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Ariana was nearby, absorbing every word. The idea of Holden with Sadie stirred a whirlpool of feelings
inside her.
It felt like she was caught in a never-ending loop. She knew deep down she should steer clear of
Holden, no matter how much he reminded her of Theodore.
Theodore was his own person, and so was Holden.
Yet, even knowing that, every mention of Holden drew her attention, like a moth to a flame.
Shaking her head, Ariana mentally told herself to snap out of it.
With Holden’s wedding around the corner, both of them were starting new journeys. She needed to
focus on her own path ahead.
In the afternoon, Ariana and Mitchel snuck away with Melon to check out a local kindergarten.
Having made up their minds to make Eleymond their home again, they knew they couldn’t overlook
Melon’s schooling.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThey had checked out quite a few decent kindergartens in the past. In the end, they settled on the
nearest one. Melon was set to start there in a week.
When he was in Melcorn, Melon had missed out on kindergarten because of his health, spending more
days in hospitals. He didn’t have many friends. So now, the idea of school was new and exciting to him.
Heading home, Melon was buzzing with excitement, peppering both Mitchel and Ariana with questions.
“So, does this mean I’ll be making some new buddies soon?”
Ariana, grinning, answered, “Absolutely! Kindergarten’s a bit like summer camp. You’ll be running
around with all your new pals.”
Melon, eyes sparkling, tugged on Mitchel’s arm, saying, “Is school fun? Are there games that everyone
plays?”
Mitchel grinned at him. “You’ll not only play with other kids but also with the teachers. The teachers will
also teach you many stuff.”
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Melon’s eyes went wide. “Like what? What will the teachers teach me?”
“ALL sorts of things,” Mitchel began, playfully messing up Melon’s hair.
“And when you pick up something new, you can come back and share it with Mom.”
“I’LL teach you, too!” Melon declared, his chest puffed up in pride.
Mitchel laughed. “I bet you will! And if you’re awesome in kindergarten maybe we can get you some
toys, head to a theme park, or even camp out under the stars.”
Melon’s excitement was palpable. “Mr. Chadwick, you’re the best!” 2
He leaped up and clung to Mitchel’s leg, bursting with energy. Mitchel just smiled and let him hang on
as they strolled along.
A few steps behind, Ariana multitasked, tapping on her phone while walking.
Looking up, she watched the duo, a warmth growing inside her.
It hit her then: Melon really did need his dad around.
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She had always figured she could juggle it all solo. Yet, she saw that there were things only a dad
could bring to the table, moments and memories a mom alone couldn’t craft.
Observing Melon’s sheer delight, Ariana was struck by a twinge of guilt.
For the sake of her son, she should give him the gift of a full family.
Theodore was no longer around, but she still had Melon. They had to move forward.
Seeing Mitchel, the rock who had been there throughout the ups and downs, who had pulled them out
of more scrapes than she could count, the very reason Melon was here and healing, Ariana felt the
depth of her appreciation for him.
She felt it in her bones that, even if Mitchel never spelled it out loud, he had a soft spot just for them.
Looking at Mitchel, she couldn’t find a single flaw. He was fantastic with Melon and always had her
back.
Thinking about the comments before, it was clear everyone saw them as a good pair.
Ariana watched as Melon clung to Mitchel, the sound of their laughter filling the air, their bond evident.
It clicked for her.
Maybe, just maybe, she should give it a try with Mitchel to paint that full family picture for Melon.
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