âWhere did you meet this handsome man?â Ariana asked curiously.
Melon pointed in Holdenâs direction with his small hand and said with a sigh, âHe looks so much like Dad and he is also handsome.
I almost thought he was my dad.
â
Ariana was stunned by the little boyâs words and she looked in the direction he was pointing.
She was shocked to see that it was the man with whom she had danced earlier.
Arianaâs lips curved gently, a helpless smile forming in response to Melonâs words, which she regarded as mere innocent chatter.
She chose not to take them to heart.
Setting aside the remote chance of Theodoreâs miraculous resurrection, she held a firm conviction that the man who had just danced with her couldnât be him,
Arianaâs faith in Theodoreâs unwavering loyalty remained unshaken.
His reaction to seeing her would have been anything but indifferent if he were alive.
This, she believed with every fiber of her being.
Despite her certainties, she refrained from outright dismissing Melonâs words, instead opting to tenderly stroke his head, her affectionate gesture masking the complexities within her.
Ariana was acutely aware of her young childâs yearning for the father he had hardly known, It must be the reason he had mistakenly identified another man as his dad.
Holding little Melon in her embrace, she tasted the bittersweet tang of guilt.
Melon, ever wise beyond his years, nurtured a silent longing for his father, rarely allowing it to surface in Arianaâs presence.
Except for that one time â a time when heâd seen a picture of Theodore on her phone and curiosity had compelled him to ask.
Bearing the weight of a truth too cruel for such a tender soul, Ariana chose to shroud it in shadows; lest it unleash pain beyond measure.
While he refrained from voicing it, Ariana could see the ache that swam in Melonâs eyes whenever other fathers materialized before them, a poignant yearning that tugged at her heartstrings.
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Drawing her son closer, she tamed the bitterness within, assuring him, âAs time stretches its arms, youâll get to see Daddy.
â
Melonâs fervent nod bore the imprint of his devotion, his voice a steadfast declaration.
âDaddy is a great hero.
Iâll wait, Mommy.
â
The scene caught Soniaâs eye.
A quick flutter of her hand erased the tear that dared to drip down her cheek, and her voice cut through the moment.
âOh, look over there, desserts! There has to be something for young Melon.
â
Understanding the unspoken cue, Ariana shrouded her emotions.
She led the child toward the desserts.
After finishing up with the interview, Sadie saw the shipâs supervisor waving her over.
She followed the supervisor to a quiet corner.