Page 68 of Fractured Empire

“I think he’ll like them very much,” Katya declares with a firm nod. “We found a perfect recipe in the little book your aunt made for us, didn’t we?”

“My Rain-uh book,” Leo confirms with a goofy grin.

Baking with their aunt had become one of their favorite things to do during Rayna and Apollo’s short stay with us. So of course, she made Bastian and Leo a handwritten booklet of easy recipes they could make with me and or my new wife while they were gone. From what I’ve seen today, they made candy cookies. A play on chocolate chip and M&M cookies but with a bunch of chopped up chocolate pieces or bars.

I should probably be concerned with the amount of sugar I let them consume sometimes, but I can’t make myself feel parental guilt in that regard. They’ve been through a lot, they can have all the sweets they like as long as they’re not making themselves sick and they’re still eating their meals. I’m sure I used to swindle Martha for as many extra sweets as I could as a child, and I think I turned out healthy enough.

“Yes, your Rayna’s book,” Katya confirms with a giggle. “I hear she’s a very good baker so I’m sure all of us are going to love the cookies. And we’ll have lunch in a little bit too, won’t we?”

“Uh-huh.”

They spend the next several minutes discussing what they’re going to have for lunch, and how nap time will come after lunch. Leo doesn’t seem thrilled with the concept of taking a nap—per usual—but between the sugar crash he’s bound to have and the energy he’s spent running around the house this morning, I think he’ll sleep soundly for at least an hour like he always does.

“Katya, is Daddy coming home soon?” Bastian suddenly asks, looking a little nervous to voice the question out loud.

My stomach twists, hearing the contemplative emotion in his tone. I think he’s going through shifts of warming up to Katya being in the house, and a fixture in his life, but he’s unsure how to talk with her sometimes. He doesn’t want to ask something she doesn’t know how to answer or worse, he doesn’t want to offend her by asking something that might sound rude.

“Oh yes, I think so, buddy,” she replies, keeping her tone light and airy. “He said he would be home after you wake up from your naps and he hasn’t texted me otherwise today. Yesterday was just a surprising day for him, he wanted to come home sooner but he got super busy.”

“He’s not busy today?” Bastian asks, like he needs to make sure to feel secure in her answer.

“Only a couple meetings for him today,” Katya assures him. “Whenever my stepfather Linus, you remember him, right? From the wedding?” She waits for him to nod before continuing, “Whenever he only has a few meetings, he’s always home nice and early. He’s a boss too, you know? Like your daddy and your papa.”

“Right.” My eldest son nods and moves to sit closer to her on the couch. Leo beams, noticing his brother is now right on the opposite side of Katya and therefore is closer to him too. “Did you miss him? When he would work?”

My heart drops.

I have another meeting in ten minutes, and I’m about to fucking cancel it.

“Of course,” Katya says softly. Tentatively, she reaches for his small hand and holds it gently, giving him space to pull away if he wants. “I used to be very sad when he was away for too long, but my little sister would be even more sad, you know? So I always made sure to play with her and keep her happy. It made me happy too. Kind of like how you and Leo play together, hmm?”

“Yeah,” Bastian nods, looking down at their hands. “Did your mommy play too?”

Katya freezes and so do I.

She recovers before I can.

“She did,” my wife begins, nodding slowly. “She loved to play dress up with us, and have tea parties. But she could get busy too, you know? Most mommies and daddies get busy and have to spend time away, or need time to themselves. That doesn’t mean they love us any less, right?”

“Right…”

“Mama too tired to pway,” Leo suddenly adds, humming the statement like it doesn’t sadden him. For him, it’s a simple explanation to why Cleo slowly stopped being active with him and his brother. For Bastian, it doesn’t seem like the reasoning felt so simple.

“She must have been,” Katya agrees, latching onto the information quickly. “I’m sure she would have played with you two as much as she could if she hadn’t been so tired. I know from experience that you two are so much fun. She would have never missed out on time with you if she felt better.”

Leo nods, readily agreeing with Katya’s assessment, but Bastian seems shocked. “Really?”

“Of course.” Giving him her full attention, she caresses the side of his face while still holding his other hand. “I’ve already been bragging to my mom that I’ve made two best friends and absolutely love spending time with them. I told her that she’ll have to come visit us soon so we can show her all of the cool things we do every day so she can have fun too.”

“We best friends?” Leo squeaks swinging into Katya’s lap so that he can look at his brother and his new favorite human. “Bastian, she lub us.”

“Loves spending time with us,” Bastian corrects him, looking bashful for Leo’s misunderstanding.

“Both.” Katya pokes Leo’s belly and smiles at Bastian. “You’re my new little best friends and I love spending time with you, but I also care so much about the two of you. I can’t wait to become even closer as the days go on. I know we’re going to make so many memories together.”

She looks like she wants to say more when a loud timer goes off, signaling that she needs to take the cookies out of the oven. I watch as all three of them run into the kitchen happily, as if they didn’t just share such a deep and caring moment only seconds ago. Bastian looked so small and vulnerable, asking questions and opening up to Katya. And it seems like she did such a good job reassuring him that he’s snapped right back into his happy little self.

Shutting my computer, the images of my home disappear and I sigh, rubbing a hand down my face. It’s so fucking tempting to throw away the rest of my day and head home right this second. I’m only twenty minutes away if I drive fast, and that could put me home right in time to have lunch with them rather than simply seeing them after they wake up. Sure, they’d need to nap shortly after seeing me, but they’d get to see me.