Chapter 139: Silent Storms
Jacob~
As Natalie and I stepped through the door, the warm scent of cinnamon and honey hit us like a gentle embrace. The soft crackle of the fireplace echoed from the living room, and somewhere in the back, I heard the faint clatter of dishes—Fox, probably testing out that "quiet cooking" spell he’d insisted was foolproof. Spoiler: it wasn’t.
Just as I was about to ask Natalie if she smelled the burnt marshmallows too, a pair of tiny feet skidded across the shiny marble floors.
"Mommy Natalie!" Alex’s voice rang out like a bell as he rounded the corner, holding a pencil in one hand and a crumpled worksheet in the other. His oversized sweater nearly swallowed him whole, sleeves flapping as he charged at Natalie like a tiny warrior on a mission.
Natalie beamed instantly, eyes lighting up with that soft, fierce love she always had for him. "Hey, my little genius! What’s this?"
"My math homework! Bubble says he can’t help ’cause he’s allergic to numbers." He frowned. "And Fox says he burned math when he was a kid."
Natalie laughed, crouching to meet him. "Well, lucky for you, I’m immune to math and drama. Let’s go solve the mystery of the disappearing fractions."
"You’re the best, Mommy" Alex said, wrapping his arms around her neck. She picked him up with ease, tickling his side until he squealed.
I stood there for a moment, smiling at them, feeling...warm. Whole. Like this—these quiet moments—were what all our storms were for.
"Don’t use up all your brain cells before dinner," I called after them.
"No promises!" Natalie called over her shoulder as she and Alex disappeared down the hallway.