The sll of freshly cooked bacon hits the mont I stumble out of Emily's bedroom. My stomach rumbles in response, reminding I barely ate anything before my shift last night. I follow the scent, still half-asleep and wearing only my boxers and a wrinkled t-shirt.
Emily stands at the stove, her white hair pulled back in a loose braid that catches the morning sunlight streaming through the kitchen window. She's humming sothing soft and lodic while flipping pancakes with the precision of a professional chef. When she hears my footsteps, she turns toward , and I swear the entire kitchen brightens. Her smile is dazzling, her blue eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that makes my chest ache with how much I love her.
"Good morning," she says, abandoning her spatula to et halfway across the kitchen. Her arms slide around my waist as she rises on tiptoes to press a soft kiss against my lips. "I was wondering when you'd finally join the land of the living."
"What ti is it?" I ask, my voice still rough with sleep.
"Almost eleven," she replies, returning to her pancakes with a graceful pivot. "But don't worry. I figured you needed the rest after last night."
Heat floods my face as mories of our activities flash through my mind. Emily catches my expression and winks, her smile turning mischievous.
"Coffee's fresh," she says, nodding toward the pot. "Sit down, and I'll bring you a plate."
I pour myself a mug of coffee and slide into a chair at the kitchen table, watching Emily move around the kitchen with effortless grace. There's sothing different about her this morning, she practically radiates happiness, humming between stolen glances my way. Each ti our eyes et, her smile grows impossibly wider.
Emily appears beside , sliding a plate loaded with pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs in front of . Her hand lingers on my shoulder, squeezing gently as she leans down to press a kiss to the top of my head.
I'm so entranced watching Emily that I don't notice Holly until she drops into the chair across from .
Holly looks unusually chipper this morning, her eyes bright behind her glasses. She flashes a smile that's far too wide to be genuine, her gaze flicking between Emily and with calculated precision.
"Good morning, Daddy," she chirps, the title landing like a grenade between us. "I heard you kept Mother quite satisfied last night."
I nearly choke on my coffee, setting the mug down with enough force to slosh liquid over the rim. Emily goes completely still beside , the spatula frozen midair.
I let out a long, weary sigh. Just when I thought we might be making progress.
Holly leans forward, her smile never faltering. "I couldn't help but notice Mom didn't shower before you two started... performing your little celebration." Her voice drops to a theatrical whisper. "Does that an you enjoyed sloppy seconds?"
"Holly!" Emily's voice cuts through the kitchen like a whip crack.
I stare at Holly, mouth hanging open in shock. She ets my gaze with an expression of mock concern, her eyes wide with feigned innocence.
"I'm just worried about Daniel," she says, leaning forward with her hands clasped together. "What if he catches sothing?"
Emily's spatula clatters onto the counter as she whirls around. Her eyes dart to mine, genuine concern flashing across her face.
"Danny," she says softly, reaching for my hand across the table. "I require screenings from all my… special privilege clients, and I get tested monthly." Her fingers squeeze mine reassuringly. "I promise I'm clean, baby."
"I believe you," I say imdiately, turning my hand to grip hers. The sincerity in her eyes leaves no room for doubt.
Holly looks at , her expression unreadable behind those wire-rimd glasses.
Emily's shoulders tense as she turns toward her daughter. "Holly, when are you going to stop being so rude?" She shakes her head, disappointnt evident in her voice. "Danny doesn't deserve this from you."
Holly runs her fingers through her ponytail, looking directly at Emily. "I agree," she says, her tone suddenly shifting to sothing gentler. "He's just a boy in puppy love with you."
The words sting, but I keep my expression neutral. She’s not wrong. Holly sighs dramatically, turning her attention to her mother.
"Mother, do you have any appointnts tonight?" she asks casually.
Emily hesitates, her brow furrowing slightly. "No," she answers cautiously, clearly suspicious of this sudden change in conversation.
Holly's blue eyes shift to , studying my face with an intensity that makes uncomfortable. "What about you, Daniel? Are you working today?"
"No," I reply, taking another sip of my coffee to hide my confusion. "Day off."
A smile spreads across Holly's face, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. There's sothing calculated about it that puts on edge.
"How about I cook dinner for us?" she offers, her voice light and cheerful. "The three of us. Together."
Emily's entire deanor transforms instantly. Her eyes widen with surprise before lighting up with unmistakable hope. "Really?" she asks, unable to keep the excitent from her voice.
I watch the exchange silently, my stomach knotting with unease. This sudden shift feels wrong, too abrupt to be genuine. Just minutes ago, she was mocking us, and now she wants to play happy family?
Holly nods, her expression softening as she turns to Emily. "Perhaps it's ti I try to bury the hatchet with you, Mother." She reaches across the table, her fingers stopping just short of touching Emily's hand. "We can't keep going like this forever, can we?"
Emily looks like she might cry, her blue eyes shimring with emotion. She seems filled with desperate hope. It makes my chest ache to see how much she wants this reconciliation with her daughter.
"I'd like that," Emily whispers, her voice thick with emotion. "I'd like that very much."
I force a smile, trying to match Emily's enthusiasm, but I can't shake the feeling that sothing's off. When Holly glances my way, I catch a flicker of sothing cold and calculating behind her glasses before it vanishes behind another smile.
"Great," Holly says, standing up from the table. "I'll run to the store later for ingredients. I'm thinking sothing simple but nice. Carbonara, maybe? With a salad?"
"That sounds lovely," Emily replies, reaching out to squeeze Holly's arm. "I’m so excited."
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