CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO – OUT IN THE COLD

He paused, looking back at her. "Yeah?" "I know this is hard for you," she said softly. "But I want you to know that no matter what happens, you'll always be Kayla's father. No one can ever replace you in her life." Logan's eyes softened, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Thanks, Deonna. That... that helps." As he left, Deonna felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She and Logan still had a long way to go, but at least they were moving in the right direction. An hour later, Deonna found herself in Marcus's car, heading out of the city. As the familiar streets gave way to open highway, she felt a sense of anticipation building within her. Marcus glanced over at her, a warm smile on his face. "You okay?" he asked gently. Deonna nodded, returning his smile. "Yeah, I'm good. Just... processing, I guess." Marcus reached over, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I know this is a big step for you. If at any point you want to turn back, just say the word." Deonna felt a rush of affect