Thomas sat in his office, another routine day, seeing and treating patients. In a moment of peace, his mind drifted back to the moment he had decided to start his own private practice. He remembered the excitement and apprehension of stepping out from the safety net of a large hospital and Sarah’s support as he started his own business.

Observing the patients in the waiting room, he stretched with a small smile, reflecting on the perks that had come with that decision—freedom from hospital bureaucracy, the opportunity to make a real, tangible difference in people’s lives, and the ability to build a practice based on his own values and vision versus those of corporate overlords.

With a sigh, he also acknowledged the less glamorous side — especially the management and logistical challenges that came with running a small practice. While he preferred the direct patient care and the connections he built with his community, the day-to-day realities of managing a small business often pulled him away from his true vocation. He was inevitably dragged into the managerial side of the business, where budgets, staffing, and equipment limitations became constant considerations and irritations.

He also couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration. His practice, though successful in the conventional sense, lacked the advanced diagnostic and imaging tools that larger hospitals boasted, and thus more advanced treatment capabilities.

Nevertheless, as he observed the patients in the waiting room, he smiled to himself as he gazed at his clientele, feeling reassured that the heart of his practice lay in the relationships he built with those who trusted him.

—

His eyes drifted to two children playfully bickering in the waiting room. As an only child, Thomas had often wondered what it would be like to have a sibling. He had several cousins - some he had even grown close to over the years, but he suspected it wasn't the same as the constant bond—equal parts love and exasperation—that siblings shared.

“At least Emily has Daniel,” he mused with a smile as he watched the mischievous exchange.”

The thought, though comforting, led him back to the lingering questions he couldn’t quite shake regarding the changes at the domestic front.

Emily’s relationship with Daniel defied explanation. Yet - in many ways, at least based on what Emily had described the bond as - it felt like the sibling bond he’d always imagined. They seemed to tease each other, supported one another, and shared a deep connection. While it seemed slightly bizarre, Emily was clearly fiercely protective of Daniel, and, from everything Thomas had heard, the feeling was mutual.

However, as he observed the carefree behavior of the children who passed through his doors. Thomas couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow. Each smiling face, every playful interaction, was a reminder of what his daughter may have been deprived of.

“Was Emily cheated out of the simple joys of being a kid?” he mused to himself, his heart tightening. “She is an incredible girl, brave, resilient, but under so much pressure to hide who she really is. Did it steal her freedom? Her innocence?”

—

He forcefully pushed thoughts of privacy, innocence, and freedom away, redirecting his focus to the biological complexities of Emily’s situation. Her dual consciousness, the presence of Daniel—these were concepts that his analytical mind struggled to fully grasp. Thomas was a man who thrived on science, on logic and reason, yet here he was, confronted with a mystery that defied everything he knew. The frustration gnawed at him more than he cared to admit.

His thoughts shifted to Sarah, who, at least outwardly, seemed to navigate the situation with greater ease. Her calm demeanor, though she was clearly concerned, stood in sharp contrast to his own inner turmoil. Perhaps it was her emotional intelligence, her ability to see things with her heart rather than just her mind, that allowed her to approach this so smoothly?

He smiled wryly as he recalled a memory —how Sarah had always been the one to bridge the gap between his logic and the messy world of emotions.

It had been Sarah who had taken the initiative, who had asked him out on their first date, guiding him out of his own head, bridging the gap between logic and emotion.

A skill he now found himself desperately trying to emulate.

“Maybe it’s a mom thing,” he muttered, shaking his head with a faint chuckle.

Nevertheless, the revelation that Daniel had, for a time, lived as their child had shaken Thomas to his very core.

At first, he was infuriated - no - beyond infuriated!

The idea of someone—anyone—hijacking his daughter’s consciousness had filled him with a protective rage. That Daniel had done so while pretending to be their child only deepened the anger that Thomas didn’t know how to process.

Emily had been quick to defend Daniel, her fierce advocacy forcing Thomas to reconsider his feelings over the matter. She had insisted, repeatedly, that Daniel had no choice in the matter—that he, too, was a lost soul trying to find his way.

Reluctantly, Thomas had come to accept Emily’s reasoning. The anger lingered, but it was softened by something rather unexpected.

He thought back to those few, now surreal, months when he had unknowingly parented Daniel. Thomas hadn’t realized then that another soul was driving Emily’s body - no, Daniel had simply been Emily—yet not quite. In hindsight, there had been a subtle difference, a maturity in her tone, a change in her demeanor - Thomas could see it now: those were glimpses of Daniel.

Thomas sighed, his thoughts tinged with confusion as he realized - he had in fact met Daniel, spoken with Daniel, held Daniel, and parented Daniel.

He wanted to hold onto the anger, to resent Daniel for barging into their lives, for upending their peaceful existence.

And yet, he couldn’t.

Daniel, as much as Thomas hated to admit it, had been a wonderful ‘child’.

He remembered the time spent together—the laughter, the conversations, the joys of parenting. He had taken Daniel to school, helped with homework, family shopping trips, shared meals, watched movies, talked about life’s mysteries and so much more.

They’d even planted the cherry blossom in the backyard together - the sapling mirroring Emily, and now Daniel’s own growth and life experiences.

Meanwhile Daniel—driving Emily’s body—had met each moment with curiosity and eagerness. It had been easy to love him, even without knowing who he truly was.

Now, Thomas found himself caught between conflicting emotions. He still felt a pang of anger when he thought of how it had all unfolded, but it was mingled with affection, a reluctant acknowledgment of the bond they had shared. Whatever his frustrations, he couldn’t deny the truth: in those brief months, whether he liked it or not, Daniel had become a part of their family.

Beneath it all there was a growing realization that both comforted and unnerved him.

He didn’t just care for Emily. Perhaps, just perhaps - he cared for Daniel too.

—

That evening, after dinner, Thomas couldn’t shake the need to understand what was really happening inside Emily’s mind. He watched her as she went about her evening—doing homework, playing with her toys, occasionally muttering to herself with words that sounded far too adult for her age.

His earlier thoughts in office tugged at him. “I have to know,” he decided. “I need to know more about what is happening here. Something..anything...”

He grabbed his medical bag, subconsciously wondering what he could learn with his limited equipment. “I need to understand this, I need to be sure I’m doing everything I can for her.”

“Emily, could you come with me for a bit?” he asked, his tone more casual than he felt.

They headed to her bedroom, Emily following him with a quizzical expression on her face. Thomas asked her to sit with her legs dangling off the edge of the bed. As she settled in, Thomas couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.

“Am I crossing a line? Am I turning our relationship into something clinical?” The thought gnawed at him, but he shook it off, focusing instead on the task at hand.

He turned to look at Emily, her legs swinging gently as he tapped her knee with a reflex hammer. She watched him with a slight smile, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Thomas realized that the situation had turned on itself - now he felt as though he were the one being analyzed. He shook his head, and moved on to check her pulse, then her pupils, jotting down notes in a small notepad.

With each test, he felt more uncertain, unsure what he was looking for, firing random potshots into the fog hoping to hit something tangible.

“Dad, what are you looking for?” Emily asked, her tone light but curious.

Thomas hesitated, feeling a familiar tightness in his chest. How could he explain his concerns, his need to better understand Emily’s dual nature? He was grasping at straws, trying to find a pattern, and yet fearful of discovering one that might indicate something was wrong.

“Just... making sure everything is okay,” he finally said, the words feeling inadequate.

Emily’s eyes twinkled knowingly.

“You’re trying to figure out Daniel and me aren't you? she said, her voice gentle. “Or…maybe you’re scared something is wrong with me, with us?” she added softly. “Dad, I can tell you’re nervous, but you don’t have to be. Daniel and I we’re okay. Nothing needs to be fixed.”

Her perceptiveness caught him off guard. “How did you...?”

Emily tapped her temple with a grin. “I’ve got more experience up here than you might think. You can’t hide that easily.”

Thomas chuckled nervously. “I guess I’m not as subtle as I thought.”

Emily shrugged, her expression compassionate. “It’s okay, Dad. But these basic tests probably won’t show anything new. I’m pretty sure Daniel’s presence isn’t going to make my reflexes act up or make my pupils do a dance…”

With an afterthought she added “I think, anyway...”

Thomas sighed, scratching his beard, feeling sheepish. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”

They sat in silence for a moment, both lost in thought. Emily broke the silence, tilting her head thoughtfully “If you really want to figure this out, we need to think bigger. How about MRIs?”

Thomas was stunned by her willingness to help. He blinked, trying to gather his thoughts.

“MRIs are phenomenally expensive. I don’t know if we can afford that…” he noted. “It could show if your brain structure has changed but, just the MRI, not to mention the cost of interpretation would be prohibitively expensive.”

“What about PET scans?” Emily offered with some excitement.

Thomas was stunned, utterly confused. “PET scans? I’ve never heard of that. What is it?”

Emily blinked, then without breaking a breath, gave a quick, high-level explanation.

“PET stands for Positron Emission Tomography. It’s a type of imaging test that helps see how your tissues and organs are functioning. It’s used to detect disease, measure blood flow, O2 flow, metabolism and stuff.”

Thomas stared at her in silence for a moment, processing what she just said. His daughter, who had been playing with building blocks not less than an hour ago, now conversing with the knowledge of a trained scientist—it both amazed and unsettled him.

“That... tech doesn’t exist in this universe, does it?” she finally said, shaking her head. “Would probably have been super expensive too anyway”

Thomas chuckled softly, shaking his head in quiet amazement. “No, Positron Emission whatever doesn’t exist here as far as I know.”

“Give me a second, Danny and I need to brainstorm a bit” Emily said, closing her eyes and concentrating deeply.

Thomas looked down, fiddling with his fingers as Emily ‘conversed’ quietly.

“Technologies that don’t exist yet…she knows about tech that may or may not even exist..” he mumbled feeling both awe and humility. Now - she was conversing with a second consciousness in her mind, a second soul -yet another reminder of the extraordinary duality his remarkable daughter navigated every day.

“Danny is asking if EEGs exist here? The brainwave measurement tech?” Emily asked, the question pulling Thomas out of his thoughts and back to the present. “It could be useful—it exists here, right?”

Thomas nodded, the pieces of the puzzle slowly clicking into place.

“Yeah, it exists. And you’re right—an EEG might show us something about your brain activity when... well, when Daniel is more present,” he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips, though a part of him remained cautious, unsure of where this might lead.

Emily’s eyes lit up with excitement. “You hear that, smartypants? You were right!” she teased softly, her voice playful. A moment later, her expression shifted, and she indignantly squealed, “‘Hey—I’m not a know-it-all little gremlin, mister!’”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Thomas watched the exchange with a mix of emotions—fascination, hesitation, and even lingering warmth! Despite the surreal nature of it all, the sibling-like banter between Emily and Daniel felt incredibly real. He couldn’t help but chuckle, the sound carrying a hint of both amusement and hints of uncertainty.

Thomas interrupted the internal discussion hesitatingly.

“You know, I didn’t expect you to want to help out with this” he began cautiously. “I know you have this dual consciousness thing going, but...”

Emily’s eyes softened and a small, knowing smile played on her lips again. “Dad, I know you’re trying to understand. Sometimes there isn’t a clear answer to life…” She sighed, leaning back thoughtfully. “But…I know you’re analytical…you need data, patterns, numbers, to make sense of things.” She cocked her head slightly, her gaze thoughtful. “To really be at peace.”

Thomas stared at her, his heart swelling with a mix of awe and love. His little girl, so insightful, so much more than he could have ever imagined. “You really know me better than I thought, Em,” he said, his voice laced with emotion.

“I’d like to say it’s female intuition,” she said with mock affectation, playfully throwing her hands out like a casanova. “But my overprotective older bro, taking up real estate in my head-” She tapped her temple with a smirk. “He was wired pretty similarly. Takes one to know one.”

Thomas smiled, the weight on his shoulders feeling a little lighter. “Okay, let’s do it. We’ll set up an EEG and see what we can find out.”

He got up with a sigh and stretched. “I can rent an EEG... it’s not cheap, but it’s not... expensive. I just need to talk to your mom first.”

Emily saluted him playfully. “Yes, Sir, the boss’s approval and buy-in is definitely needed.”

As Thomas walked toward the other room to talk to Sarah, he couldn’t help but marvel at how his little girl could be so playful one moment and so perceptive the next and then back to being playful. As he thought about Emily’s lighthearted salute, he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from lifting into a smile. Maybe, just maybe, they were figuring this out together?

—

Thomas discreetly hired the services of a mobile EEG company. While it wasn’t cheap, he knew this was worth it to gain insight, frankly any understanding of his daughter’s complex existence.

The EEG and technician were scheduled to come toward the end of the day on a Friday. Convincing Sarah had taken some effort, but she had reluctantly agreed, with the condition that she would be allowed to observe.

When the day arrived, Thomas and Sarah brought Emily to his clinic. TAs they walked down the hallway, Thomas noticed Emily's small hand tightening in his although her outer demeanor was steadfast and calm.

“Sweetheart, if you’re nervous, we can stop,” he reassured her, glancing sideways at Sarah.

Emily offered a small smile, though a hint of something older, more profound, flickered in her eyes. “It’s not a problem, Dad... I suggested this, remember?” she said, her voice tinged with wariness. Then, looking a little sadder, she added, “This isn’t the first time either... I remember EEGs from Daniel’s time.”

Thomas’s eyes connected with Sarah’s which mirrored his own emotions - the knowledge that their daughter carried not just wisdom, but also more sorrowful memories. He took a deep breath, and prayed that this process would not create any additional painful memories for his daughter. Or Daniel…whoever or whatever he or it was.

The EEG technician, a friendly figure, greeted them and began explaining the process to Emily, who seemed to listen with a mix of curiosity and resignation. The technician explained that there would be multiple tests—starting with a series of ‘control’ tests to establish Emily’s normal EEG patterns, followed by more focused examinations. With the technician’s help, Emily lay down on the examination table, her frame looking even smaller under the clinical lights. The technician attached the electrodes to her scalp, working quickly and methodically.

After a few moments, the lights were dimmed, and the test began.

Thomas stood nearby, trying to maintain a cool, professional demeanor while masking his anxiety. Sarah had been asked to wait next door, but she was just a wall away, her presence felt even in her absence.

The machine hummed to life, and the room grew still, yet thick with unspoken tension. The technician began with the standard baseline tests. The needles scratched rhythmically on the paper, eliciting a quiet chuckle from Emily.

Thomas smiled, the heaviness and tension momentarily breaking, as he recalled a conversation he had with Emily during their drive to the facility. Emily had been quite animated when Thomas had described the needles and strip chart recorder.

“Needles?” she exclaimed in mock horror.

“Like old seismic machines? Like stuff out of Frankenstein? They still use needles to trace charts…manually? Gosh Dad, in Danny’s time, this would have been considered retro! No, this would have been considered freaking archaic!”

Still, the control tests continued. As expected, they were simple and uneventful. Emily followed the instructions—opening and closing her eyes, focusing on her breathing and the like—with ease.

“Normal baseline, typical for a nine year old child” the EEG tech murmured, making notes on his clipboard.

With the baseline established, the technician progressed to more advanced tests, including deep breathing and simulated hyperventilation. The EEG needles began to scratch more aggressively, and Thomas saw subtle changes in the waveforms beginning to manifest. They weren’t drastic, but they were enough to give the technician pause, prompting him to double-check the connections. Thomas felt a twinge of concern but said nothing.

The technician then moved to auditory tests, introducing tones and sounds through headphones. Emily listened intently, her expression blank, but the sounds seemed to resonate deeper within her. Her breathing slowed, her eyelids drooping as if she were entering a meditative state. Suddenly, her entire body went slack, as if a switch had been flipped, her eyelids fluttering shut as Thomas’s heart skipped a beat.

Thomas looked over the technician’s shoulder at the strip chart. The EEG had immediately reflected this shift—waveforms that had been mildly erratic now became wildly unpredictable. Peaks and valleys appeared on the screen, overlapping and creating a pattern that seemed to bewilder the technician as well.

“Is she okay?” Thomas asked, trying to keep any semblance of alarm out of his voice.

The technician's frown deepened as he leaned closer to the chart, his eyes squinting as he glanced at the connections, then back at the erratic lines on the paper.

“I don’t understand,” he muttered under his breath to himself. He casted a quick, puzzled sidelong glance at Thomas. “These readings- they’re not just unusual—they’re impossible. It’s almost like- like the machine is picking up signals from two different brains at once.”

As Emily drifted deeper into the trance, the EEG readings grew more chaotic. The waveforms spiked sharply, resembling patterns seen during seizures. Then, as suddenly as the chaos began, the waveforms began to sync—two distinct patterns emerging, one deep and sinusoidal, the other gentler, almost melodic.

The technician stared at the screen, baffled. “This can’t be right. The machine must be malfunctioning. It’s almost like her brain is in two states at once. Maybe the leads are bad and sending erratic signals?

Thomas’s breath however caught in his throat as he watched the waveforms sync into two distinct patterns. His analytical mind fought to rationalize what he was seeing but the truth was evident and hammered into him. He felt a cold sweat break out, a mix of awe and fear in the pit of his stomach. He knew that this wasn’t just a medical anomaly or equipment malfunction.

No, he knew this was real, tangible proof - a glimpse into the reality of Emily’s dual consciousness.

This was Emily and Daniel together.

Two consciousnesses, two souls.

A reality that Thomas realized he was unprepared to confront.

—

Just as the technician was about to stop the test, Emily suddenly gasped and woke up, her eyes snapping open as if from a deep sleep. The EEG immediately returned to normal, the strange patterns disappearing as suddenly as they had appeared. Emily blinked groggily, rubbing her eyes as though waking from a dream.

“Emily?” Thomas asked gently, kneeling beside her. “Are you okay?”

Emily nodded slowly, still disoriented. “I…I think I fell asleep,” she murmured. “I’m sorry if I messed up the test.”

“We’ll need to review the data. I’ve never seen anything like that before,” the tech admitted, his voice a mixture of confusion tinged with awe. “I’m almost certain the machine malfunctioned. We can rerun the test if you’d like, after I get a new instrument. No charge of course,” he added quietly as he disconnected the leads and began disassembling the instrument.

Momentarily, Emily, Sarah and Thomas left the clinic. Thomas filled in both Sarah and Emily regarding the test’s ‘results’ - the calm control tests, the chaotic dance of needles showing a seizure-like dynamic, culminating in two distinct patterns.

“I have the proof I was looking for Sarah” Thomas murmured, lost in thought. He felt his wife glances at both him and Emily with worry. “I have proof yet I’m struggling to believe it. I want to believe there was a mistake, the machine malfunctioned but…”

Thomas left the words unfinished - the silence heavy, almost stifling. He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, a gnawing fear taking root. His search for answers had only led to more questions - questions he didn’t know how to face. The ride home was subsequently silent, the road noise and the hum of the engine a backdrop to the chaos inside his mind - the images of the dual waveforms burned into his memory.

—

Thomas sat down heavily on the couch, the weight of the day pressing down on him. He looked at Sarah, his face flushed, eyes seemingly unfocussed.

"The EEG... it showed something, Sarah. Something I can’t explain. It was like there were two separate brain patterns, but they were synchronized somehow.”

He was quiet for a moment before a torrent of words broke through “Sarah, I’m a doctor; I’ve seen a lot, but this is beyond me. I don’t know what to make of it. Was the machine broken? Is this reality? And…I don’t know what my role is anymore. How do I even begin to support her, to parent her when I don’t understand what’s happening? And what do I do about this Daniel? If he is another consciousness, how do I engage with him?"

He looked pleadingly at his wife, his heart wrenching with questions he just didn’t know how to answer. Or worse, questions he was scared of hearing the answer to.

Sarah moved closer, taking his hands in hers.

"Tom, I know this is overwhelming. But you’re not alone in this. Remember when I first saw the connection between Emily and Daniel? I was scared too, but then I started seeing it as something else.”

She held his face in her hands, her eyes filled with warmth, care and understanding.

“They’re not just sharing a mind—they’re more than that. I really believe they are like siblings, in a way. There’s this cute, almost endearing dynamic between them. They tease each other, look out for each other. It’s like having an older brother who’s always there, guiding her."

But as she spoke, Thomas’s expression remained troubled.

"I get that," he said, his voice strained as more thoughts spiralled. "But what is my role here?”

He hurriedly added “And okay, they have a relationship but…what if I make a mistake? What if something goes wrong between them? What if she break Sarah? What if it all too much?

He looked away, his brow furrowed, his eyes closed trying to stop the thoughts from spiraling.

I’m supposed to be the one who knows what to do” he grunted with effort. “But I don’t anymore. I don’t know how to protect my family when everything is so... so beyond me."

Just then, a voice interrupted them.

"Dad?" Emily stood in the doorway, her frame silhouetted against the light from the hall.

Thomas and Sarah looked up, startled. She looked at them, her eyes serious and far older than her years.

"Hey Dad, I need you to listen to me... really listen to me."

Emily walked over, her movements deliberate, yet graceful, and sat down beside her father. She reached out and took his hand, her touch firm.

"I’m not broken," she began, her voice steady. "I know you’re scared, but I’m okay. This thing with Daniel, it’s not something that needs to be fixed. It’s part of who I am. It won’t overwhelm me, it won’t break me okay? It will only help me, and this family."

Thomas looked at her, his eyes filled with doubt and fear. "But Emily, this is... it’s too much. I don’t understand how to help or guide or raise you. What if something goes wrong? What if I do something wrong?"

Emily’s gaze softened, but her tone remained resolute. "Dad, how much of the universe do we really understand? Think about it—black holes, quantum physics, electricity, energy... For every question we answer, a hundred more appear.”

She gave him a gentle, friendly punch and continued with a little smile. “We live in a world filled with stuff we don’t understand. In the grand scheme of things, in the beauty that is this universe, is it really surprising that something like Daniel and me happened? We’re just another part of that mystery."

She paused, letting her words sink in.

"You’re trying to make sense of something that doesn’t neatly fit into the rules you currently know. But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong or that you’re failing. You’re here, and you’re doing more than enough just by being my dad.”

As his daughter said those words, Thomas felt a wave of healing pass through him, a warmth that enveloped and hugged him from inside.

“You’ve accepted me in spite of everything - this strange, incredible reality. You’ve helped Danny heal when he was driving my body and even after - with your care and kindness. You keep this house, this family running, you make us feel safe, wanted, and you teach both Danny and me so much every day” she continued, her tone soft and kindly.

“Dad, we would be screwed without you…” Emily continued with a smirk.

Thomas glanced at Sarah who was clearly biting her lip, both trying not to smile, yet holding back from chiding Emily for her choice of words.

“But, Dad, you need to make peace with the fact that not everything has an explanation.” Emily continued - her tone more firm, more final. “Some things just are, that doesn’t mean you are not an incredible dad every single day by just being you."

Thomas’s breathing slowed as her words took root in his mind.

He could see the truth in what she was saying, the wisdom far beyond her years. Slowly, the tightness in his chest began to loosen, replaced by a sense of awe—at his daughter, at the universe, at the unknown.

"You’re right," he said, his voice trembling. "You’re right, Emily."

—

Sarah watched the transformation in her husband, relief swelling within her. "You got through to him," she said softly, a small smile forming on her lips.

Thomas let out a shaky laugh, the tension finally breaking. He pulled Emily into a tight hug, holding her tight like a lifeline.

"I understand you so much better now," he whispered. "I thought I had accepted you, but now I’m beginning to understand you. I see you, Emily. I really see you…"

He felt Emily hugged him back just as fiercely, like a little guardian. "Dad, it’s okay to be scared. I’m scared sometimes too - but remember, you’re not alone. You’ve got me, and you’ve got Mom. We’re a team, remember?"

As they held onto each other, Sarah placed a gentle hand on Thomas’s back.

"You’re not alone in this, Tom. We’ll figure it out together. And sometimes... sometimes it’s okay to let us take care of you too."

Emily pulled back slightly, looking at her father with a knowing expression.

"Dad, I know it’s harder for you as a man. Even in this universe, men aren’t supposed to show vulnerability or emotions. But I know, through Daniel, what it’s like to keep everything bottled up inside. Sometimes... you need to let it out. Let us be here for you too, yeah?”

Before Thomas knew what hit him, Emily reached out and gently ruffled his—a playful gesture that he often used with her!

For a moment, Thomas was taken aback by the familiarity of the action, but it felt right. Perhaps like being cared for by a guardian from a forgotten part of his own family history.

“Was that both of you, Em? Daniel?” he thought to himself as tears finally spilled over.

He allowed himself to be vulnerable in a way he hadn’t in years. Emily held him as he sobbed, a role reversal that felt strangely right. For once, he let himself be the one who needed comfort, who needed to be held.

Finally, Thomas pulled back, wiping his eyes, and smiled at Emily.

"Thank you, Emily. Thank you for helping me see things differently. I love you so much, and I’m so proud of you."

Emily smiled back, her eyes shining with a mix of emotions. "I love you too, Dad. And remember, you’re doing just fine. We’ll figure all of this out—together."

As Thomas pulled back and dried his eyes, he glanced at Emily’s now damp pyjamas - damp with his tears he realized.

Thomas let out a surprised chuckle, the tension breaking as he looked at his daughter—his young yet somehow ageless confidante. "I guess I wrecked your pyjamas though. Want to toss them in the drier?” he asked, his voice still thick with emotion but yet lighter now.

Emily and Sarah’s expressions turned deadpan. Then his daughter giggled, followed by his wife, setting off a chain reaction that soon left the entire room filled with gentle, healing laughter.

Thomas reached over and squeezed Emily’s hand, his heart lighter than it had been in weeks.

"Thank you, my extraordinary girl," he said sincerely.

"For understanding, for comforting, and yes, even for the pajama-wrecking hugs. I think I’ve learned more from you tonight than I have in a long time."

With that, the family sat together, the room filled with a new kind of peace. While they didn’t know all the answers, the peace of knowing that they were in this together was enough.