"My life is peppered with should haves."

Mary arrives fashionably late to Meredith's bat mitzvah.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 5, Episode 12: Mazel, Meredith

CARLOS MIRANDA

✦ GIFTOBER 2025 | Day 21/31: CURSING.

The child blinked up at him. “How are you, kid?” Din asked into the silence.

The kid tilted his head, ears quivering faintly. He let out a soft sound, then slowly outstretched his hands, reaching up to Din. There were a few small burns on those tiny green fingers, little areas where the skin was slightly reddened. To his relief Din saw no blisters or deeper wounds. Still, though, the way the baby grimaced slightly when Din touched them tore at him.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Din murmured. “Here.” He reached to the medikit stored beneath the bunk, pulling out a vial of bacta cream. He slipped off one glove and dipped a calloused fingertip in the ointment. “Can I see?”

The baby regarded him with those large, intelligent eyes, and reached toward him. Din dabbed a small amount of the cream between the child’s palms, then rubbed them together. The baby cooed, the sound sweet and bright.

“See? Feels better, right?”

The kid stared at him, mouth falling open in a small smile, then clapped his hands together without a flinch.