Aria was in the kitchen, rinsing out Eli's cereal bowl, when he came racing down the hall in his dinosaur pajamas.
"Mama! Mama! Is Daddy coming today?"
She turned, the water still running. "Yes, baby. After work."
Eli clapped his hands. "I want him to read the lion book again!"
"I'm sure he'll love that."
Eli beamed. "Can I wear my green shirt? The one with the rocket?"
"You can, but don't get chocolate on it this time," she teased, turning off the tap.
He dashed back to his room to change, singing something unintelligible as he went.
She dried her hands slowly, a soft smile tugging at her lips.
A few minutes later, Eli ran back in, spinning once like he was on a runway.
"Look, Mama! It still fits!"
She crouched down to smooth the hem. "It does. You look very handsome."
"Do you think Daddy will like it?"
"I think he'll love it," she said, brushing a curl off his forehead.
He leaned closer and whispered, "I also brushed my teeth twice. So he doesn't smell my morning breath."
She laughed softly. "That's very considerate of you."
There was a knock at the door around six-thirty.
Eli beat her to it, yanking it open with an eager grin. "Daddy!"
Elias crouched immediately and scooped him into a hug. "Hey, buddy!"
"You came!"
"I promised, didn't I?"
Aria stood behind them, arms crossed loosely, her face unreadable.
Elias looked up. "Hi."
"Hi," she said, stepping aside. "Come in."
He entered with Eli still clinging to his neck like a koala.
"You smell like cologne and paper," Eli declared.
Elias laughed. "Guilty as charged."
"You can sit on the couch," Aria offered. "Dinner's almost ready."
"You made dinner?"
"Don't act so surprised," she said, raising a brow.
"I'm not," he said. "Just… grateful."
Eli tugged his sleeve. "Can Daddy stay for dinner, Mama?"
She hesitated. "If he wants to."
Elias met her gaze. "I'd like that. Thank you."
As he sat, Eli climbed up beside him. "Do you still have that lion roar voice?"
"I think so. But it only works after dinner," Elias teased.
"Why?"
"Because it needs spaghetti fuel."
Eli laughed. "Then you better eat a LOT."
They sat at the table, a simple meal of spaghetti and meatballs between them. Eli insisted on sitting between both parents.
"So," Elias said, twirling his fork, "what did you do today?"
Eli perked up. "I drew a picture of a dragon in space! Wanna see?"
"Absolutely."
After inhaling two bites, Eli jumped down and ran to his room.
Elias turned to Aria. "He's amazing."
"I know," she said softly.
There was a pause.
"You're letting me in," he said. "Letting me be a part of this."
She looked at him. "He wants you here."
"What about you?"
She didn't answer.
Eli came racing back in, nearly tripping over his socks.
"Look! That's the dragon. And that's the rocket. And that tiny dot is the moon."
Elias studied the paper like it was a Van Gogh. "This is incredible."
"I used red for the dragon 'cause red is fierce."
"Red is perfect," Elias said.
Aria watched them quietly, the way their laughter echoed off each other, the way Eli's smile mirrored his father's.
He smiled like Elias.
She had always known, but tonight it hit harder.
"Do you remember when we went to that dinosaur museum?" Elias asked Eli.
Eli's eyes lit up. "With the giant bones?"
"Yeah, the T-Rex. You were terrified at first."
"I wasn't scared!" Eli said, crossing his arms.
"You clung to my leg the whole time," Elias teased.
"That's because it looked like it was going to eat us."
Aria chuckled. "You made him sleep with the lights on for three nights after that."
"Traumatized him early," Elias said with mock regret.
"Noooo," Eli said, shaking his head. "It was cool."
"Do you still like dinosaurs?" Elias asked.
Eli nodded vigorously. "I'm gonna be a paleontologist. That means I study dinosaur bones."
"I know," Elias said. "And you'll be the best one."
Later, after dinner and dishes, they settled in for storytime. Eli curled up in Elias's lap with Roar of the Jungle Lion in hand.
"Do the voice," Eli whispered.
"You got it," Elias said, deepening his voice. "In the heart of the jungle, where trees whispered secrets and the wind howled like a thousand wolves…"
Aria stood at the doorway, arms crossed, watching them.
Eli giggled at every roar. At every dramatic pause.
"Do the lion sound again!" he demanded.
Elias let out a long, exaggerated roar that shook Eli with laughter.
"Louder!"
Elias roared again, this time shaking his head like a real lion.
"You're silly, Daddy."
"Lions can be silly sometimes," Elias said. "Especially bedtime lions."
By the last page, Eli's eyelids drooped.
Elias closed the book softly. "He's out."
"I'll tuck him in."
Elias stood slowly, cradling Eli in his arms as he carried him to bed. Aria followed.
He laid him down gently. Aria fixed the covers.
They stood there for a while, just watching him.
"He looks so peaceful," Elias whispered.
"He is."
Elias turned to her. "He smiles like you."
Aria's lips twitched. "No. That smile… that's all you."
They stepped out and quietly closed the door.
In the living room, Aria gathered the plates. Elias moved to help.
"You don't have to."
"I want to," he said.
They washed together in silence.
"You always hated doing dishes," she murmured.
"I didn't hate it," he said. "I just liked when we did it together."
She glanced at him. "We barely had time to eat back then, let alone wash dishes together."
"I know. I missed too much."
She didn't respond, just rinsed a plate.
"Things feel… different," Elias said finally.
She handed him a plate. "Different how?"
"Lighter. Warmer. Like there's space for something new."
She didn't answer.
"I know we're not there yet," he continued. "And maybe we won't ever be. But I like… this. Being here. With him. With you."
"Elias…"
"I'm not asking for anything," he added. "Not tonight. Just… thank you. For not shutting me out."
She turned off the tap. "I did. For a long time."
"But not anymore."
"No," she said. "Not anymore."
He dried the last plate and then placed it gently on the rack.
There was a beat of silence.
"I should go," he said.
"Okay."
He headed to the door, pausing with his hand on the knob.
"Aria?"
"Yes?"
He turned back to face her.
"Do you ever think we could—" he stopped, searching her face. "—try again?"
She blinked, taken off guard.
"I mean it," he said. "Not just for Eli. But for us."
"I don't know," she whispered.
"That's okay. I can wait. I just… needed to say it."
She walked closer, slowly.
"I'm still healing, Elias."
"I know."
"And I don't trust easily anymore."
"You don't have to," he said. "Not yet. Just let me show you I'm still the man you once loved."
Her eyes glistened.
"Why now?" she asked, voice soft. "After everything?"
"Because losing you once was enough," he said. "And I see now what I couldn't back then. I'm not here to rewrite the past, Aria. I'm here to build something better if you'll let me."
She studied him for a long moment, her expression unreadable.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said softly.
She nodded.
And when the door closed behind him, she didn't cry.
But she was quiet.