Clara's POV
Clara woke before the alarm, her little body humming with excitement she couldn't contain. Sunlight spilled across the modest curtains, and she stretched her arms as if she could pull the day closer.
"Today feels different," she whispered to herself, grinning.
Emily was still asleep, curled on her side. Clara tiptoed out of bed, straightened her small desk, and began humming while folding the scarf Ryan had given Emily. She placed it neatly on the chair, as though preparing for a guest.
When Emily finally stirred, Clara greeted her with a burst of energy. "Uncle Ryan and Uncle Julian might call today! I think you should meet them."
Emily blinked sleepily, her guard immediately rising. "Clara…"
But Clara pressed on, her voice softening. "They're good people, Emily. You'd like them. They make me feel safe—and you deserve that too."
Emily's lips parted as though to argue, but no words came. Clara saw it—the tiny crack in her sister's wall. She smiled, satisfied.
Ryan's POV
The city skyline glittered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Ryan's office, but he barely noticed. His phone buzzed with Clara's name.
"Uncle Ryan!" her cheerful voice spilled through.
Ryan allowed himself a rare smile. "Clara. Shouldn't you be in school?"
"Break time," she whispered dramatically, as though sharing a secret. Then she giggled. "Guess what? Emily wants to meet you one day."
The words rooted Ryan to his chair. For a moment, he didn't respond. His chest tightened—responsibility pressed heavier than before.
"Emily…" he murmured, tasting the name.
"Yes! I told her you're kind. And Uncle Julian is funny. She smiled when I said it."
Ryan's silence stretched. Julian, passing by, raised a brow and mouthed, Clara? Ryan nodded. Julian motioned for the phone, but Ryan shook his head, holding it tighter.
When Clara finally said goodbye, Ryan lowered the phone slowly.
Julian leaned against the desk, arms crossed. "So. The sister wants to meet you."
Ryan exhaled. "I don't know if that's a good idea."
Julian smirked. "You mean you don't know if you're ready. There's a difference. Ryan, you've been locked in your fortress for years. Clara slipped in without knocking, and now her sister's at the door. Maybe you should let them in."
Ryan frowned, but the words stuck. He looked again at Clara's childish doodle pinned to his desk. A stick figure labeled Emily stood beside Clara, both smiling. And for the first time, Ryan wondered what it would be like to see that smile in person.
Emily's POV
Work dragged. Emily's concentration splintered as her mind spun over Clara's insistence that morning. Uncle Ryan. Uncle Julian. You should meet them.
She remembered Lila and Daniel's advice from the day before: "Not everyone will break you. Let her have the joy. Let yourself have a little too."
By the time she trudged up the stairs to their apartment, fatigue weighed her steps. But when she pushed open the door, a strange sight stopped her cold.
Clara was tidying the living room—folding blankets, smoothing cushions, even wiping the table with fierce determination.
Emily raised a brow. "What are you doing?"
Clara spun, cheeks flushed. "Just… making it nice. In case we have guests."
"Clara—"
Before Emily could finish, Clara's phone buzzed. She grabbed it, whispering, "It's them!"
Emily's pulse kicked. "Who?"
"Uncle Julian and Uncle Ryan. I asked them to visit."
Emily's knees went weak. "You what?"
But Clara was already grinning ear to ear. "You'll like them, Emily. Please… trust me."
Emily's heart thumped wildly as footsteps approached their door.
The knock was gentle, but to Emily it sounded like a drumbeat. Clara dashed forward, yanking the door open with a squeal.
Julian entered first, carrying a small paper bag. His easy smile filled the cramped apartment with light. "Clara! You look taller already."
Behind him, Ryan stepped in—taller, broader, presence steady as an anchor. He wasn't smiling, but his calm gaze softened when it fell on Clara.
Clara bounded between them. "Emily, this is Uncle Julian and Uncle Ryan!"
Emily stood frozen, hands twisting in front of her. She expected judgment—pity for their small, worn apartment, curiosity about their lives. But Julian only offered his hand warmly.
"You must be Emily," he said. "Clara never stops talking about you."
Emily's lips parted, a soft flush rising. She shook his hand, murmuring, "It's… nice to meet you."
Then her eyes lifted to Ryan.
For a heartbeat, silence stretched. His gaze was steady, not intrusive, but it held something she couldn't name—something that made her chest tighten. He inclined his head politely. "Emily."
The way he said her name—firm yet gentle—startled her. She nodded quickly. "Ryan."
Clara tugged them all to the table, chattering about her day. Julian teased her, making Emily laugh despite herself, while Ryan listened quietly, interjecting with simple but thoughtful comments.
At first Emily kept her guard high, but slowly—watching Clara's joy, Julian's warmth, and Ryan's steady presence—she felt her shoulders ease.
For the first time in years, dinner didn't feel like an obligation. It felt like belonging.
– Emily's POV
After they left, silence settled again, but it wasn't empty. The air still held traces of laughter, of Ryan's steady presence, Julian's warmth.
Clara curled against Emily on the couch, clutching the small stuffed bear Julian had brought. "See? I told you. They make us safe."
Emily kissed her forehead, whispering, "Yes, Clara."
When her sister drifted off, Emily sat alone, staring at the scarf draped over the chair. Her heart ached, not with fear this time, but with a tender longing.
Safe, she thought. For the first time, the word didn't feel foreign. It felt like a door just beginning to open.