In the short time we’d known each other, our lives had fused organically. I’d always wanted my own family, but it had been difficult to envision, manifesting as a dull ache rather than a clear mental image. Now the images came easily, when Lark waved at curious toddlers on the street or let out a wistful sigh at babies in prams. Once, we’d noticed an elderly couple at the canal, watching the sailboats alongside us. She’d rested her head on my shoulder as the wind carried the ships across the bay. I could never replace the man she’d loved and lost, but we could build something new together.
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