Henry had always believed he\u2019d stay single forever, convinced it was the better choice for him. That was until a day spent with his niece, Mira, made him question his beliefs.<\/p>\n
Waking up in an unfamiliar place, Henry found a dog licking his face. It was a reminder of his usual carefree life, full of casual encounters and no attachments. He was ready to sneak out when the girl he’d met at the club woke up, catching him in a lie about his name. After a quick exit, Henry felt content with his no-strings-attached lifestyle.<\/p>\n
But when his sister Riley called, asking for help with Mira, her nine-year-old daughter, Henry reluctantly agreed. He spent the day with Mira, who was full of surprising observations about Henry\u2019s life. When she asked why he wasn\u2019t married, Henry explained it was his choice, but Mira suspected it was because he was afraid of hard work, like marriage.<\/p>\n
Despite the awkward moments, they ended up bonding over pizza, and Henry dozed off, only to wake up and panic when he realized Mira was missing. After searching the house, he found a clue: Mira had snuck outside. She was in a neighbor’s treehouse, calm as ever. She teased him about not being protective enough, and he promised to be more careful.<\/p>\n
When Riley arrived home, Henry\u2019s carelessness had her frantic, but in the end, Mira was safe. Henry couldn\u2019t shake the thought that maybe his life wasn\u2019t as free as he\u2019d thought. It was a small shift, but a shift nonetheless.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"