“Mal,” Dazzle greeted, trying to keep his voice neutral. “What are you doing here?”

“I was on my way out of town, but I thought I’d stop by and say goodbye,” Mal replied, his gaze flicking over Dazzle’s shoulder, clearly aware that something was off. “Is everything okay?”

Dazzle hesitated, glancing back towards the bedroom where Kimberly was lying. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Just… a bit of a situation.”

Mal raised an eyebrow. “What kind of situation?”

Dazzle sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s complicated, man. Kim’s not feeling well, and she’s… she’s worried about the baby.”

Mal’s expression softened slightly, though there was still a hint of skepticism...