And as I finish the last bite, I can’t help but think that this summer, this trip, the future...it’s all falling into place.
For the first time, it feels like I’m not walking into the unknown alone.
We linger in the kitchen for a while. I can’t help but watch Cole as he cleans up, wiping down the counters and putting the dishes in the sink. And I can’t help but feel at home.
As I lean against the counter, watching him move around the kitchen, the sound of small hurried footsteps breaks through thecomfortable silence. Lucie barrels in, carrying her book bag over one shoulder and a stack of papers in her arms.
“Kenna, I need help with my homework!” She calls out, her voice high-pitched with the usual mix of frustration and determination. She’s usually really good at school, but today, it looks like she’s hit a wall.
I glance at Cole, but before I can say anything, he’s already setting the plate he’s washing down in the sink and looking toward Lucie.
“Hey Lu,” he says, his tone calm and warm. “What’s going on? Need some help?”
Lucie hesitates for a moment, then slumps down at the kitchen table, tossing her papers down in front of her. She looks up at Cole with wide, expectant eyes, a mix of relief and frustration written all over her face. “I don’t get this math stuff. I keep messing up the fractions, and Mrs. Hampton is going to be so mad if I don’t get it right.”
I can see the panic on her face, and my heart squeezes. She’s always so confident, so quick to figure things out, but tonight, she’s overwhelmed. And that’s when Cole steps in.
“I’m no expert,” he says, sitting down beside Lucie and pulling the math sheets toward him, “but let’s see if we can figure this out together.”
“Wait. This one here,” he says, tapping a problem with the back of his pencil. “You multiplied instead of dividing. Simple mistake. Let’s try it again. Slower this time.”
Lucie bites her bottom lip, nodding slowly. “I thought I was doing it right, but the numbers got weird.”
“That’s ‘cause fractions are jerks,” Cole says, grinning at her. “But once you get the pattern, it gets easier. Promise.”
He walks her through the steps patiently, letting her make the corrections herself, never taking over or making her feel small. The way he’s teaching her doesn’t just show her how. It makes her believe shecan.
I watch him for a moment, and something about the way hetalks to Lucie so gently, the way he’s so patient with her as he walks her through the fractions, makes my heart swell. He’s always been this way. Thoughtful and kind. Willing to help without asking for anything in return. It’s one reason I’ve fallen for him.
While Cole helps Lucie with her homework, I move to the sink, cleaning up the last of the dishes. My mind is a little scattered, distracted by the conversation we had earlier, by the future that we’re both dreaming of. I focus on scrubbing the dishes, the rhythmic sound of water running over the plates grounding me as I let my thoughts drift.
A few minutes later, Lucie finally looks satisfied. She’s scribbling down her last answer, a triumphant grin crossing her face. “I got it! You’re the best, Cole!” she exclaims, jumping into his arms.
“Glad I could help,” Cole chuckles, clearly proud of her. His eyes flicker up to me, catching my gaze, and he gives me a small, soft smile. It’s one of those smiles that seems to say everything without needing to be spoken.
Just as Lucie finished up, my other sister, Millie, comes into the kitchen. She’s a few years older than Lucie, only 15, and has this way of being super observant of you without even realizing it. She stands in the doorway for a moment, eyeing the scene in front of her. Cole still sits next to Lucie, helping her with the last touches of her homework, his hand gently pointing to the fractions on the paper. Lucie’s face lit up with excitement and gratitude.
Millie’s lips curl into a mischievous smile, and she crosses her arms over her chest, leaning against the doorframe. “You know,” she says with a teasing tone, “I think Cole really loves you, Kenna."
I freeze mid-scrub, the plate still in my hand, and for a split second, everything goes still. I glance over at Millie, unsure of what to say, and I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks.
“Millie,” I hiss under my breath, eyes widening. My voice comes out too defensively, which only makes her smirk deepen.
Cole glances up from his work with Lucie at just the right moment, and I can see the soft, almost shy smile that tugs at the corners of his lips. He looks at me for a moment, his gaze warm and steady, as if he’s letting his feelings show in the simplest way possible. And then, without a word, he turns back to Lucie, his attention fully back on helping her.
Millie’s eyes glint with that knowing expression. She’s always been a little more perceptive than most kids her age, but it’s strange to hear her say it out loud. “You two are really cute together,” she adds, her tone light but meaningful.
I shake my head, trying to push down the fluttering feeling in my chest. “Shut up, Mills.” I mutter, but there’s a smile tugging at my lips despite myself.
“You know I’m right,” she sings as she walks past me, her ponytail bouncing behind her. “Just don’t forget me when you two run off and get married or whatever.”
“Millie!” I groan, louder this time, but she’s already laughing her way out of the room.
Millie just raises an eyebrow and shrugs, clearly satisfied with her little tease. But it’s not just the teasing that’s lingering in the air—there’s a truth to her words. I feel it deep inside, even though I don’t know exactly how to say it, how to fully admit it to myself.
And as Millie walks away, I turn back to Cole, watching him. He’s still helping Lucie, his brow furrowed in concentration as he explains something to her. I smile to myself, my heart swelling at the sight.
He’s so good with her. So kind. I never thought I’d be here with him, in this place where everything feels so right. But here we are, and it’s like every little moment we spend together is building something stronger, something real.
