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Cory presses his lips to my ear. "I think you inherited your Little tendencies from your Dad."
Mom nods in agreement. "And Leaf got his Daddy side from me. I run the show around here."
Dad comes out with the coffee and kisses Mom’s cheek. "Keep thinking I’m incompetent. It gives me an excuse to skip the dishes and watch football."
"I always clean up after this one," Mom hisses, shaking her head.
Cory and I enjoy our espresso and then sample a few of the cakes Dad brings out. He picked them up on a recent trip to England, specifically Cambridge. There’s a little shop across from the university there that sells buns that are to-die-for.
Cory helps himself to a few, then rubs his belly. "I’m putting on weight."
I kiss his cheek. "We’ll make up for it with veggies for dinner. Salad. Kale."
"What am I, a rabbit?" He makes a face.
When we finish our tea and cakes, we head toward the lounge where my mother picks up the TV remote. "Watch and learn who you’re dating, Cory."
My chest fills with panic when I realize she’s opening my childhood photo album. "Mom."
Cory squeals as he climbs onto my lap. "This will be good."
Mom grins. "This is a picture of Leaf at his seventh birthday party. He thought he was real mature then—he asked for a squid cake."
Cory tilts his head back to issue me a probing look. "You had refined tastes for a seven-year-old."
I groan as I roll my eyes. "A squid-shaped cake."
Mom snickers. "Look what happened next. He got so excited to eat it that he tried to steal a bite and didn’t think we’d find out. See what’s on the corner?"
When she zooms in, we lay eyes on a tiny handprint—the evidence of my not-so-intelligent theft.
I pinch the bridge of my nose. "This isn’t necessary."
Cory presses his hands to his heart. "I’m dying from cuteness."
"Your new Daddy thought he was really cool here." Mom clicks to a picture of me in my underwear using a blanket as a cape. "The worst part—he was like ten. Still running around the house dressed like that superhero who wears underpants."
Cory covers his mouth with his palm. "Ten’s a little old for that."
Dad shakes his head. "Quit embarrassing our son."
"Cory needs to learn what he’s getting himself into." Mom glares at Dad. "Leaf’s life wasn’t always fast cars and flats in the city. He’s as human as the rest of us."
Mom clicks through pictures of me volunteering for Earth Day. With her help, I organized a litter pickup event where we cleaned up the streets and alleys of underprivileged communities in Jersey.
We find pictures of me as a teenager flashing a cheesy thumbs up at the camera as I pose in a green shirt. We laugh at photos of me as a college student recreating a photo of my younger self cheekily throwing a soda bottle in the recycling.
Cory threads his fingers through mine when Mom heads to the kitchen for a wine break. "You were so cute growing up."
I nuzzle his hair. "I’ve never been so embarrassed."
"Oh, relax." Cory pushes out a snort. "You are my Daddy now—I'd see these pictures sooner or later."
Cory admits that these photos—as well as the discussion with my family—help make him feel even more comfortable around me. I have a past, a real existence—one that he likes.
"They wreck my image," I complain.
Cory issues me a stern look. "They’re sweet. That’s what I adore—you’ve always been a compassionate man."
