Lucie
Reuben says he’s bringing dessert so tell mom to chill.
Asher
Who’s bringing wine?
Reuben
I’m bringing wine too. Obviously.
Millie
Kenna? You coming? Bring Cohen.
Me
I can’t make it, but Cole’s coming over. Cohen has been talking about Cole coming over for days now
Millie replies almost immediately.
Millie
Just bring him! He’s part of the family now, right?
My stomach twists. Not in a bad way. Just…something tightens. It feels like more than dinner. It feels like a test I didn’t study for.
It’s been months since Cole came back. A months of rebuilding, re-learning each other. Months of tentative mornings and slow nights and relearning the sound of his laugh in the kitchen.
A month of Cohen watching us with those curious, hopeful eyes.
I owe him this. Both of them.
Cole arrives a little while later, looking relaxed in a t-shirt and jeans, his eyes lighting up when he sees Cohen. I feel my heart skip a beat—just like it always does when he looks at our son. We’ve been getting into the rhythm of this new life, this little family we’ve built, and it feels right. But still, I’m nervous.
I clear my throat as we stand in the living room, the weight of the moment pressing on my chest. “Hey, Cole, I was thinking…we could head to my parents’ house for family dinner tonight. They’d love to have you there, and I think it might be nice…for Cohen, you know?”
Cole grins, that familiar crooked smile of his that melts my insides every time. “I’d love to. I’ve been waiting for the right moment, and I think tonight’s perfect. Let’s tell Cohen I’m his father so no one else slips at dinner.”
He says this last part softly, a flicker of something crossing his face. I nod, feeling a twinge of nervous energy. “Let’s do it. Let’s tell him now.”
We find Cohen in his room, absorbed in his toys as usual. He doesn’t look up right away, so I clear my throat and sit beside him on his bed, pulling Cole down next to me. Cohen finally notices us and looks up, his face lighting up. “Hey Mom. Cole you’re here! Is dinner ready?”
I exchange a look with Cole. He nods, subtle but sure.
“We need to talk to you about something important,” I say gently, my voice soft, but steady.
Cohen’s brow furrows in that adorable way it does when he’s confused. “What is it? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s good,” I say quickly, reaching out to hold his hand. “Cohen, I love you so much. You’re my heart, and I’m so proud of you. But there’s something I’ve been waiting to tell you.”
I glance at Cole, who’s watching us, a bit of nervous energy radiating from him. His hand reaches over to mine, and I squeeze it, silently giving him the strength to do this with me.
“Cohen,” I begin, looking down at our son, “Do you remember what I told you about your dad?”
He nods. “You said he was away for a while, but he’s coming home soon, and that he loves me.”
“That’s right,” I say, my voice trembling just a little. “Cohen, I want to tell you something that’s going to make you really happy. Your dad is here now. And he’s Cole.”
