Seamus's question had been meant for Maria, not for the little girl in front of him. He knew they were a different person, not even close, but the words slipped out before he could stop them.
Some part of him still wished Maria would forgive him too.
Bambi stayed quiet for a long moment. Her tears slowed, and she wiped her face with the back of her sleeve.
"If you can fix my teddy bear, I might forgive her," she whispered. Her big eyes searched his face with a mixture of hope and stubborn hurt.
Seamus felt a small wave of relief. He smiled and gently patted her head. "Of course we will fix it, Bambi. You don't need to worry."
He stood up and offered his hand. "Come on. Let's go back."
Bambi nodded and held onto him tightly as they walked toward the orphanage.
---
Meanwhile, Maria led Rachel to a corner away from the cluster of curious children. They kept trying to peek over their shoulders and whisper to each other, so she chose the bench farthest from the chaos.
