Julia let out an excited squeal, practically launching herself onto him, her arms squeezing around his torso with all the strength her little body could muster.
"YOU'RE REALLY HERE!" she shouted, beaming.
Ethan laughed, finally opening his eyes to look at her. "Yeah, yeah, I'm here."
Her joy was infectious.
"You stayed! You didn't leave!" she cheered, bouncing excitedly.
Ethan reached out, tapping her nose. "Told you I wasn't going anywhere, didn't I?"
Julia giggled, hugging him again.
Ethan let her.
For a moment, nothing else mattered.
The tension, the past, the unspoken words between him and the rest of the family — all of it faded away as he held his little sister close.
And then, just as quickly, Julia suddenly gasped, her eyes going wide with realization.
"Breakfast!" she exclaimed. "We have to go eat breakfast! Mom said she was going to make pancakes today!"