I can barely catch fragments of their conversation.
Rosalyn's voice: "...serious about him..."
Jay's quieter response: "...yes ma'am, completely..."
Rosalyn again: "...understand what you're getting into..."
More murmuring I can't make out.
Then Jay's voice, louder and clearer: "I would never hurt him. I'd rather die than hurt him."
The conversation continues for another ten minutes of back and forth that feel like hours. I'm about to give up and go check on Caleb to calm my nerves when they finally emerge.
Jay looks slightly shell-shocked but not in a bad way. More like he just survived something intense but important. Rosalyn looks satisfied with their talk, almost pleased.
"Jay's going to change the oil in my car," she announces casually, like they just discussed the weather. "Next time he visits." She pats Jay on the shoulder with genuine warmth. "I appreciate his offer."
I stare at her, trying desperately to read what just happened, what was actually said. She gives me a small, enigmatic smile and heads back to the kitchen.
The afternoon passes too quickly, the hours slipping through my fingers like water. Jay plays dinosaurs with Caleb on the living room floor, building elaborate scenarios with plastic toys. He lets Diana show him her math homework and helps her figure out a problem she's been stuck on for days. He listens with genuine interest while Destiny tells him inexcessive detail about her plans to be the first person to live on Mars, while asking thoughtful questions about oxygen and gravity.
Jay checks his phone and sighs heavily. "I should head out soon," he says reluctantly. "I want to get back before dark. It's not safe to ride a motorcycle at night on the highway."
"Already?" Caleb's face falls. "But you just got here! You can't leave yet! We're not finished playing!"
"I wish I could stay longer, buddy. But I have a long drive ahead of me, and the bike doesn't have headlights good enough for night riding."
"Will you come back?" Caleb asks. "When are you coming back? Soon, right?"
Jay looks at me, then back at Caleb. "Yeah. I'll come back soon. I promise."
"Can I sit on your motorcycle again?" Caleb asks.
Jay reaches over to ruffle his hair. "Sure, you can."
I walk him out to the motorcycle, the kids trailing behind us like a small parade. When he tells them goodbye, Caleb wraps his whole body around Jay's legs in a big hug. The twins say goodbye with slightly awkward stiffness that's already starting to thaw.
Rosalyn appears on the porch, wiping her hands on her apron. "Drive safe, Jay. We'll see you again soon, I hope."
"Yes ma'am. Thank you for lunch. It was honestly the best meal I've had in a really long time."
"Flattery will get you everywhere," she says, but she's smiling warmly. "Ivan, don't keep him too long out here. He needs daylight for the drive."
She herds the kids back inside, leaving us alone in the driveway.
"What do you think?" I ask, stepping closer to him. "That wasn't so bad, right? You survived."
"They're amazing," he replies. "Your whole family. They're great. I've never met people like them."
"They liked you. I could tell."
"You think so? Really?"
"Caleb wanted to adopt you immediately. And the twins don't warm up to anyone that fast." I step closer, taking his hands in mine. "You didgood, Jay. Really good. What did Rosalyn say to you? In the kitchen? What did you two talk about?"
Jay shakes his head slowly, like he's still processing it. "She asked me if I was serious about you. I said yes. She asked me if I understood what I was getting into. That you come with a family, that those kids are part of the package deal, that they need stability. I said I understood it completely."
"Anything else?"
