Aria woke to the sound of Eli's giggle echoing through the apartment. The sun had just begun to climb higher in the sky, and the light from the kitchen window spilled across the living room floor. She lay still for a moment, listening to the playful exchange between her son and Elias.
"He's got so much energy," Aria muttered under her breath, a tired smile curling her lips as she stretched. Despite the lingering exhaustion from the past week, there was a sense of quiet calm in the air that felt different. Elias had been here every morning this week, and it wasn't just for Eli's sake. Something had shifted in their relationship, though neither of them had acknowledged it aloud.
She slipped out of bed and padded to the kitchen. Eli was perched on the counter, his face lit up with excitement as he talked to Elias.
"I bet I can jump higher than you, Daddy!" Eli declared, hands on his hips.
"Oh, you want to challenge me, huh?" Elias responded, his voice teasing. "I'll have to see that for myself."
Aria smiled softly, watching the two of them. She didn't know what it was about Elias, but there was a gentleness to him now that hadn't been there before. It wasn't just in how he interacted with Eli, but in the way he seemed to navigate around her, like he was no longer expecting things to fall apart at the slightest bump. He was here, showing up. And for now, that was enough.
"Morning," Aria said, breaking the moment.
Eli turned his head and waved. "Morning, Mama! Daddy's going to let me race him today."
"Is he now?" Aria asked with a raised eyebrow.
Elias chuckled. "Seems like I'm the one getting roped into all kinds of challenges around here."
"Good luck," Aria said dryly as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
"Don't worry. I'll take it easy on him," Elias said with a grin.
"Sure, sure." Aria took a sip of her coffee, and her eyes flicked over to Elias. There was an unspoken understanding between them. Every day had felt like a slow rebuild, with them weaving through their old mistakes and regrets, taking small steps forward, and learning to trust again. But there was still a space between them that had yet to be crossed. She didn't know if she was ready to let go of the walls she'd built or if he was truly ready to tear his own down.
The silence between them felt comfortable but heavy. Aria's thoughts drifted to the last few months. She had watched Elias try, in his way, to be here for Eli and, in a way, for her. But there were things left unsaid, things they weren't ready to face yet. Things that needed to be said before they could move forward, but neither of them seemed to want to start that conversation.
Eli's voice broke her reverie. "When is Aunt Lila coming over again?"
Aria blinked, torn from her thoughts. "I'm not sure. Soon, I think. Why?"
"I want her to see my dinosaur book. She'll think it's the best."
"Well, if you're lucky, she'll bring you some cookies, too."
"Cookies!" Eli grinned from ear to ear.
"Don't get your hopes up," Aria warned with a smirk. She turned back to Elias. "Can you grab his backpack? We're heading to the park after breakfast."
"Got it," he said, getting up. He disappeared into the hallway to grab Eli's things, leaving Aria to gather herself in the silence. She could feel the weight of the moment building like they were standing on the edge of something they couldn't quite name yet.
Her heart thudded in her chest as she tried to keep her breathing even. She hadn't told him what had been weighing on her, what she had been struggling to articulate since the night they talked about where they stood. Part of her wanted to believe in the possibility of them again. Part of her wanted to give this a chance, to let him back in. But the fear of repeating the same mistakes lingered, like an unspoken agreement between them both that they'd tread carefully around that conversation.
Elias returned with Eli's backpack, handing it to Aria. He glanced at her, the briefest moment of hesitation in his eyes.
"You okay?" he asked softly.
Aria forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Just tired."
"You don't have to pretend with me, you know."
She met his gaze then, her defenses slipping for just a second. "I don't know how to do this anymore, Elias. I don't know how to be with you again and not be scared of it falling apart."
Eli bounced up and down, eager to go outside. "Come on, let's go!"
Elias looked at him for a moment, and then back at Aria. His voice was steady when he spoke. "I'm not going anywhere, Aria. I know I've said that before, but I mean it now. I'm here for you. For both of you."
Aria swallowed hard, fighting the lump in her throat. "I want to believe you."
"I'm not asking you to trust me all at once," he said. "But I am asking for the chance to prove it."
Eli tugged at her hand. "Mom, let's go! I want to race Daddy!"
Aria smiled, ruffling his hair. "Alright, alright. We're coming."
They all left together, stepping into the warm morning air. The park wasn't far from the apartment, and as they walked, the weight of the conversation still hung between Aria and Elias. She could feel it in the way he kept glancing at her like he was waiting for the walls to come down.
They made their way to the open field, where Eli immediately ran ahead, already imagining a race with Elias. Aria leaned against the nearby tree, arms crossed, watching them. She could see how comfortable Elias seemed, how much he had changed since the first day he had come back into their lives. It wasn't perfect, but it was real.
Eli challenged Elias to a race again. This time, Elias took it slow, letting Eli win by a few steps. The joy in Eli's laughter was contagious, and Aria couldn't help but feel a sense of peace settle over her.
After a few rounds of races, they sat down in the grass, catching their breath. Eli sprawled out on the ground, his head resting on Elias's lap as he talked about his latest adventure in one of his books.
"Mom, do you think the dinosaurs would've liked the park?" Eli asked, looking up at her.
"I think they would've loved it," Aria said with a soft smile. "Running around, chasing each other, just like you."
Elias chuckled. "And then they would've taken a nap after all that running."
Eli nodded seriously. "That's what I'm going to do soon."
They sat in the quiet for a moment, each lost in their thoughts. Aria felt her heartache in a way she hadn't expected. This—this right here—was what she had always wanted. A family, a sense of peace. But could she allow herself to fully trust in it again?
Elias broke the silence.
"I don't know what the future holds," he said quietly, looking at her. "But I'm willing to keep showing up. No matter what."
Aria met his gaze. She wanted to say something—anything—but the words felt too heavy to speak.
Instead, she nodded slowly, and for the first time in a long while, she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, they could make this work. One day at a time.