Riverside Town. I'd been staying in the small town for nearly a week.
Before coming here I'd rented a place online. After arriving, I spent nearly a week rearranging the house to my liking. The slow pace of life here calmed my mood considerably. Right now was the season when lavender bloomed. Just opening the window, I could see an entire stretch of brilliant purple lavender. Where I lived was just a ten-minute walk to a lake.
Every afternoon I'd stroll around the lake, watching the crimson sunset. And there, beneath that sunset, I'd often see a little girl sitting on the swing.
At first I thought she was a tourist girl here with adults, so I didn't pay much attention. But every evening I saw that little girl in the same spot, without any adults nearby. On the fifth day, I hesitated for a long time, then finally couldn't help but crouch down beside the little girl, gently asking, "Sweetie, where are your parents?"
The girl was about four years old, with a round little face and two small pigtails, looking absolutely adorable. Hearing my question, she looked up at me, then suddenly threw herself into my arms. "Daddy."
Hearing that, I froze. "What did you just call me?"
The little girl kept her face buried in my chest, calling out in a lisp, "Daddy."
I was certain I only had Summer as my child. I couldn't possibly have another daughter anywhere. I figured the child had mistaken me for someone else. I was about to pick her up and take her to the police station to find her family, when a woman's voice called from behind. "Anna."
The little girl immediately looked up, turning toward the newcomer and shouting, "Mommy, Daddy's back."
When the woman saw my face clearly, she froze, looking at this unfamiliar face, trying hard to search through her memory, but still couldn't find any recollection. My memories of this world stopped ten years ago. Even if we'd known each other before, ten years without meeting, those old memories had faded beyond recognition.
Seeing my confused expression, a flash of loneliness crossed her eyes. Then she proactively introduced herself. "I'm Grace Rivers. I was two years ahead of you in school. We were in the same club together. Do you remember?"
Dusty memories within me gradually came alive. The face of the woman before me overlapped with the face always wearing a gentle smile in my memories. "Grace, it's been so long. You have a child this big now."
When I first entered college, I joined the debate club. Grace Rivers was the president. Though those memories had faded somewhat, I still remembered Grace always treated everyone very kindly, and she had helped me out several times.
Grace took Anna from my arms, explaining. "Anna is the daughter of my sister. My sister and brother-in-law passed away when she was very young. I adopted her after that, so she calls me Mom. The clothes you're wearing today are exactly like what my brother-in-law wore the day of the accident. That's why Anna mistook you for her dad. I'm really sorry."
Only then did I understand the whole story. Anna, standing beside us, also heard Grace's words. Realizing she'd mistaken me for someone else, she lowered her head silently, saying nothing.
Seeing Anna looking so full of sadness, my heart softened. Before I could think much, I blurted out, "Anna, if you want, you can call me Daddy, too."
The moment I finished speaking, I realized what I'd just said. Hurriedly trying to clarify, rushing to explain. "I didn't mean anything by it. I just—"
Before I could finish, Anna pursed her lips, reaching her arms toward me. "Daddy, pick me up."
I knew she was still small. Though she'd heard Grace say I wasn't her real father, she still couldn't help wanting to be close to me, wanting to call me Daddy.
I quickly picked up the little girl, patting and soothing her. After Summer was born, I'd always been the one caring for her, so things like childcare came very naturally to me. In no time I'd coaxed Anna to sleep. A flash of amazement crossed Grace's eyes. This was the first time Anna had been so affectionate with a stranger.
After Anna fell asleep, I was afraid that if I handed her back it would wake her up, so I proactively offered to carry Anna home. Only when we reached the door did I discover I lived right on the floor below them. I carefully laid Anna on the bed, tucking the blanket neatly around her. Then we both quietly left the room, out onto the balcony.
This was the first time since returning to the real world that I'd encountered someone I knew besides my parents. For a moment I didn't know what to say.
Grace's eyes looked at me, filled with nostalgia. "Where did you go all those years ago?"
My disappearance had been too sudden. Everyone at school only knew my parents had filed for a leave of absence, and that no one ever saw me again. But I couldn't possibly explain to Grace what had happened to me. I could only smile faintly, with a hint of guilt.
Grace Rivers wasn't the type to interrogate endlessly. Everyone had their own secrets. She just needed to know that after four years she could still see me again. That was enough.
We started talking about Anna. I learned Grace was now a doctor, her work so demanding she often couldn't care for Anna properly. She once hired a nanny, but that first nanny had secretly mistreated Anna behind her back. After that incident, she didn't dare casually entrust Anna to anyone else anymore. Left only with running back and forth between work and childcare.
Though Anna was young, she was very understanding. After school she'd sit on the swing waiting for Grace to pick her up. On weekends she'd obediently stay home alone.
My heart ached even more, thinking of Summer. When she was just four, I doted on her constantly, while Anna often had to stay home by herself.
Grace saw the sympathy filling my expression, and carefully spoke up. "I have a rather sudden favor to ask. I can see Anna really likes you. I wonder if I could trouble you to help me care for her for a while."
Grace knew her request was too abrupt. For a man, caring for a child wasn't simple. But she also didn't want Anna to remain lonely forever, staying home alone like that.
I thought of those tearful eyes when Anna called me Daddy. My heart melted. Without thinking much, I immediately agreed.
Joy flashed through Grace's eyes. "Thank you so much, Aaron."
From that day on, Grace was responsible for taking Anna to school each morning. I handled pickup after school ended. Grace often had surgical shifts, getting off work very late, so I'd take Anna to the park to play on the slides, cook meals for her, tell her bedtime stories. On weekends, when Grace had time off, the two of us would take Anna to the amusement park together.
Anna grew closer and closer to me, in her heart already seeing me as her real father.
That day I picked Anna up after school. Anna came running over and threw herself into my arms, looking up at me with sparkling eyes. "Daddy, next week my school has a family field day. You and Mommy will come, right?"
Seeing Anna's expectant gaze, my heart melted completely. I patted her head. "Of course. Mommy and Daddy will both participate with Anna."
When Grace heard about the field day, she also said she'd definitely arrange the time.
On field day, Anna kept pulling me along, introducing me to each of her friends. "This is my daddy. He's so handsome, and he cooks amazing food."
Grace watched the scene with mixed amusement, pretending to be jealous. "Anna has never introduced Mommy to her friends before."
Hearing that, Anna hugged my neck tight, her chubby face rubbing against my cheek. "Everyone already knew you were my mommy. They just never saw Daddy before. Some friends even said Daddy didn't want me anymore. Now I have to show them my daddy didn't abandon me."
Such innocent words made both adults' hearts ache terribly. I kissed Anna's cheek gently. "Daddy will always be by Anna's side."
Grace looked at the two of us, her heart filled with an unprecedented sense of contentment.
Throughout the field day, father and daughter coordinated perfectly, winning award after award. Anna cheered until her voice went hoarse, her face glowing with pride.
After the field day ended, we took Anna to the zoo together. It was Anna's first time at the zoo. Seeing so many animals, her eyes were so excited she didn't know where to look first. Grace lifted Anna onto her shoulders so she could see better.
On the way home at sunset, Anna had nestled into Grace's arms, exhausted, and fallen asleep. Grace insisted on seeing me all the way to my door. Just as we reached the entrance, Anna woke up. She rubbed her eyes sleepily, waving at me. "Daddy, see you tomorrow."
I smiled, pinching her cheek gently, about to speak, when I suddenly heard two familiar voices.
"Daddy."