Daniel ran.
People moved out of his way as Lucy hurried after him.
“ELENA!”
She turned once.
Tears already filled her eyes.
But she kept running.
Daniel finally caught her arm near an empty boarding gate.
She froze.
Slowly turned.
Five years.
Five years of grief, pain, loneliness…
And there she was.
Alive.
Daniel stared at her.
His voice was barely a whisper.
“Why?”
Elena looked down.
The little boy hid behind her legs.
Lucy quietly took his hand.
Elena began crying.
“I didn’t leave because I stopped loving you.”
Daniel felt anger rise inside him.
“Then why?!”
She looked at him with shattered eyes.
“The night I disappeared… I found out someone was coming after my family.”
Daniel stared.
“What are you talking about?”
“They threatened to kill you.”
Silence.
“I thought disappearing would protect you.”
Daniel couldn’t speak.
Elena looked at Lucy and the little boy.
“I thought I was saving everyone.”
Daniel stared at the boy.
Slowly…
very slowly…
he looked back at Elena.
His face changed.
“…Elena.”
She looked up.
His voice shook.
“How old is he?”
Elena’s tears stopped falling.
The little boy peeked out from behind her.
Then smiled at Daniel.
And quietly said:
“Mommy… who’s Daddy?”
