
“You… You’re early. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Wanted to surprise you.”
“Surprise… right. Surprise.” She tried to hug me, and I stepped away.
“Kids, head upstairs. Dad and I need to talk.”
“Actually,” I said. “Cody, go play for a bit. Haley, stay here.”
“She doesn’t need to—” Kendra started.
“She’s the one who told me. She’s old enough to hear this.”
