Chapter 134: Danny

The sun's just starting to dip, casting that perfect kind of light across the yard—the golden hour, Sofia calls it. Ethan's tiny giggles fill the air, and I can’t help but smile as I watch him lying on the blanket, kicking his chubby little legs in excitement. He’s a mix of Sofia’s grace and Nate’s stubbornness, a force all his own, but you can see parts of them both in every expression, every movement.

I’m crouched down in the grass, pretending to be a tiger, or maybe a bear—honestly, I’m not even sure anymore. The second I start growling and making my "monster face," Ethan bursts into this fit of laughter, his eyes wide with delight, his little hands waving as he tries to keep his balance. It’s the best sound in the world, and I’d do anything to hear it again and again.

He’s so small, but he’s got that fire already, that spirit that makes him completely unafraid. He kicks his legs excitedly, giggling, his little hands waving in the air, and I scoop him up, lifting him above my head. He shrieks with laughter, his eyes sparkling, and it hits me just how much he looks like Sofia—those same eyes, that same soft blonde hair. But there’s something else there too, something in the way his brow furrows when he’s concentrating, the way he bites his lip when he’s unsure. It’s Nate, through and through.

Deep down, I know there’s a chance Ethan could be Nate’s. The timeline’s a blur, and we were all there, we all shared those moments. But it doesn’t matter—not to me, not to any of us. Ethan’s our boy. He’s all of ours. We’re his dads, every single one of us, and nothing could ever change that. The love I feel for him, the way my heart swells every time he smiles, every time he wraps those tiny fingers around mine—that’s real. It doesn’t matter whose blood runs through his veins. He’s ours.

I hold him close, spinning him around until we’re both dizzy, collapsing onto the grass with Ethan on my chest. He’s still laughing, his little face scrunched up in pure joy, and I just lie there, staring up at the sky, feeling his small weight pressing down on me. He pats my cheeks with his hands, babbling something that sounds a little like "Dada," and my heart nearly bursts.

“You’re getting heavy, kiddo,” I say, pretending to groan as I sit up, shifting him to rest against my hip. He looks at me with those big blue eyes, and for a moment, I swear he understands everything—like he knows how much he means to all of us, like he knows just how much love he’s surrounded by. I press a kiss to his forehead, holding him tight, and he giggles again, burying his face in my shoulder.

Sofia’s standing by the porch, watching us, her smile soft and her eyes shining. She waves, and I wave back, lifting Ethan’s little hand to wave too. He clings to me, his tiny fingers curling into my shirt, and I look at her, at the love in her eyes, at the life we’ve built together. It’s not perfect, but it’s ours, and that’s more than enough.

“Ready to go inside, buddy?” I ask, and Ethan gives a little nod, his eyes drooping, that laughter finally giving way to sleepiness. I carry him over to Sofia, and she reaches out, brushing her fingers against his cheek, her eyes meeting mine. There’s so much between us—love, loss, hope. It’s all there, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

We head inside together, Sofia resting her head on my shoulder as we walk, and I know, deep down, that no matter what comes next, we’ll face it as a family. Ethan’s our little boy, and he’ll always be surrounded by all the love we can give him. We’ll make sure of that.

Once we’re inside, Sofia glances at me, her eyes still soft. "How was the gym today?" she asks, her voice gentle as she shifts Ethan in my arms, brushing her hand over his tiny head.

I smile, settling down onto the couch with Ethan nestled against me. "Busy," I say, shaking my head slightly. "We had a bunch of new kids come in. Riley’s been working on getting them comfortable with the basics. You know how he is—always making it look easy."

Sofia laughs softly, settling down next to us. "I bet they love it. Riley’s always been great with the kids."

I nod, remembering the chaos of the day. "Yeah, he’s got a way of making them feel like they can take on the world. Nate was giving one of the older kids a pep talk too—told him he could be strong if he just kept at it. I swear, he’s like a big brother to all of them."

Sofia smiles, resting her hand on my arm. "And you? What did you do?"

I chuckle, looking down at Ethan, who’s slowly drifting off. "I spent half the day trying to keep up with them, and the other half wishing I was here with you two." I glance at her, my heart swelling. "Honestly, no place I’d rather be."

She leans in, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. "We missed you too," she whispers, her eyes warm. "But I’m glad you’re doing this, Danny. You’re making such a difference."

I hold her gaze for a moment, then look down at Ethan, his tiny face relaxed against my chest. "Just trying to make the world a little better for this guy," I say softly. "For all of us." Ethan’s our little boy, and he’ll always be surrounded by all the love we can give him. We’ll make sure of that.