Page 71 of Finders Keepers

“Is that right?” Gavin’s eyes soften. “I’ll have to stop by and get one.”

Sophie’s attention gets pulled to the side. Nugget stands beside her chair, his favorite stuffed dragon dangling from his mouth.

“Can I play with Nugget?” Sophie’s eyes light up. “Please, Mommy?”

I glance at Gavin, who nods. “Go ahead, baby. I’ll help clean up, and then we need to head home.”

“Come on, Nugget!” She slides off her chair, and the dog follows her to the living room, tail wagging.

I gather the remaining dishes, falling into step beside Gavin as we head to the kitchen.

“You don’t have to help,” he says, filling the sink with soapy water.

“I want to.” I grab a dish towel. “It’s the least I can do since you prepped dinner.”

We settle into a rhythm. Him washing, me drying. Even through it all I still keep watch as Sophie sits cross-legged on the living room floor, giggling while Nugget shows her his tricks.

“She’s really something special,” Gavin says softly, following my gaze.

“She is.” Pride wells up in my chest. “Sometimes I look at her and can’t believe she’s mine. She’s so… pure. Untouched by all the…” I trail off, catching myself before I say too much.

“All the what?” His hands still in the soapy water.

I shake my head. “Nothing. Just… life, you know? The world can be hard sometimes.”

“Bailey.” His voice is gentle but firm. “You know you can talk to me, right? If you ever need to?”

The kindness in his eyes nearly breaks me. How easy it would be to let it all spill out. The fear, the running, the constant looking over my shoulder. But the words stick in my throat.

“I know,” I manage. “It’s just… complicated.”

He hands me another plate. “Life usually is. But you don’t have to figure it all out alone.”

“Don’t I?” The words slip out before I can stop them. “I’m her mother. It’s my job to protect her, to make the right choices.”

“And it looks like you’re doing an amazing job.” He turns to face me fully. “Anyone can see how much you love her, how hard you work to give her everything she needs. But having support doesn’t make you any less of a mother.”

A lump forms in my throat. “Sometimes accepting help feels like admitting weakness.”

“Or maybe it’s the strongest thing we can do.” His fingers brush mine as he passes the last dish. “Letting people in, letting them care about us, that takes real courage.”

I focus on drying the plate, trying to steady my breathing. “What if you’re wrong about the people you let in?”

“What if you’re right?” He counters. “What if letting someone in means you don’t have to carry everything alone anymore?”

Sophie’s giggles float in from the living room, and I look up to find her teaching Nugget to bow. The simple joy on her face makes my heart ache.

“She deserves a normal life,” I whisper. “Birthday parties and flower crowns and… and people who care about her.”

“So do you.” His words are so quiet I almost miss them.

I meet his gaze, and for a moment, everything else falls away. The warmth in his amber eyes draws me in, promising safety, understanding, maybe even…

“Mommy, look!” Sophie’s call breaks the spell. “Nugget can roll over!”

I step back, putting space between us. “We should probably get going. It’s getting late.”

Gavin nods, though something like disappointment flickers across his face. “Of course.”

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