Lily touched the bent one gently.
“This flower looks tired.”
Lupita smiled. “Sometimes tired flowers just need fresh water and time. Then they stand tall again.”
Lily considered that like it was serious science.
“Daddy is tired too.”
Ethan gave a soft laugh. “Daddy is fine.”
Lily looked at Lupita. “That means he’s not fine.”
Lupita’s eyes warmed.
“She’s smart,” she said.
“She gets that from her mother.”
Lily climbed onto the couch and tucked the gray bunny under her chin.
“Mommy liked roses,” she murmured.
“Yes,” Ethan said.
“She liked red ones because they looked brave.”
Ethan nodded.
Lily closed her eyes again.
Within a minute, she was asleep.
The room settled into quiet.
Lupita moved toward the door. “I’ll leave you both.”
“Wait,” Ethan said.
She stopped.
He kept his voice low so he would not wake Lily.
“Thank you for not looking away.”
