***
I wake to sunlight streaming through the curtains and the smell of coffee.
For a moment, I lie there, wrapped in sheets that smell like all three of them. My body is pleasantly sore, and my mind is quiet. No anxiety about the hearing. No fear about what Derek might say or do.
Just peace.
I pull on Cole’s t-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts and head downstairs.
The kitchen is chaos in the best way. Cole is at the stove flipping pancakes. Theo is buttering toast while simultaneously trying to steal bacon off the plate. Marco’s pouring coffee and orange juice, completely unbothered by the noise around him.
They look like a family.
I’m leaning against the doorway, just watching, when I hear the front door open.
"Mama!"
My heart jumps at Tommy's voice. He comes barreling down the hall and crashes into my legs, and I drop to my knees to scoop him up. God, I missed this weight in my arms.
"I missed you so much, baby." My voice cracks.
“I missed you so much, baby.”
“I missed you too! Uncle Jake took me to the aquarium, and I saw a shark, and it was this big—” He spreads his arms as wide as they’ll go. “—and it had so many teeth!”
“That sounds amazing.” I kiss his forehead. “Did you have fun?”
“So much fun. But I wanted to come home.” He looks at the men in the kitchen. “Are they making pancakes?”
“Yeah, buddy.” Cole grins at him. “You want chocolate chips in yours?”
“Yes!” Tommy squirms down and runs to Cole, who lifts him to help flip a pancake.
Jake appears in the doorway, carrying Tommy's overnight bag. He stops. His eyes move from me—barefoot in an oversized t-shirt that clearly isn't mine, hair messy from sleep—to the kitchen where Cole's holding Tommy, Theo's buttering toast,and Marco's pouring coffee like they've done this routine a hundred times.
“Coffee?” I offer quietly.
“Yeah. Okay.”
We move to the living room while the others keep cooking. Jake sits on the couch, elbows on his knees, looking tired.
“How is he?” I ask, nodding toward the kitchen where Tommy’s chattering about sharks.
“Good. Happy. Talked about you constantly.” Jake looks at me. “He’s not worried about tomorrow. He doesn’t even really understand what’s happening. Just knows he gets to see a judge, which he thinks sounds cool.”
“That’s good. I didn’t want him scared.”
“He’s not scared because you’ve made him feel safe. Even with all this.” Jake gestures vaguely. “You’re a good mom, Rachel. The best.”
My throat gets tight. “Thank you.”
He’s quiet for a moment, then nods toward the kitchen. “They love you. All three of them. I can see it.”
“I love them too.”
“I know.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I watched them this morning when I texted that I was coming over. They were coordinating breakfast, making sure everything was perfect for you and Tommy. Cole was worrying about whether Tommy still likes chocolate chip pancakes. Theo was setting the table. Marco was checking that they had the right orange juice.”
“They’re good men.”
