The next afternoon felt… intentional.Not tense.Just… important.I had spent the morning going over everything twice—notes, questions, even the small details I didn’t want to forget.By the time the doorbell rang, I was already in the living room.Flavian came down a moment later, adjusting his watch.“You’re nervous,” he observed.“I’m prepared,” I corrected.He huffed lightly.“Same thing.”“Not even close.”Amara ushered her in moments later.“Good afternoon,” the woman said warmly as she stepped inside, extending her hand. “I’m Miriam.”She looked exactly how I imagined; calm, grounded, the kind of presence that didn’t demand attention but held it anyway.“Fiona,” I said, shaking her hand. “Thank you for coming.”“Of course,” she smiled. “And you must be Flavian.”He nodded.“Yes.”A beat.“I’ll admit, this is new territory for me.”Miriam’s smile didn’t falter.“It usually is for fathers,” she said easily.That earned the smallest shift in his posture.We settled into the living
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