Seeing that Bella had no objection, the atmosphere in the garden slowly changed.
The tension that had everyone been feeling had disappeared, replaced by soft smiles and curious glances toward the little boy who was still holding Bella's hand.
Lina was the first to approach him properly, crouching down and introducing herself with a warm, gentle voice that seemed to put Eli at ease. Soon everyone else followed. Jay, who had initially caused the biggest panic, was now completely fascinated by Eli and kept trying to make him laugh by pulling funny faces and making silly noises. Jason and Dominique immediately started talking to him as though they had known each other for years, asking about his favorite toys and what games he liked to play. Even the usually reserved members of the family softened around him, their usual guarded expressions melting into something warmer.
