“Tess,” he said gently, “are they mine?”
Her breath caught. Her eyes glistened. “Yes,” she whispered.
The truth landed with quiet force. Owen reached out slowly and touched the edge of the sofa, grounding himself.
“Then I will be part of their lives,” he said softly. “From this moment on.”
Tess hesitated before nodding.
The next morning, Owen arranged for a temporary apartment close to downtown. He wanted them near him, not out of control, but out of responsibility and something deeper he did not yet name. He purchased clothes for the children, stocked the kitchen with warm meals, and promised Tess he would return the next day to help her choose schools for the boys.
The following week unfolded with a tenderness that surprised everyone involved. Jace discovered that Owen knew how to fix old bicycles, and they spent an afternoon in the lobby assembling a used frame into something new. Milo realized his father had a gentle voice when reading stories, and he began asking for those stories at bedtime. Tess watched them from the kitchen doorway, her heart tightening in ways that frightened her.
One afternoon, Owen arrived earlier than usual. Tess opened the door, slightly startled.