Taryn’s eyes shone with uncertainty. “We cannot just walk into your world. I do not want to be a burden.”
He extended his hand. “You are not a burden.”
She hesitated, then gently nudged the children to their feet. Mason led them to his car, helped them sit inside, and blasted the heat until the windows fogged.
He took them to a nearby diner where the scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted through the air. As soon as plates arrived, the children attacked the food hungrily. Taryn kept her gaze fixed on her water glass, as if ashamed of her circumstances.
Mason waited until the children were distracted by a stack of coloring sheets before asking softly, “How long have you been out here?”
“A few months,” she replied. “I tried everything I could. After you left for the West Coast, I learned I was pregnant. I wrote to your old email but it bounced back. I kept searching for your contact information but nothing worked. I didn’t know how to reach you.”
Mason felt a sharp twisting in his chest. “Why didn’t you tell someone? Your family? Friends?”
“I did,” she said in a low voice. “But life didn’t go the way I hoped. My mother passed away. My job cut hours. Then the bills piled up. When rent went up last year, we were forced out. I tried shelters but they were full most nights. I never wanted to ask anyone for help.”
He stared at her, overwhelmed with grief and regret. While he grew wealthier each year, earning headlines and awards, she had been fighting to keep three children safe in a city that grew colder by the day.
“They are mine,” he said, barely louder than a whisper.
She nodded.
Mason exhaled shakily. “I missed every birthday. Every milestone. I cannot accept that.”
“You did not know,” she replied. “I do not blame you.”
But he blamed himself. Deeply.
He called the manager over and paid the bill. Then he arranged a hotel suite for the night, insisting they take the entire space so the children could rest. While Taryn settled them into warm beds, Mason stepped into the hallway and dialed contact after contact. By midnight he secured temporary housing assistance, health checkups, and a meeting with a hiring coordinator at a partner firm.
The next morning, when he returned, Brielle ran toward him and wrapped her arms around his legs. The innocence of her gesture shattered him. He bent down, hugged her gently, and whispered, “I am here now.”