After a moment of indecision played over her face, Sage flung herself forward, wrapping her arms around my waist in a tight hug. With a hollowed-out chest and the distinct feeling that she was anchored under my ribs much in the same way as her mother, I wrapped my arms around her to return it. That was when she buried her face into my chest and whispered, “You’ll be a really great dad someday, Ian.” It was like she punched a hole straight through flesh and bone, and I stood in stunned silence as she waved and ran off.
