A Second Chance at Forever novel (Eleanor and Bernard)

“You have my word,” Marcus affirmed, a sincere promise to his son.

Melissa exhaled softly, a blend of fondness and exasperation in her Voice. “You're spoiling him." But Marcus just shrugged, his love for his son clear as he responded, “It's no trouble at all. Besides, Matthew's not in pre-school until later this year. I want to cherish these moments.” Silence was Melissa's acquiescence.

Post-dinner, Marcus, Matthew, and Minnie disappeared into the tool room. There, they didn't just build a dining set for Minnie; they crafted a small bed, too, with Marcus taking the time to smooth down every edge until it gleamed.

Minnie, sensing the bed was her own, leapt onto it with joy, her tail a cheerful flag.

the creations were complete, Marcus brought them upstairs, sawdust sprinkling from his clothes, a stark contrast to

poring over a financial report in her post-shower

evidence of his handiwork, he said, “I'm thinking of making a cushion and some other things for Minnie. Got

of him dusty,

just order them on Amazon. They'll turn out better than anything we could make.” Yet Marcus was nonchalant, gently pressing, “Matthew mentioned

financial report she set aside. Melissa quickly put

you're treating Minnie as if she were your little girl” Marcus, with a hint of something deeper in his gaze, threw out a playful challenge. “What do you think about adding another kid to the mix?” Melissa remained silent at

“You know, we could just get married. I'm not looking for a stepmom for Matthew.” Before Melissa could