He nodded again, accepting her terms. “I understand,” he replied softly. “I’ll prove to you that I’m not the same person who left you standing at the altar.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the air between them thick with the weight of what had been and what might be. The life bustling around them seemed incongruous with the quiet storm of emotion.

Finally, Elena spoke, breaking the tension. “You can start with something small,” she offered, her voice softening just a fraction. “Join us for their next checkup. I’ll let you know when it is.”