The babysitter

An unexpected visitor

The Bradford household was alive with laughter as Tim, Lucy, and Emma celebrated Lucy's acceptance into the police academy. Balloons Emma had picked out earlier that day bobbed in the corners of the living room, and the smell of pizza—Emma's choice for dinner—wafted through the air. Kojo, ever the opportunist, waited by the table for scraps.

"Okay, Em," Tim said, holding up a slice of pizza. "Who's the bigger hero—Lucie for getting into the academy or me for letting you eat this much cheese tonight?"

Emma giggled, her mouth full of pizza. "Lucie! Duh!"

Lucy grinned at Tim. "Looks like you're second place, Sergeant Bradford."

Tim held a hand to his chest in mock offense. "Traitor," he teased Emma, making her laugh even harder.

The night was lighthearted and warm until the doorbell rang. The sound broke through the cheerful atmosphere, and all three turned to look toward the front door.

Tim frowned. "Who could that be?"

He opened the door to find Ashley standing there, looking hesitant but determined. "Hi, Tim," she said softly.

"Ashley?" Tim's voice carried a mix of surprise and uncertainty. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to talk to you," she said. "It's important."

Tim hesitated, glancing back at Lucy and Emma, who were now watching curiously. He sighed. "Come in."

Ashley stepped inside, her eyes briefly meeting Lucy's before quickly darting away. The tension in the room was palpable.

"I'll take Em to the park," Lucy said quickly, sensing the need to give Tim and Ashley privacy. "Come on, Em. Let's go play for a bit."

Emma grabbed Lucy's hand eagerly, and the two slipped out the door.

At the park, Emma raced toward the swings, her laughter filling the crisp evening air. Lucy followed behind, her thoughts drifting as she pushed Emma gently on the swing.

"Higher, Lucie!" Emma called out, her joy contagious.

Lucy chuckled, giving the swing a strong push. "Hold on tight, Em!"

As they played, Lucy tried to push aside the unease Ashley's sudden appearance had stirred in her. Emma's carefree giggles were a welcome distraction, and for a while, it was just the two of them, playing tag and tossing a ball for Kojo, who had followed them to the park.

"Lucie," Emma said after a while, her voice serious as she hugged her stuffed bunny. "Aunt Ashley's back, isn't she?"

Lucy crouched down to Emma's level, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Yeah, sweetie. She's back."

"Is she staying this time?" Emma asked, her big eyes searching Lucy's face.

"I don't know, Em," Lucy admitted. "That's up to your dad."

Emma frowned, hugging her bunny tighter. "I like it when it's just us. You, me, Daddy, and Kojo."

Lucy's heart ached at Emma's words, but she forced a smile. "No matter what happens, I'll always be here for you, okay?"

Emma nodded, leaning into Lucy's arms.

Back at the house, Tim and Ashley sat at the kitchen table. The tension was thick, the silence stretching uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry," Ashley said finally, her voice breaking. "I made a mistake leaving you and Emma."

Tim crossed his arms, his expression guarded. "A mistake? Ashley, you fired Lucy. You told her to leave Emma when I wasn't even home. You know how much she means to Emma—and to me."

"I know," Ashley said quickly. "I thought I was doing what was best for us, for our relationship. I was jealous, Tim. It felt like there wasn't room for me."

Tim let out a bitter laugh. "So your solution was to uproot the one stable thing in Emma's life?"

Ashley flinched. "I wasn't thinking straight. But I've realized how much I want this—us. I want to make it work, Tim. I love you."

Tim rubbed the back of his neck, his jaw tight. "Ashley, this isn't just about us anymore. It's about Emma. She's my priority."

"I know," Ashley said, reaching across the table to take his hand. "And I'm ready to be there for her too. I want to be a part of your lives—for real this time."

Tim hesitated, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Part of him wanted to believe her, to give her another chance for Emma's sake. Another part of him couldn't forget what she had done.

After a long silence, he finally nodded. "Okay. But if we're going to do this, things have to change. Emma comes first, always. And Lucy—she's part of our family. You have to respect that."

Ashley nodded eagerly. "I will, Tim. I promise."

When Lucy and Emma returned from the park, Tim and Ashley were sitting together on the couch. Emma ran to Tim immediately, climbing onto his lap.

"Daddy!" she said, her voice full of excitement. "Lucie and me had so much fun!"

Tim smiled, ruffling her hair. "I'm glad, Em."

Ashley gave Lucy a hesitant smile. "Thanks for taking her, Lucy."

Lucy forced a polite nod, sensing the shift in the room. "No problem."

As Emma chattered away about their time at the park, Lucy felt a pang of unease. Tim and Ashley's renewed closeness was impossible to ignore, and she couldn't help but wonder what it meant for their fragile dynamic.

For Emma's sake, she hoped Tim knew what he was doing.