Aaron simply climbed into his lap and held onto his hand with both of his tiny ones, as if afraid Oliver might vanish again.
Oliver swallowed the ache in his chest and began telling a story about four brothers who built a castle in a forest and protected it from storms together. The boys leaned in close, eyes bright, their trust given without reservation. When the story ended, Oliver promised he would be at breakfast. It was a small promise, yet it felt larger than any business deal he had ever signed.
The next morning, he sat at the kitchen table as four bowls of cereal were spilled, spoons clattered, and stories about dreams filled the air. His phone buzzed endlessly with reminders of flights and meetings. He turned it off. The world could wait. His sons could not.
Days turned into weeks. Oliver canceled trips. He delegated contracts. He learned which superhero was the bravest, which dinosaur was the fiercest, and which bedtime light chased away thunder fears. He walked them to preschool. He watched them run in the yard. He listened to their laughter echo through halls that had once been silent.