#Chapter 48: The Rose

Elijah I felt a little lighter as I stepped into the playroom, instantly surrounded by the sound of children’s laughter. The space itself was warm and cozy, with a plethora of toys, books, and comfortable furniture for the kids to play on. Thea spotted me almost immediately, snapping her head up from where she was playing. Even though she had only been away from me for half an hour at the most, she looked overjoyed to see me. “Daddy!” she cried, throwing herself into my arms. I caught her easily, hoisting her up and spinning her around once before settling her on my hip. “Hey, sweetheart,” I said, brushing a stray curl out of her face. “Having fun with your new friends?” She nodded enthusiastically, pointing toward a cluster of kids huddled around a toy kitchen. “I’m making pizza with Emily and Jake! But… Can we do something else now? Just us?” “How about we go out for ice cream?” I offered, honestly just wanting to get out of the hotel myself. Thea’