“Gumbo,” Kylee replied, glancing over her shoulder. “Thought I’d go all out since Jake Jr.’s big game is tomorrow.” As she set the table, Jake Jr. came thudding down the stairs in socks, eyes bright with energy.
“Dad! Did you see my text? Coach said I might get to start tomorrow!”
Jake tousled his son’s hair. “That’s awesome, buddy. Quarterback?”
“Yup! I’ve been killing it in practice. Coach says I’m aggressive.” He puffed his chest out proudly, like a little lion.
“Just like your old man,” Jake said with a grin, sliding into his seat at the head of the table.
Kylee dished out plates, settling Macy into her booster seat and placing Kayla in her bouncer beside the table. The soft clinks of spoons and dinner conversation filled the dining room.
“So, how was work?” she asked.
Jake’s eyes lit up in a way she hadn’t seen in a while. “Honestly? It was a great day. Rachel’s catching on faster than I expected.She’s really sharp, eager to learn, and she’s got a great energy about her. The patients already love her.”
Kylee paused mid-bite. “Sounds like you’re lucky to have found her.”
“I really am,” he said, not catching the edge in her voice. “She’s organized, detail-oriented, and she doesn’t get rattled. That’s rare in someone so new.”
Midway through the meal, Jake Jr. turned to his dad, eyes wide with hope.
“You’re coming to the game tomorrow, right? Coach said it’s a big one and Mom already promised.”
The table went still for a second.
Jake looked up from his plate, lips parting slightly. “I... I’ll try, son. It’s a packed day. But if I can move a consult or two”
“But you said that last time,” Jake Jr. interrupted, his voice sharper than usual.
“Jakey,” Kylee warned gently.
“No, it’s okay,” Jake said, raising a hand. “He’s right. He deserves an answer. I’ll talk to Rachel first thing in the morning, see if I can block out that hour.”
Kylee felt the heat creeping up her neck. The same guilt, the same disappointment.
She studied her husband's perfect jawline, the slight crease between his brows when he was under pressure. He looked energized by his day. Enthusiastic about someone new.
She wondered when was the last time he had looked that energized about her.
The dishes clinked softly in the sink as Kylee scrubbed at a stubborn spot of dried gumbo. The warmth of the water soothed her hands, but not her thoughts. Behind her, Jake Jr. dried plates with a dishtowel, balancing one on the edge of the counter with careful focus.
“Be gentle with those,” she said with a smirk. “That’s our last full set. Your sister broke the others with her Barbie hammer.”
He grinned. “I remember. You looked like you were going to cry.”
“I was going to,” she said, laughing. “But then I remembered I’ve survived three C-sections and a toddler who once smeared peanut butter inside my purse. So, I powered through.”
Jake Jr. chuckled, then went quiet for a moment.
Kylee glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “Something on your mind?”
He shrugged. “I guess.”
She turned off the faucet and gave him her full attention. “Talk to me, baby.”
He looked older in that moment not just because he actually was, but because he felt things deeper than most kids. Kylee had always sensed it. He carried the emotional temperature of the house without realizing it.
“It’s just…” he paused, still drying the same plate. “I don’t think Dad’s coming tomorrow.”
