Auriel cooed, his tiny hand waving toward the green leaves.
Uriel stood and brushed the dirt from his hands. "It needs water."
He walked to the edge of the pond, cupped his hands, and brought water back to the seedling, letting it trickle over the soil.
Lin Yue touched the leaves one more time. "Grow well. For him."
They stood together by the pond, the baby between them, watching the last light of the sun fade behind the trees.
Then they walked back to the house.
Inside, the clock showed a little past six.
Too early for the bedtime routine, but not too early to prepare.
Lin Yue settled into the rocking chair with Auriel, but instead of waiting idly, she looked at Uriel. "Help me get things ready."
He raised an eyebrow. "For his bath?"
"For everything. The towel, the soap, his pajamas, the blanket for swaddling. We need to have it all laid out before seven."
