Eliza stood in the bedroom, folding the last of her blouses into the suitcase, when Will stepped in with that calm, watchful expression of his. He leaned against the doorframe for a moment, arms crossed, before quietly walking over to help. He handed her the folded jacket she had nearly forgotten, tucking it neatly into the side pocket.
"Travel light," he murmured, closing the suitcase with a snap, "but not so light you regret it."
She smiled faintly, glancing up at him. "It's just one night. I'm only going to finalize the land papers for the new foundation project. You're the one who has the longer shift—single dad duties included."
He smirked. "We'll survive."
When Lyra came running into the room, they both turned to greet her. Eliza crouched down, smoothing her daughter's hair and kissing her forehead. "I'll be back before you know it, and I'll bring you something special from there."
The answer she got was a grin so wide it could have lit up the entire house.
That afternoon, Will picked Lyra up from school, her little backpack bouncing against her side. Together, they drove to the airport to drop Eliza off. Will kissed her briefly at the curb while Lyra clung to her in a quick hug. "Don't forget my present!" Lyra called, waving as her mother walked toward the terminal.
The sky had been heavy with clouds all morning, and now, though it was barely past noon, a fine curtain of rain had begun to fall. Lyra pressed her cheek to the car window, watching the droplets race each other. She seemed content until, halfway home, she suddenly gasped and shouted, "Daddy, stop! Look—kitty!"
Will instinctively glanced toward the roadside and saw it—a tiny black kitten, soaked to the bone, shivering under the bare shelter of a tree. Pulling over, he grabbed the umbrella from the backseat, stepping out into the cool rain.
The little creature blinked up at him, its fur plastered to its fragile frame. He glanced around, scanning for any sign of a mother cat or other kittens. Finding none, he crouched and scooped it gently into the fold of his coat.
By the time he slid back into the driver's seat, Lyra was leaning forward, her brown eyes wide with awe. The kitten made no sound, curling against the warmth of the fabric as Will started the car again.
At home, Lyra bolted upstairs to drop her school things, while Will fetched a soft towel from the laundry. He rubbed the kitten gently until its fur stopped dripping, then helped Lyra change into dry clothes. In the kitchen, he warmed some milk, pouring it into a shallow saucer and setting it on the living room floor near the corner.
The kitten sat still for a moment, wary, but hunger soon overpowered its fear. It took a hesitant step, then another, before lowering its head to lap at the milk.
Lyra tugged on Will's hand, whispering excitedly, "Daddy, look! It's drinking. It's so cute. Can we keep it? Pleaaase?"
Will's gaze softened as he glanced from her hopeful little face to the kitten's trembling frame. "We'll have to ask your mother too," he said at last, voice low, though there was a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
Together, they made a little nest of towels in the corner. Outside, the rain drummed steadily against the windows, painting the afternoon in a muted gray. With the weather keeping them indoors, Lyra's usual post-homework playtime turned into something cozier. They curled up together on the couch under a thick blanket while Will read aloud from her favorite storybook. Somewhere between the third and fourth chapter, her eyelids began to droop, and she drifted into sleep against his side.
That evening, after dinner and tidying up, Will dialed Eliza's number. Lyra, now wide awake again, immediately grabbed the phone. "Mama! We found a kitten in the rain! Look!" She turned the camera to show the little black bundle curled on the towels, one paw tucked neatly under its chin.
On the screen, Eliza's smile was instant and warm. "He's adorable," she said softly.
Lyra clasped her hands in front of her chest. "Can we keep her? Please, Mama?"
Eliza pretended to think for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. But you'll have to help take care of him."
Lyra squealed and began hopping in place, spinning in a little circle of joy before finally settling enough to say goodnight.
When she'd gone to bed, Will stayed on the line with Eliza a while longer. They talked quietly, the sound of the rain filling the pauses. At last, after setting his alarm for the next school day, Will glanced at Lyra sleeping peacefully in her room and the kitten nestled in its towel nest. A rare kind of contentment settled over the house, as gentle and steady as the rain outside.