MALIA’S POV

Ella’s eyes filled with tears, but they were happy tears, and she threw her arms around Zach’s neck, hugging him tightly. “Yay,” she whispered.

“Yay,” Zach murmured as well, hugging her back.

Joan watched the exchange with a big smile on her face, and I felt my heart swell with love for both of them—for all of them. This was our family now. Different, maybe. But whole in a way that I hadn’t expected.

After a few more minutes of excited chatter, the girls finally returned to their play, their energy renewed by the news. Zach and I stood together, watching them, a sense of peace settling over...