The night before Vero's bedtime, Amara opened her son's door and found him still awake. Vero quickly set his tablet aside, abandoning his game for fear that his mother's sudden appearance meant he was in trouble.
"Not asleep yet?" Amara asked.
"In a minute, Mom."
"Can I join you?"
"Huh?" Vero was taken aback. Amara rarely shared his bed; she was usually far too busy, and Vero felt a bit too old to sleep with his mother.
Amara climbed onto the bed and pulled up the covers. Vero watched her, bewildered. She offered him a small smile.
"Why are you looking at me like that, hm?" she asked. Vero didn't answer immediately. "Can I ask you something?"
"About what?"
Amara hesitated for a moment. "You keep calling Uncle Kaisar 'Daddy.' Do you know what that means?"
Vero nodded slowly. "He's becoming my daddy, isn't he?"
"That title isn't as simple as it looks, Vero. When you call someone 'Daddy,' people take it seriously. They'll think you're Uncle Kaisar's son. You don't mind that?"
