With the house rebuild well underway, life at the inn had started to feel routine for the Evergreens. Rowan, who had initially been more attached to Jake, was beginning to show a newfound interest in Aria. It wasn't that he had ignored her before - he had always been comfortable in her arms - but there had been an undeniable pull toward Jake. Maybe it was because Jake had been the one to comfort him during those long, uncertain nights, or maybe it was just that father and son had found their rhythm first.
But now, something was shifting.
One morning, as Aria sat near the fireplace in the inn's lounge, sorting through some freshly polished stones, Rowan crawled up to her feet and tugged at her skirt. She glanced down, surprised to see him gazing up at her with wide, curious eyes.
"Hey, little man," she said softly, scooping him up into her lap. "What are you up to?"
Rowan babbled in response, his tiny fingers grasping for the stones she had been handling. She handed him a smooth piece of quartz, and he studied it with fascination, turning it over in his hands.
Jake, who had just entered the room, stopped in his tracks and grinned. "Well, well, looks like someone's finally realizing how amazing his mom is."
Aria chuckled, kissing Rowan's forehead. "Guess he just needed time."
As the days passed, Rowan's attachment to Aria grew stronger. He started reaching for her when he woke up from naps, snuggling into her shoulder when he was sleepy. When they went for walks through town, he clung to her, his tiny hands gripping her shirt as he took in the world around him.
One evening, while Jake was out running errands, Aria sat on the inn's porch with Rowan nestled against her. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow across the fields beyond the inn, and she found herself humming a lullaby she used to hear as a child.
Rowan looked up at her, his eyes heavy with sleep but filled with something else comfort. Trust.
"I love you, little one," she whispered, rocking him gently.
Rowan's fingers curled around hers, and for the first time, he murmured, "Mama."
Aria's breath caught in her throat. She blinked back tears and held him tighter, her heart swelling with warmth.
"That's right, baby," she whispered. "Mama's right here."
Jake noticed the change almost immediately. One night, after putting Rowan to sleep, he wrapped an arm around Aria and pulled her close. "I think he's finally figured it out," he teased.
Aria laughed, resting her head against his chest. "Figured what out?"
Jake kissed the top of her head. "That his mom is the best person in the world."
Aria smiled, feeling a deep sense of peace. "Took him long enough."
Though their house was still unfinished, and they were living in a temporary space, Aria knew that her bond with Rowan was something that couldn't be burned down, couldn't be taken away. It had simply needed time to grow, and now, it was stronger than ever.
And as she lay in bed that night, listening to the soft sounds of her family breathing beside her, she knew she had everything she'd ever truly needed.