A PROMISE I COULDN’T WALK AWAY FROM

A slim man, maybe in his late twenties, came hurrying up with a baseball cap pulled low over his forehead. He had cautious eyes, and he clutched a small paper bag to his chest. At first, I thought he was just some concerned relative from the pediatric ward. But the way Noor’s mother stiffened, pressing her lips together, told me there was history here.

“Cristian,” she said, barely above a whisper.Noor looked from her mother to the man. “Papa?”

That was the moment I realized this was Noor’s father—one who apparently hadn’t been around for a while. The mother’s hand tightened on the metal rail of the wheelchair we’d used to bring Noor outside. She looked torn between wanting to protect her daughter and letting a father see his child.

I’d never seen Cristian before, but I’d heard fragments of Noor’s story during my first hospital visit. Something about her dad being away, money troubles, and her mom fighting day after day to keep Noor’s spirits up. Whatever had happened between them, I could see it was complicated.

He paused, glancing at me, then at the squad car, then back to Noor. “I… I just came to drop this off,” he said, lifting the paper bag. “It’s some coloring books, a plushie, and… well, I heard Noor was in here for longer than expected.”Noor’s eyes flickered with curiosity. She half-stood in the passenger seat of my cruiser, the seatbelt half-buckled, uncertain if she should stay or get out.

I told myself I didn’t want to get involved in anyone’s family business. I’d already done more than I should by arranging this quick ride. But the look on Noor’s face when she said, “Papa, are you staying?” made it clear: this was more than a cameo. This moment mattered.

Her mom exhaled, the tension in her shoulders slowly releasing. “He surprised us yesterday,” she explained softly to me. “He wants to help now. I… I don’t know.”

I’d seen enough families get torn apart by small mistakes that spiral into big regrets, so I decided to hold off on judgement. “Well, we’re just gonna circle around the parking lot, real gentle,” I told Cristian and Noor’s mom. “You can wait for us by the side entrance if you want.”

Cristian shook his head. “Can I come along? Just… maybe in the back?”He said it like he was afraid of the answer, but I couldn’t deny the hope in his voice. After a quick glance at Noor’s mom—who shrugged and gave a hesitant nod—I opened the back door. “It’s not exactly a comfortable ride back there,” I warned with a small grin.

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