Nana nodded seriously. “Mommy Hanabi plays with me and stays with me. You’re always tired. I want us to be happy. You should sign the papers so we can be a real family.”
I felt all the air leave my lungs.
Before I could say anything, Hanabi turned to Gusion and kissed him. Slow. Deep. Right in front of me.
Nana giggled. “Daddy and Mommy Hanabi love each other! Yehey! I'm so happy.”
I didn’t move. I couldn’t.
I just stood there, frozen, watching my husband kiss the girl my parents raised as my sister, while my daughter smiled like this was her new world.
It felt unreal.
But it wasn’t.
This was my reality.
Gusion pulled away from Hanabi with a satisfied smile, like he’d just won something. Then he looked at me, his eyes cold and almost amused, the way he used to look at people he was done with.
“Be reasonable, Miya,” he said, handing me another copy of the papers. “Just sign it already. There’s no point dragging this out and embarrassing yourself.”
Nana hugged her toy tighter and looked up at me, her little face full of urgency. “Mommy, please sign it,” she said softly. “Daddy and Mommy Hanabi are happy. I want us to stay happy too.”
Happy.