After several weeks in the NICU, the doctors finally cleared the twins to go home. Kian helped Jessica bundle the two tiny girls,now slightly less fragile, but still heartbreakingly small;into the car for the short drive to the small wooden house. 🏚
Settling them inside, a profound quiet fell, broken only by their soft, mewling cries. Jessica looked at Kian, her eyes full of a tired hope. "We should name them," she said softly.
Kian looked at the two infants, their features slowly becoming distinct. He thought of his father, of a past he was learning to make peace with, and of a future he was now responsible for.
"What about Kiara?" he suggested, looking at the first baby. "And Kaira for her sister." The names were a melody, a pair, just like the girls themselves. Jessica smiled, a real, genuine smile for the first time in months. "Kiara and Kaira. It's perfect." đź’Ż
Kian spent the day ensuring they had everything they needed;formula, diapers, a second-hand bassinet he had managed to find. But as evening fell, he had to leave. His own life, his studies, and Ariana were waiting.
The journey back to college felt different. The world outside the taxi window was the same, but he was irrevocably changed. He was no longer just Kian. He was a brother to Kiara and Kaira, a guardian to Jessica. The weight was immense, but for the first time, it didn't feel like a burden. It felt like a reason. 🍯