Katherine sat cross-legged beside Maya’s bed, her back resting against the wall. Her fingers absentmindedly smoothed out the folds of the little girl’s blanket while her gaze lingered on her daughter.
Maya was sitting up now. Not lying weakly like the day before. Her color had returned—rosy cheeks, bright curious eyes, and that signature hint of mischief that always danced behind her gaze when she was feeling better.
"Mom," Maya chirped, swinging her little legs back and forth over the edge of the bed, "where’s Uncle Leonard?"
Katherine smiled softly. "He went to drop Nathan off at school," she answered, brushing stray strands of hair from Maya’s forehead. "He’ll be back soon."
"Oh..." Maya pouted slightly, then tilted her head, thinking. "Then... where’s Uncle Felix?"
At that question, Katherine paused. The smile on her lips faltered for a brief second. Right. Felix. He hadn’t co this morning. Not like yesterday. And strangely... he hadn’t texted her either, which was unlike him. Felix always checked in, especially when it ca to the twins.
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, masking the sudden flicker of confusion in her chest. "He’s... busy with work, honey," she replied with a smile that felt a little more forced than before. "You know how Uncle Felix is."
Maya nodded, her tiny fingers fiddling with the edge of her pillow. "Can we call him?"
Katherine blinked, then chuckled, her heart warming at her daughter’s straightforwardness. "Yeah. Of course." She pulled her phone from her pocket, unlocking it with a swipe.
Maya shifted eagerly closer, practically leaning into her mother’s side as Katherine found Felix’s na in her contacts and hit the call button.
The line rang twice before it picked up.
"Hey," Felix’s familiar voice filtered through the speaker. His tone was light but carried a trace of surprise. "Good morning, Katherine."
"Uncle Feeeliiix!" Maya sang his na loudly, grinning from ear to ear. "It’s eeee!"
Felix’s chuckle was imdiate, warm, and genuine. "Well, soone sounds a lot better today."
"I am!" Maya confird proudly. "I can sit now. And I eat oatal this morning."
"Wow, that’s impressive. You must be feeling strong."
"Mhmm!" Maya nodded, even though Felix obviously couldn’t see it. "Nathan go to school. Did you go to work too, Uncle Felix?"
There was a short pause on Felix’s end. "Yeah... I’m... handling so things," he replied, voice slightly less certain. "A little busy today, munchkin."
Katherine frowned faintly at that, sensing the hesitation.
Maya, oblivious to any oddity, giggled. "Okay. When you co?"
"I’ll try to visit later, okay? Or maybe tomorrow. You rest and be good for Mommy, alright?"
"Okay!"
"Atta girl."
Katherine gently squeezed Maya’s knee, signaling her to hand the phone back. "Here, honey. Mommy’s turn."
Maya pouted but gave the phone back, flopping back onto her pillow.
"Hey..." Katherine’s voice softened as she brought the phone closer to her ear. "You didn’t show up today. Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Just... tied up with so things."
She frowned again. "Tied up? Is it work? Or sothing else?" Her fingers absently twisted the hem of her sleeve, a small anxious habit she hadn’t realized surfaced. "You usually tell when you’re busy like this."
On the other end, she heard a muffled shuffle—like sothing dropped or soone moved.
Before she could ask further, a distinctly feminine voice called out faintly in the background.
"Felix? Who’s that?"
Katherine’s hand froze midair. Her breath hitched, caught in her throat. Her lips parted slightly, her brows knitting together in confusion.
Who—
"Felix?" she pressed, voice tightening unintentionally. "Who... where are you?"
There was a noticeable pause. A stiff, heavy pause.
Then there was a faint rustle, like movent—fabric brushing against sothing, maybe the phone shifting. Then, muffled, low—voices.
Katherine held the phone tighter. "Felix?"
Still no reply. Just the indistinct sound of him speaking to soone else. Not to her. She couldn’t make out the words, only the rhythm.
Her heart pounded in her ears. She turned slightly away from Maya’s bed, toward the window, pressing the phone closer to her cheek, as if that could draw the sounds into focus.
A woman’s voice again, fainter this ti. A whisper? A question? It was impossible to tell.
Then Felix’s voice, sharper now, still muffled—cutting off whatever was being said. She opened her mouth to speak again, but the line suddenly cleared—Felix’s voice snapping back, too quick, too smooth.
"Uh—sorry," Felix rushed, his voice suddenly clipped. "I’m— I gotta go. Talk later, Kath."
Click.
And before she could respond, the call disconnected.
Katherine blinked. Stared at the phone screen that now displayed the call had ended. Her thumb hovered over the end-call button, but there was no need—he was the one who ended it.
Her brows slowly furrowed as a swirl of emotions battled in her chest—confusion, disbelief, sothing eerily close to unease.
She lowered the phone to her lap, her fingers tightening around it.
Maya, noticing her mom’s sudden silence, tilted her head. "Mommy?"
Katherine startled slightly. She glanced down at her daughter, forcing a smile. "Yeah, baby?"
"What did Uncle Felix say?"
"Oh..." Katherine forced herself to stay composed, brushing Maya’s hair back. "He said he’s busy. But he’ll try to co later or tomorrow."
Maya nodded, satisfied with that answer, then leaned back into her pillow, starting to hum to herself quietly.
But Katherine’s gaze lingered on the phone in her lap. Her fingers tapped against it, her thoughts racing.
Who was that woman?
The phone in Katherine’s lap felt heavier than it should have. Like it had absorbed the voice. That voice.
She turned it over in her hands, once, twice. Bit her lip. She wanted to believe she’d misheard. That maybe it was just a background noise, a TV or sothing else.
She ran her thumb across the screen, the smudge of her own fingerprint making the glass cloudy.
And... why did Felix sound like he didn’t want her to know?
For the first ti in a while, Katherine realized... she didn’t actually know what was going on in Felix’s life. And that unfamiliar feeling sent an uncomfortable knot straight into her chest.
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