Chapter 10 - THE DAY LUCY MET HER FATHER
Lucy met Daniel in a quiet room with Maria beside her.
Nicholas waited outside.
The little girl stared at the stranger.
Daniel knelt.
“Hi, Lucy.”
She hid behind Maria.
He did not approach.
“I’m Daniel.”
Lucy looked at his hands.
“Do you like dinosaurs?”
Daniel smiled through tears.
“Yes.”
She considered.
“Green ones?”
“Especially green ones.”
Slowly, she stepped forward.
Maria had explained that Daniel was her father, but Lucy needed time to understand what that meant.
She did not run into his arms.
She did not call him Daddy immediately.
Instead, she offered him a toy dinosaur.
Daniel accepted it carefully.
“Thank you.”
Lucy sat on the carpet.
“Want to play?”
Daniel nodded.
“More than anything.”
Nicholas watched through the open doorway.
The reunion was quiet.
Imperfect.
Beautiful.
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He understood that the most important things in life could not be forced into dramatic moments.
Sometimes they began with a toy dinosaur and a patient father.
