“I already have everything I could wish for right here,” he said, glancing at me and then at Sophie.

That evening, after everyone left and Sophie was tucked into bed, Michael and I sat on the porch, the cool breeze wrapping around us. The stars were bright, and the night was quiet, save for the distant hum of crickets.

“I’m proud of you,” I told Michael. “For standing by Sophie, for making her feel loved.”

“She’s my daughter,” he said simply, as if that explained everything.