Isaiah blinked.
Lena smiled through tears.
"You always burned the first one."
"Still do."
"She remembers you carrying her on your shoulders at the zoo."
Isaiah looked down.
"She remembers you singing badly."
"I do not sing badly."
"You do."
For the briefest second, they both smiled.
Then reality returned.
Isaiah asked, "Does she remember calling me Dad?"
Lena's face crumpled.
"Yes."
He nodded.
Neither spoke for a while.
Finally Isaiah said, "I want to see her."
That afternoon, Lena brought Maya to a park.
Thomas did not come.
Isaiah arrived first.
He chose a bench near a playground.
Children ran through fallen leaves.
Parents stood nearby drinking coffee.
Ordinary life.
Isaiah had spent four years dreaming of ordinary life.
Now it terrified him.
Lena's car pulled in.
Maya stepped out.
She stayed close to her mother.
Isaiah stood.
Maya looked at him.
He forced himself not to move toward her.
"Hey."
"Hi."
Her voice was quiet.
Lena touched Maya's shoulder.
"I'll be over there."
Maya immediately grabbed her hand.
"No."
Isaiah felt the rejection but hid it.
"She can stay."
Lena sat at one end of the bench.
Maya sat beside her.
Isaiah remained several feet away.
For almost a minute, no one spoke.
Then Maya asked, "Were you really kidnapped?"
Lena's eyes widened.
Isaiah answered calmly.
"Something like that."
"Mom said bad people kept you."
"Yeah."
"Did they hurt you?"
Lena started to intervene.
Isaiah shook his head gently.
"It's okay."
He looked at Maya.
"Sometimes."
Maya studied him.
"Did you know everybody thought you died?"
"No."
"Did you think we died?"
Isaiah had not expected that question.
"No."
"How did you know?"
"I didn't."
Maya frowned.
Isaiah took a breath.
"I hoped you were okay."
She looked toward the playground.
"I don't remember your voice."
His heart twisted.
"That's okay."
"Mom had videos."