Isaiah nodded.
Maya glanced at him.
"You look different."
"I probably do."
"You had more hair."
Lena laughed unexpectedly.
Isaiah smiled.
"So did you."
Maya almost smiled.
Then she became serious again.
"Are you mad at Dad?"
Isaiah knew exactly who she meant.
He looked down.
"I don't know him."
"He's nice."
Lena looked nervous.
Isaiah nodded.
"Okay."
"He makes waffles."
"That sounds useful."
"And he helped me learn to ride my bike."
Isaiah's stomach tightened.
Another thing he had missed.
Maya continued.
"He doesn't want to take your place."
Isaiah looked at her.
"Did he tell you that?"
She nodded.
"He said I can have two dads if I want."
Lena turned away to hide tears.
Isaiah swallowed.
"He's right."
Maya stared.
"You don't hate him?"
Isaiah wanted to say yes.
Not because Thomas deserved hatred.
Because hatred was easier than grief.
"I don't know him enough to hate him."
Maya considered that.
Then she asked, "Are you going to take Mom away?"
Lena inhaled sharply.
Isaiah stared at his daughter.
"What?"
Maya's eyes filled.
"I heard them talking."
"Who?"
"Grandma and Mom."
Isaiah looked at Lena.
Lena shook her head.
"Maya—"
"They said you're her real husband."
Isaiah crouched until he was closer to Maya's eye level.
"Listen to me."
Maya looked scared.
"I am not here to take anybody away from you."
"What happens to Dad?"
Isaiah's throat tightened.
"I don't know."
Maya's lower lip trembled.
"I don't want him to leave."
There it was.
The sentence Isaiah never wanted to hear.
But he understood it.
Thomas was not the intruder in Maya's life.
Isaiah was.
He hated that truth.
He also knew punishing Maya for it would destroy whatever chance he had left.
"Nobody is asking you to stop loving him."
Maya looked at him.
"Promise?"
Isaiah nodded.
"Promise."
She relaxed slightly.