His Adam’s apple bobbed as he tried to form words, but Elena’s glare pinned him in silence. She adjusted the stroller strap, her hands trembling only slightly — the only betrayal of the storm still raging inside her.
“I was a coward,” Miles finally admitted, voice hoarse. “I thought I wasn’t enough. I thought you deserved more than… me.”
Elena laughed bitterly, though there was no humor in it. “You thought disappearing would hurt less? You shattered me, Miles. And then…” She glanced down at the three pairs of tiny eyes peeking from the stroller. “…I found out I wasn’t alone anymore.”
Miles’s knees nearly buckled. “Triplets?” His whisper was half awe, half anguish. “They’re… mine?”
Her eyes, fierce and wounded, met his. “What do you think?”
He reached out a hand toward the stroller, but stopped short when one of the babies squirmed, releasing a small cry that pierced the square. Miles froze, as if afraid the tiniest movement would break the fragile reality before him.
“I wanted to be there,” he said, desperation bleeding through. “Every day since, I’ve regretted leaving. I came back for you. For them. If you’ll let me…”
Elena’s face hardened. “You don’t just vanish from a wedding and stroll back into a family like nothing happened. I carried them, raised them, loved them alone. You don’t get to decide you’re ready now and expect forgiveness.”
The violin nearby swelled, mournful and haunting. Miles’s eyes brimmed. “Then tell me what I can do. I’ll spend every day proving I won’t run again.”
For the first time, Elena’s composure cracked. A tear slipped down her cheek. She brushed it away quickly, but her voice wavered:
“Words are cheap, Miles. Let’s see if your actions are worth my children’s future.”