Side Story 1: The Other Life
The wedding wasn't huge.
Mia didn't want a big church, or white doves, or a choreographed dance. She just wanted good food, her parents in the front row, and someone who made her laugh through the vows.
Mark did that.
He botched his line — called her "Mister Mia" instead of "Missus Mark," and everyone roared with laughter.
Even Aaron.
Especially Aaron.
Mark wasn't perfect.
He left dishes in the sink. He snored. He had a dad sense of humor before he was even a dad.
But Mia loved him.
He was steady. He never pretended to understand everything, but he tried. And when she cried — the kind of crying that came from nowhere, quiet and sudden — he didn't fix it.
He just held her.
And never asked why.
They had their first child a year later.
A daughter.
She was born with Mark's hair and Mia's scowl.
The moment Aaron held her, he looked like a man realizing the world could be soft and terrifying all at once.
"She's tiny," he whispered.
"She's watching you," Mia said. "Don't fuck it up."
Sometimes, Mia would visit the house where it all began.
Aaron and Eli still lived there.
It had changed a little. More books now. Sketches framed on the walls. An herb garden Eli insisted on keeping alive even when it rained for weeks.
Aaron didn't hover over Eli anymore.
He just leaned in doorways and watched him work. Sometimes they'd trade quiet looks — not lustful, not possessive. Just... comfortable.
Grown.
Mature.
Undeniably theirs.
Mia brought her daughter once.
Eli held her gently — awkward at first, then warm, fluid, natural.
"She's beautiful," Eli whispered.
"She's a demon," Mia replied. "Just like her uncle."
Aaron grunted from the kitchen. "Heard that."
After lunch, while the baby napped on Mia's shoulder, Eli walked with her to the porch.
They didn't speak for a while.
Then, softly, Mia said:
"You look good. Healthier."
Eli smiled. "I am."
She looked at him sideways. "I was angry for a long time."
"I know."
"But I get it now. You didn't betray me."
He turned toward her.
She shrugged. "You just… became someone I wasn't meant to keep."
Eli nodded.
"I'm glad you found your version of home," she said. "I think I found mine too."
They both looked out across the garden.
The wind was soft.
The sky blue and endless.
Two people.
Two paths.
Neither wrong.
Just different.
[End of Side Story 1.]