As the evening wore on, I found a quiet moment with Michael. “Are you okay?” I asked, my hand finding his.

He nodded, though his eyes betrayed a hint of sadness. “I am. I just wish…” His sentence trailed off, and I knew he was thinking of Evelyn, of the relationship that might never be.

“We’ll figure it out,” I assured him. “Together.”

Over the next few weeks, we focused on building a new kind of normal. Sophie started referring to our close friends as “aunt” and “uncle,” their children as cousins. We organized playdates and family outings, each moment reinforcing the foundation of love that held us together.