Dawn watched Adam eat, a soft smile playing on her lips as his eyes lit up with every bite. He cracked another joke, sending laughter rippling through the room.
"You said you wanted to tell me something," Adam said between chuckles.
Dawn took a breath, her heart pounding. "Adam… you're going to be a father."
For a moment, everything went still. Then Adam's eyes widened, and his plate clattered to the floor. He shot up, pulling her into a tight hug.
"I'm going to have my son play soccer with me!" he said, voice bursting with excitement.
"And I'll braid my daughter's hair," Dawn replied, laughing through tears.
"It's going to be a boy or a girl, okay? No need to fight," he teased. "But I'm naming him Adam Jr."
"Keep flattering yourself," she said, rolling her eyes affectionately.
Just then, Daphne walked in, smiling wide. "Ooh, seems like I walked in on something special."
"Hi, Mom," Adam greeted, grinning.
"Hi, son. How are you feeling?" she asked, settling into the room's warmth.
"I'm fine," he said, beaming.
"So… what's the celebration?"
"You're going to be a grandmother," Adam announced proudly.
Daphne gasped, a joyful scream escaping her as she rushed over to hug Dawn.
But the laughter faded when Ava stepped into the room.
"Oh, so now I'm the villain? I heard all the screams from the hallway, but suddenly everyone's gone quiet," Ava said sharply.
"Always the drama," Adam murmured, then smirked. "You're going to be a mom to our child."
Ava blinked. For a brief second, something warm flickered in her eyes. She'd always dreamed of having a baby, but life and her coma stole that chance. Now, even if it wasn't hers, there'd still be a child in the house.
"Congratulations," she said quietly, forcing a smile. She hugged Dawn quickly and slipped out, her chest tight with pain.
Adam tried to follow, but his legs weren't strong enough yet.
"I'll talk to her," Daphne said, giving him a reassuring pat before leaving.
"Don't worry," Adam told Dawn, noticing the shadow of concern on her face.
"You're here with me," she whispered, smiling through tears. "That's enough."
* * * * * *
Ava sat curled up on the couch, pretending to read. Dawn approached carefully.
"Can I join you?" she asked softly.
Ava gave a small nod without looking up. Dawn sat beside her, searching for words.
"I'm not trying to take your place, Ava. I promise. Adam still loves you too," she said.
"I didn't ask for comfort," Ava replied flatly. After a pause, she added, "But… congratulations."
Dawn hesitated, then said quietly, "You shouldn't have tried to hurt our husband."
Ava's head snapped up, eyes wide. "Excuse me? What are you talking about? I love Adam more than you ever could."
"The man who called said, 'the job was done,'" Dawn said steadily. "You expect me to believe that's a coincidence?"
"So, you've been snooping around?" Ava shot back.
"Your phone rang. I picked it up," Dawn said simply.
Ava glared—but then her face crumbled. Tears filled her eyes, and she started shaking.
"What happened to Adam wasn't my doing," she cried. "I'd never hurt him. But I… I wanted to hurt you."
Dawn froze. "What?"
"I asked the man to dig into your life. I wanted something to use against you. But there was nothing; no secret, no dirt. You're too perfect." She gave a broken laugh through her tears. "I tried to make you the bad one, but it was me all along. I'm sorry."
Dawn wrapped her arms around her. "It's okay. What matters is you're being honest now."
* * * * * *
When Adam finally returned home, healthy and smiling, the house came alive again.
"So, you want a boy, huh? What, girls like me aren't enough?" Leslie teased.
"Of course you are. I want both," Adam grinned.
"Talking to Leslie is like watching a horror movie blindfolded—pointless," Jason muttered.
"You always start something!" Leslie shot back.
Their bickering drew laughter from everyone, and just as it was about to escalate, Dawn appeared, hands on her hips.
"Don't you two have graduation rehearsals?" she asked.
"I do," Leslie said, tossing her hair. "But I'm smarter than Jason, so I'll still outshine him, rehearsal or not."
Everyone stared for a beat—then burst out laughing.
"Dinner's ready!" Ava called from the kitchen doorway.
They all gathered around the table, laughing and eating like a real family again.
* * * * * *
Later that night, the house was quiet. Everyone was asleep except Dawn, who found Adam sitting in the dim living room, lost in thought.
"You okay?" she asked softly.
He rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, just thinking."
She gave him that look—the one that said she wasn't buying it.
"I'm worried about Ava," he admitted. "She's lonely, even when we're all here. I feel like I'm failing her."
"You're not," Dawn said gently. "You're doing your best."
"I could do more," he muttered.
"You already give so much, Adam. You're enough—for all of us."
He smiled faintly, pulling her close. "Thank you."
She hesitated, then asked, "The day of your accident—who called you?"
Adam frowned. "What do you mean?"
"It just… doesn't feel like it was random. Like someone wanted you there."
"It was an unknown number," he said slowly. "Someone said I was needed at the company. It sounded urgent."
"Unknown number," Dawn repeated, unease flickering across her face.
"Don't overthink it," Adam said, brushing it off. "I'm sure it's nothing."
She nodded, kissed his forehead, and headed upstairs.
The moment she entered her room, her phone buzzed.
She answered. "Hello?"
A low, familiar chuckle came from the other end. "Hi, cuz. How's Adam, still alive?"
Dawn's breath caught. Her heart thundered.
"Tara?" she whispered.