Page 81 of Six of Hearts
"I was making coffee," he explained, looking at the shattered pot on the floor. "I don't even care. You're here."
"Let me help clean—"
"Daddy?" A small voice came from the stairs.
We both turned to see Oliver and Theo standing there in their pajamas, rubbing sleep from their eyes. They looked at me, and I saw the moment they realised who I was.
"Aria!" They both screamed and came running down the stairs.
"Wait, there's glass—" Noah started, but they were already launching themselves at me.
I caught them both, dropping to my knees to hug them properly. They were talking over each other, asking where I'd been, telling me they missed me, asking if I was staying.
"I'm staying," I promised, holding them tight. "I'm so sorry I left. I made a mistake, but I'm back now, and I'm not going anywhere ever again. Okay?"
"Promise?" Theo asked, his little face serious.
"I promise. Cross my heart." I made the gesture, and he seemed satisfied.
"We have to get you away from the glass," Noah said, and I realised we were all kneeling in broken ceramic. "Come on, into the foyer."
He herded us away from the mess, and I kept my arms around the boys, unable to let them go. They clung to me just as tightly, and I felt my heart breaking and healing at the same time.
"I'll clean this up," Noah said. "You three stay there."
"I can help—"
"No." His voice was firm but gentle. "You just got home. Let me take care of it."
While he swept up the glass, I sat with Oliver and Theo, answering their questions and listening to everything I'd missed. They told me about school, about the new game they'd learned, about how sad Daddy had been.
"He kept checking his phone," Oliver said seriously. "And he made us cereal wrong."
"I'm sorry," I said again, looking at Noah. He met my eyes and smiled, and I saw forgiveness there.
He pulled out his phone and started typing rapidly.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Telling the others you're home." He looked up at me. "They've been going crazy. We all have."
My heart clenched. "Are they... are they angry?"
"Angry?" Noah laughed, but it was a little broken. "Aria, we've been terrified. We thought we'd lost you. We thought—" He stopped, shaking his head. "They're going to be so relieved."
Within minutes, I heard a car screech to a halt outside. The door burst open, and Ronan stood there, chest heaving like he'd sprinted from his car.
"Aria." My name came out broken, barely a whisper.
I stood up slowly, suddenly nervous. This was the man I'd accused, the one I'd run from. Would he be able to forgive me?
He crossed the room in three strides and pulled me into his arms. He was shaking, his face buried in my hair, and I felt wetness on my neck.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "Ronan, I'm so sorry. I read the files. I know the truth. I should have trusted you. I should have—"
"You're here," he said, his voice rough. "That's all that matters. You came back."
"I love you," I said, pulling back to look at him. "I love you, and I trust you, and I'm so sorry I ever doubted you."
