Lily blinked, her small chest rising and falling as the weight of his words settled in. For the first time in days, she felt something other than cold or hunger. She felt hope.
The café was quiet, save for the gentle hum of conversation and the soft clinking of utensils. Howard watched her, his heart aching with the kind of longing that only those who’ve loved deeply and lost can understand. He saw not just a little girl in need, but a chance to heal a wound that had been open far too long.
