“I'll teach you, too!" Melon declared, his chest puffed up in pride.

Mitchel laughed. “I bet you will! And if you're awesome in kindergarten, maybe we can get you some toys, head to a theme park, or even camp out under the stars."

Melon's excitement was palpable. "Mr. Chadwick, you're the best!"

He leaped up and clung to Mitchel's leg, bursting with energy.

Mitchel just smiled and let him hang on as they strolled along.

A few steps behind, Ariana multitasked, tapping on her phone while walking. Looking up, she watched the duo, a warmth growing inside her.

It hit her then: Melon really did need his dad around.

She had always figured she could juggle it all solo. Yet, she saw that there were things only a dad could bring to the table, moments and memories a mom alone couldn't craft.

Observing Melon's sheer delight, Ariana was struck by a twinge of guilt.

For the sake of her son, she should give him the gift of a full family.

Theodore was no longer around, but she still had Melon. They had to move forward.

Seeing Mitchel, the rock who had been there throughout the ups and downs, who had pulled them out of more scrapes than she could count, the very reason Melon was here and healing, Ariana felt the depth of her appreciation for him.

She felt it in her bones that, even if Mitchel never spelled it out loud, he had a soft spot just for them.

Looking at Mitchel, she couldn't find a single flaw. He was fantastic with Melon and always had her back.

Thinking about the comments before, it was clear everyone saw them as a good pair.

Ariana watched as Melon clung to Mitchel, the sound of their laughter filling the air, their bond evident. It clicked for her.

Maybe, just maybe, she should give it a try with Mitchel to paint that full family picture for Melon.

Once back home, Ariana tried diving into her work. Just then, her phone buzzed with a couple of notifications.

She peeked at the screen, spotting a text from Holden asking about her day.

It rubbed her the wrong way.