Sienna’s POV
Liam burst out laughing, nearly choking. “See? That’s why you have to eat other things too. Daddy bought salad as well.”
Noah stared at the bowl of salad as if it were an alien object from another planet. “But that’s leaves.”
“Leaves that make you stronger,” Liam replied, putting on a serious face. “Superheroes eat all of this.”
Noah huffed softly, but eventually took a small piece of lettuce with two fingers, eating it with a pout. I covered my mouth, trying not to laugh.
“Good. See? You’re smart.”
“I’m strong,” he muttered, though his expression clearly showed his reluctance.
We kept eating, chatting, and joking. There was no tension, no heavy thoughts about work or meetings or the past, just the three of us, sitting around a small table that suddenly felt like the center of the world.
I watched Noah, now chewing more slowly, his cheeks still slightly puffed. One hand played with his dinosaur toy beside his plate, as if the little creature were having dinner with us too. Every so often, he pressed a piece of lettuce to the toy’s mouth, then laughed to himself.”Dino has to eat vegetables too,” he said seriously.
Liam nodded in full agreement.
“That’s right. Otherwise,
Dino won’t be able to run fast.”
I smiled as I grabbed a tissue, wiping the sauce from the corner of Noah’s mouth. “Eat slowly. No one’s chasing you.”
He looked up. “Chased by bedtime,” he replied quickly, then giggled.
Liam glanced at the clock on the wall. “Hmm, true.”
“I’m not sleepy,” Noah protested reflexively, though his eyes blinked a little longer than usual.
I picked up my drink and took a slow sip. Warmth spread through my throat, matching the increasingly relaxed atmosphere. Outside, the sound of passing vehicles drifted by, but inside our home, everything felt as if it had paused for a moment. There was nothing to rush. Nothing to prove.
“Mommy,” Noah spoke up again, pointing at the burger on Liam’s plate. “That’s Daddy’s, right?”
“Yes,” Liam replied. “Why?”
“Noah wants just one little bite.”
“How little is ‘little’?” Liam raised an eyebrow.
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