Chapter 3 The first step

Nathan walked through the bustling streets of the city, the sharp autumn air cutting through his coat. The skyscrapers around him loomed tall, just as they always had, but for the first time in years, they felt distant-like they belonged to someone else's world, not his.

He wasn't heading to a high-rise office anymore. No conference calls. No morning meetings. His schedule was empty.

For the first time in his life, Nathan Carter had nowhere to be.

But he had a mission.

Alex's words had stuck with him: You start with small actions. You reach out to people you care about. You show up. Every day. Even when it feels impossible.

He was starting with Emma.

---

Nathan stood outside Sarah's house, his fingers hovering over the doorbell. He hadn't seen Emma in weeks. The last time, she had barely spoken to him, her eyes filled with the kind of quiet disappointment that hurt more than words ever could.

He exhaled sharply and pressed the button.

A moment later, the door swung open. Sarah looked surprised to see him.

"Nathan," she said cautiously.

"Hey. I-" He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling like an awkward teenager. "I wanted to see Emma. If that's okay."

Sarah hesitated, studying him. "She's in her room. I'll see if she wants to come down."

As Sarah disappeared inside, Nathan stepped back, his pulse quickening. What if Emma didn't want to see him? What if he was already too late?

The soft sound of footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. Then, Emma appeared in the doorway.

She was thirteen now, growing fast. She looked like Sarah, with her dark eyes and sharp features, but she had Nathan's quiet intensity. She stood there, arms crossed.

"You actually showed up," she said.

Nathan felt a pang in his chest.

"I did," he said carefully. "And I'll keep showing up. If you'll let me."

Emma studied him for a long moment. "Why now?"

Nathan swallowed. "Because I got lost for a while. And I didn't see how much that hurt you. But I see it now, and I don't want to be that kind of dad anymore."

Emma's expression softened, just a little. "Okay."

It wasn't forgiveness. Not yet. But it was something.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Nathan asked. "Just you and me?"

Emma hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Yeah. I guess that would be okay."

As they stepped onto the sidewalk together, Nathan felt the first real sliver of hope he'd had in a long time.

One step at a time.

---

That evening, Nathan sat across from Alex again, this time at a quiet café.

"How'd it go?" Alex asked, sipping his coffee.

"Better than I expected," Nathan admitted. "She didn't slam the door in my face, so I'll take it as a win."

Alex smirked. "That's progress."

Nathan stirred his drink, then looked up. "What about you? You said you lost everything once. How did you start over?"

Alex set his cup down, his expression turning serious. "I let go of who I thought I was supposed to be. And I started asking myself who I actually wanted to be. It took a long time, but I stopped chasing things that didn't matter. I built something real."

Nathan thought about that. He had spent his entire life chasing success. And now that it was gone, he had no idea what he was supposed to chase next.

"I don't know what I want to build," Nathan admitted.

Alex leaned back in his chair. "Then maybe it's time to figure that out."

Nathan exhaled slowly. This wasn't going to be easy. But for the first time in years, he wasn't running anymore.

And that was a start.

---

End of Chapter Three