“I… what?” I stammered, my voice tight. “Where is your mother? I don’t think that’s funny.”

“It’s not,” she said, her chin trembling. She looked down at her lap. “It’s my birthday. Mom said Daddy’s in heaven. I just… I just wanted to know what it feels like. To have a daddy on my birthday.”

Something inside me didn’t just crack. It shattered.

The panic evaporated, replaced by a hollow, aching void. This girl wasn’t a threat. She was me. She was Ethan. She was another member of the club no one ever wants to join.

“Of course,” I said, my voice thick. I cleared my throat. “Of course, sweetheart. I’d be honored. What’s your name?”