Page 53 of Together Is Where We Belong

“You okay, buddy?” Leo said as he turned around and knelt in front of Luke.

“What if they don’t like me?” I heard my sweet boy whisper as he looked at the ground and shuffled his feet. My eyes filled with tears at his vulnerability.

“They are goin’ to love you, little man. I promise. What are you so scared about?” Leo asked softly as he ran the back of his hand over the side of Luke’s cheek.

Luke shrugged and shuffled his feet some more.

“How about this? If you get scared, you give me the code word and we can go back to your mom’s house,” Leo suggested.

Luke slowly looked up at Leo, some of his unease dissipated.

“What’s a code word?”

“It’s a secret word we come up with that tells me you’re uncomfortable and only you and I know. If you say the word, then I’ll know you need to leave,” Leo explained, shocking me a little at his softness and understanding.

“You won’t be mad if I use it?” Luke looked up at Leo, his eyes filled with worry over how Leo would respond.

“Not at all. We will just make up an excuse to leave. No questions asked. Now what should our word be?” Leo asked as he gently took Luke’s hands in his.

“Dinosaur,” Luke said, and I smiled at his randomness.

“Alright. You say dinosaur, and we’ll leave. But, little man,” Leo started.

“Yeah,” Luke whispered.

“I think you’re really going to like it when we go inside. Your grandma Lillian loves to cook and makes some of the best food. And you’re goin’ to love what she made tonight,” Leo said, and Luke’s ears perked up at the mention of cooking.

Leo had messaged me earlier and asked what some of Luke’s favorite foods were. I had a feeling he was going to relay that message to his mom so she could make them tonight. Based on what he’d just told our son, my inclination was right.

“Okay. Let’s go see what she made,” Luke said as he gripped Leo’s hand. I waited for them to pass me by before I followed behind.

Looking up, I saw Lillian standing in the doorway waiting for us to come up the porch. I wasn’t sure how long she’d been standing there since my focus was on Luke and Leo’s interaction, but the tears in her eyes indicated she’d seen the exchange between her son and grandchild.

At the sight of Lillian, Luke paused and looked over at Leo.

“It’s okay, buddy. This is my mom, Lillian, your grandma,” Leo said softly as he put his hand on Luke’s back. His fingers moved back and forth to soothe Luke as he guided him forward.

“Hi, Luke. You want to come inside and see what we’re havin’ for dinner? I hear you love chicken fingers and mac and cheese,” Lillian said to Luke as she held out her hand.

“Did you use breadcrumbs to make the chicken fingers?” Luke asked as he took her waiting hand. Lillian looked up at me with an amused smile. I shrugged my shoulders, trying not to laugh at my sweet boy’s obsession with knowing how people cooked their food.

“I sure did,” she told him as she walked them inside; Leo and I followed behind her.

I’d never get over how homey Lillian made their farmhouse style home feel. The minute you walk inside, the soft hues just make you want to curl up on the couch with a good book and a soft, fuzzy blanket draped over you as the sunlight beamed through the sheer curtains that covered the front window.

We walked through the front room and into the massive kitchen, where Luke stood on a step stool with Lillian as she showed him all his favorite dishes she’d made. Leo’s entire family sat at the table as they stared over at Luke and watched him in awe.

“You made all my favorites. How’d you know?” Luke said as he stared down at the food still warming on the stove.

“A little birdy told me,” Lillian replied as she looked up at me and winked.

“Birds can’t talk,” Luke said as he turned to her and gave her a funny look.

“You’re right. It’s just an expression. Are you ready to eat?”

“Oh yeah,” Luke said, and Lillian helped him get down before he walked over to the table and looked back at me to figure out where he should sit.

Leo walked over to the table and picked him up and helped him get settled into the wooden chair, and took the seat right next to him. Lillian carried everything over to the table, and sat down at the table and the only other seat at the table was beside Luke. I sat my bag on the island before I walked over and nervously took the empty seat.