"Welco to our ho!" Maya announced proudly, skipping through the front door with her arms flung wide like she was introducing a castle instead of a modest apartnt.
Leonard stepped in behind her, eyes trailing across the living room. He let out a low whistle. "Wow," he said, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Your ho is pretty nice."
Katherine stood at the threshold, keys still dangling in her hand, unable to respond right away. Her lips twitched upward in a tight smile, but her thoughts were a ss of disbelief.
Leonard. Inside her ho.
She definitely hadn’t seen this coming.
It all started at the daycare when they were about to part ways. Katherine had expected the usual goodbye, a polite wave maybe—so awkward, overly sweet words exchanged in front of the kids before Leonard would leave and she could breathe again.
But no. Maya, in all her unpredictable glory, had thrown a wrench into the plan.
"Uncle Leo, wanna co to our house and eat dinner with us?" she had asked, eyes wide and hopeful.
Katherine had snapped to attention instantly, fumbling for words.
"Oh—uh, Uncle Leonard probably wants to go ho, sweetheart. He might be tired," she’d said, trying to sound light, casual.
"I’m not that tired," Leonard had replied, smiling down at Maya.
"Then maybe he has to work tomorrow," Katherine quickly added, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "Busy schedule, right?"
Leonard had rely raised a brow. "Not really. I’d be more than happy to have dinner, unless..." He turned his eyes toward her. "Unless you’re uncomfortable with that, Katherine."
Before she could even form a reply, Nathan had looked up and asked, "Why would Mom be uncomfortable?"
And in that mont, with two pairs of curious eyes on her and Leonard watching her like he already knew she’d lost the argunt, Katherine had forced a smile and said, "No, it’s fine. Let’s have dinner together."
Which led to now.
Leonard in her ho. Removing his shoes at the entryway like he belonged here. Katherine’s heart had been pounding since the elevator ride.
The twins raced ahead, Maya dragging Nathan into the living room, eager to show Leonard the drawings they had taped up on the walls and the pillow fort they had built last weekend. Leonard crouched beside them, engaging with an ease that sent sothing sharp and hot twisting in Katherine’s chest.
She walked into the kitchen, rolling up her sleeves and trying not to glance over every five seconds. She needed to focus. Cook. Breathe.
From where she stood at the counter, she could still hear their voices. Leonard’s laugh was deeper than she rembered.
Dinner was ready soon after.
"Dinner ti!" she called, her voice only a little too sharp.
The kids ca running first, hopping onto their chairs. Leonard followed, his stride relaxed, like he had always been welco here.
He sat down beside her—Katherine hadn’t ant to sit next to him, it just... happened that way. Her seat was always on that side. And now he was there too, close enough for her to feel the warmth radiating from his body.
The table was filled with plates of simple ho-cooked food—rice, stir-fried vegetables, grilled chicken, and soup. She watched nervously as Leonard took a bite of the chicken.
He smiled. "This is really good."
"Thanks," Katherine said, barely above a whisper.
A few minutes passed in peace. Just chewing and the occasional soft clang of cutlery. Katherine was just beginning to think maybe they could survive the al without incident when Leonard looked up and said, "We look like a little family right now."
She stiffened.
He gestured lightly with his spoon. ", the dad. You, the mom. And these two, obviously the kids."
Katherine almost choked on her rice. She glanced at the twins, praying they hadn’t caught that—
But of course, Nathan perked up. "We’ve done this a lot with Uncle Felix before."
Leonard paused mid-bite. His eyes flicked over to Nathan. "Really?"
"Yeah," Maya added enthusiastically, her little legs swinging under the table. "Uncle Felix eats dinner with us. And sotis breakfast too!"
Katherine saw the flicker in Leonard’s eyes, a soft narrowing. He smiled, but there was sothing unreadable under it. "So... Uncle Felix spends a lot of ti with you guys."
Nathan nodded with a calm certainty. "He picks us up from school sotis."
"And brings pancakes!" Maya chirped.
"Oh," Leonard said with an amused hum. "Pancakes too?"
Katherine pressed her napkin into her lap to keep her hands from fidgeting.
The rest of the dinner went on with fewer words, more chewing. Katherine smiled and nodded at the right monts, replied when spoken to, but inside she was squirming.
She couldn’t recall the last ti a dinner table made her feel this uneasy.
She glanced at Leonard a few tis.
And finally, when dinner was over and the twins had run off to the living room to watch their favorite animal show, Katherine stood up quickly and began to collect the plates.
She didn’t expect Leonard to help, but he did—bringing dishes to the sink, rolling up his sleeves and rinsing them without a word.
For a few brief seconds, they stood side by side in the kitchen.
Katherine wiped a plate dry. Her hands trembled slightly.
Leonard broke the silence first.
"I hope you don’t mind," he said, his voice quiet, "if I stay a little longer. Just until they fall asleep."
Her hand paused over the dish towel.
Of course.
Of course he wouldn’t leave yet.
She turned slightly, her face calm but her heart thudding hard. "They usually fall asleep around eight. Shouldn’t be long."
Leonard nodded. "Good. I don’t want to miss a chance to say goodnight."
Katherine forced a smile—one she hoped passed for polite. But it didn’t reach her eyes.
She knew it. And Leonard probably did too.
Out in the living room, Maya peeked over the couch. "Are you staying, Uncle Leo?"
"For a little while," Leonard said, his voice lifting with ease.
Nathan joined her, both of them watching closely now. Their eyes flicked between Katherine and Leonard, waiting, hoping for sothing Katherine couldn’t even na.
She looked back at them and realized—no matter what she said, no matter how she felt—they wanted this.
They wanted him here.
And maybe, for tonight, that was all that mattered.
So she smiled again—tighter this ti, more forced—but enough to earn a smile back from her kids.
"Alright," she said. "Just until they sleep."
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