Just days ago, she had lain on a strange bed in a rented cabin, tears soaking her pillow as she faced the prospect of rebuilding her life without the Andersons. Tonight, she was back within these walls, surrounded by the people who had somehow become essential to her sense of self.
She wasn’t naive enough to believe that everything was fixed, that all would proceed smoothly from here. The road ahead would be complex, filled with emotional landmines and public scrutiny. Their relationship existed not just within these private walls but under the unforgiving glare of public attention.
But for the first time since she’d walked out the door five days ago, Sunny allowed herself to believe that perhaps they could find their way back — not to where they had been, but to something new. Something fresh, built on hard-won understanding rather than untested hopes.
As sleep began to claim her, Sunny’s last conscious thought was of the girls’ faces when they’d seen her in the entryway — that pure, unfiltered joy that had broken through all their careful defenses. For them, she would try. For them, she would risk her heart again.
Whether that heart would remain intact through what lay ahead remained to be seen.
Liam
The first pale light of dawn crept through the curtains as Liam blinked awake, his body still heavy with exhaustion after having barely slept. His mind had refused to quiet, cycling endlessly between gratitude that Sunny was back under his roof and paralyzing fear that one wrong move might send her running again.
He glanced at the clock: 5:47 AM. Too early to be awake, too late to bother trying to fall back asleep.
With a resigned sigh, Liam swung his legs over the side of the bed, rubbing his hands over his face. The house felt different this morning — less hollow, as if it had regained its heartbeat. Yet there remained a fragility to the peace, a tension thrumming beneath the surface that kept him on edge.
He moved quietly through the hallway to his daughters’ room first. They slept peacefully, Hailey sprawled across her bed like a starfish, one arm flung over her favorite stuffed unicorn. Maddie lay curled around Betty Bear, the worn stuffed animal back after its journey to Lake Willow and back.
A surge of fierce love rose in Liam’s chest. They had been through so much, these resilient little warriors. Yet here they were, sleeping soundly now that their family unit had been restored — or at least, was in the process of being restored.
His feet carried him unconsciously up the stairs to Sunny’s door. His hand rose, hovering inches from the wood, fingers curled to knock.
What would he even say if she answered?Sorry I woke you, I just needed to see your face and make sure you’re really here?
Pathetic. And probably terrifying for her.
With an effort, Liam lowered his hand and stepped back. Patience. That’s what he’d promised her, what she deserved after what he’d put her through. Space to find her footing again, time to rebuild her trust in him. He couldn’t rush this, not if he wanted it to last.
Back downstairs, the kitchen was still and quiet, moonlight giving way to the soft blue light of early morning. Liam flicked on the under-cabinet lights, determined to make breakfast for once. How hard could pancakes be? Sunny made them look effortless, crafting perfect blueberry smiles on fluffy circles that made the girls squeal with delight.
He pulled out bowls, measuring cups, the flour that somehow puffed up in a small cloud as he opened the bag. After consulting a recipe on his phone, he began mixing ingredients with careful precision, like an inexperienced chemist afraid of causing an explosion.
The first pancake was a disaster — half-raw in the center, burned on the edges. The second wasn’t much better. By the fourth attempt, he’d managed something vaguely circular, but the blueberry face he tried to create looked more disturbing than delightful.
“That’s definitely a crime against breakfast foods.”
Liam startled, nearly dropping the spatula. Sunny stood in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, her expression a careful blend of amusement and caution. She wore flannel pajama pants and an oversized sweater that might have once been his, her hair tousled from sleep. There were shadows beneath her eyes that told him her night had been as restless as his own.
Despite that, she was breathtaking.
“I was aiming for abstract art,” he replied, gesturing at the misshapen pancake with a rueful smile. “Thought I’d surprise the girls.”
“You’d surprise them, alright.” Sunny stepped into the kitchen, maintaining a careful distance. “They might never look at pancakes the same way again.”
The attempt at normalcy, at their old teasing rhythm, felt like a tiny victory. Liam held his breath, afraid to break the moment with the wrong word or gesture.
“Need help?” she asked, her voice softening.
“Desperately,” he admitted.
Before she could respond, the patter of small feet announced the girls’ arrival. They skidded to a halt in the doorway, eyes widening at the sight of Sunny in the kitchen, as if they half-expected her to have disappeared overnight.
“You’re still here!” Hailey exclaimed, launching herself across the room and wrapping her arms around Sunny’s waist.
The simple statement pierced Liam’s heart with its raw honesty.You’re still here— as if her presence was a miracle they couldn’t quite believe. How much damage had he done to their sense of security with his fear-driven decisions?
“I promised, didn’t I?” Sunny replied, her voice catching slightly as she hugged Hailey tight. Her eyes met Liam’s over the little girl’s head, a world of unspoken emotion passing between them.
