"Uncle Theo! Uncle Theo!" Emily is bouncing up and down in Theo's front yard as we pull into the driveway.

Cal and April stand on their porch, keeping an eye on her. April smiles and waves at us, while Cal just stares at us with no expression.

"Someone heard we were showing up with pie," Theo says to me with a smirk as he turns the truck off.

He unbuckles his seatbelt and swings open the door, greeting Emily with, "Hey kiddo," and a wide smile. He takes his time getting out of the truck, and the little girl's eyes watch him with grave concern.

"Do you want me to get your walking stick?" she offers, but Theo is already shaking his head before she finishes the question.

"That's okay, I'm just going to park my butt at your kitchen table and enjoy some pie," he tells her with another smile, even as he holds onto the open truck door for support. "Think you could help me out with that? We brought a lot of pie."

Emily nods her head eagerly. "Did you get—"

"Strawberry rhubarb!" They say at the same time, and Emily claps her hands with glee.

I pick up the paper bag from the truck floor and hop out of the truck, carrying the packaged desserts closer to the excited girl.

"You want to carry them inside for us?" Theo asks, and Emily responds by immediately rushing toward me.

Theo uses the distraction to start limping toward her house. April catches his eyes and shakes her head at him, obviously upset about the stubborn man limping around without his cane. She says something to Cal and then walks back into the house. Cal sighs and gives Theo a look, that seems to say "Thanks for pissing off your sister", then follows after her.

As Emily dashes toward me, I stop walking and almost take a step back from the speedy little thing.

She slows her steps at the last minute, and holds out her hands for the paper bag. I pass it over to her.

I expect her to turn around and run back to her house, but instead she stares up at me. I give her an awkward smile, and am surprised when she slowly returns it.

"Dad said that you're safe and I can trust you," she informs me, "You just didn't know about the No Secrets rule." She stares up at me with wide eyes, as if waiting for me to confirm.

I glance in the direction of Theo, hoping for some help with this conversation, but his back is toward me as he continues slowly making his way next door. I look back to Emily. "I didn't."

She seems to be taking in my simple answer, but then has more to say. "He also said that you're really nice and that you always tried to help him and wanted good things for him, even when he was bad and not very nice himself."

Well fuck. Cue the eye burning again.

"I... I tried, yeah."

Emily puts the bag on the ground and steps toward me. She wraps her arms around my legs and gives them a quick hug, then steps back again and frowns. "You are short... But still too tall. I can hug you better if you crouch down?"

And fuck, of course I crouch down.

Her arms wrap around my neck this time and she squeezes tightly. Her voice comes out softly when she says, "Thanks for trying. My dad needs a lot of help."

Then she lets go of me, picks up the bag of pie slices, and takes off running toward her house.

"Did you get apple for Mom and Dad, Uncle Theo?" she asks him as she zips past him.

"You bet," he says with a laugh, "If I got all strawberry rhubarb, we wouldn't be able to share with them."

Emily giggles at Theo's answer on her way up the porch stairs. She manages to precariously hold the full paper bag with one arm while she twists the door handle, then uses her foot to push it open. "Are you guys coming or not?" she calls back impatiently.

Theo looks back to where Emily left me.

I'm still crouched on the ground, feeling like my heart is somehow once again shattering and yet, simultaneously, finally being put back together.

"We'll be right there, Emy. Go ahead and get that pie to your dad. You know he'll get all grumbly if he waits too long."

Emy giggles. "And he calls me Monster!" She walks into the house, still giggling away.

"You good, Milia?" Theo asks, turning his injured body around like he's planning to hobble back to me.

I snap out of it and push myself to a standing position again. "Yeah, I'm coming." I walk quickly around the white picket fence to get to Theo on the other side. The last thing his leg needs is even more walking.

"That's not what I asked." His eyes analyze me with concern. "What did she say to you?"

"She said, Uncle Theo should just accept that he's an old man and start using his cane."

Theo narrows his eyes at me. "Ah, I see you've joined them. And here I thought you were going to be useful."

I shrug my shoulders. "I never claimed I wouldn't disappoint you, big guy."

"Pfft. Get in the house. It's about time we fill that pie hole of yours."

"Well, I guess you did take me out for dinner..." I wink at him and watch with a smirk as that familiar, uncomfortable expression settles over his features. I pat his chest and then turn away to move up the porch stairs.

"With pie!" Theo awkwardly calls after me as I open the front door.

And just like Emily, I enter the house giggling to myself.

----------

"I can't eat another bite." I put my fork down and push my slice of pie away. I was already full from the delicious lasagna, but the pie looked too good to not at least try, which quickly turned into eating half the slice.

Theo leans across the table and grabs the edge of the plastic takeout container that holds the remainder of my pie slice. "I was hoping you'd say that!" he says with a grin while pulling it toward himself. He eats the last bite of his own slice and then starts in on mine.

"Ew!" Emily exclaims, pulling a face. "Germs!"

Theo shrugs and eats another bite of my pie, then points his fork at me. "You don't have cooties, do you, Milia?"

I nod slowly. "Actually, I do."

Theo pauses, then shrugs again. "Worth it." He grins at me while Emily squeals with disgust, and shoves another large forkful into his mouth. "It's strawberry rhubarb, Emy. Strawberry. Rhubarb."

I suppress a laugh and shake my head at him with amusement, while Emily makes exaggerated gagging noises. My attention is pulled away from their dramatics when Cal abruptly stands up from his chair.

All eyes turn to him, waiting to hear what he has to say, but he just stands there, then leans forward and starts collecting the forks and empty pie containers. "Thanks for the pie, Theo," he says with what I recognize as a forced smile. "And for driving Emilia back. I appreciate it." He looks to me next. "You could have called me."

"My pleasure, Cal. It was really no problem," Theo replies, but Cal keeps his eyes on me.

"I was fine with walking," I answer with a shrug, "But Theo gave me an offer I couldn't refuse." I look at Theo with a smirk and he grins back at me. That "offer" had been an abduction threat, but I don't think discussing that in front of Emily is a good idea.

Cal narrows his eyes at me, and I'm reminded of his warning this morning to "Not fuck with Theo". He must think I let all this happen intentionally to do just that.

April reaches a hand up to lightly stroke Cal's arm. He seems to snap out of his angry trance and steps away from the table to bring the forks and containers to the counter.

"How did your shopping go today, Emilia?" April asks, trying to lighten the mood, "Are your bags in Theo's truck? Cal, could—"

"I didn't get anything," I answer. I notice Theo looking at me again, but he's not smiling this time. He's once again looking at me with pity... Or maybe, it's just concern.

Damn, I need a cigarette.

I stand up and tuck my chair under the table, then begin to walk out of the kitchen.

"Milia?"

"Emy!"

Theo and Cal call after me at the same time, and I almost laugh at the different way they do it. Theo's voice is strong, but laced with concern and confusion, whereas Cal's sounds like his usual barking demand.

I turn around to face them. "Relax boys. I'm just going..." I notice Emily watching me as well, and end my explanation with, "... to the bathroom."

I shake my head at myself as I walk through the living room to the staircase to retrieve my cigarettes. Why did I bother lying? I don't care if Emily knows I smoke.

----------

I lean against the side of the house and breathe in the smokey nicotine with my eyes closed. This day has been absolutely exhausting, both physically and mentally. Yet, over all, it's probably been the best one I've had in a while. It was nice to get away from everything and think about someone else's life other than my own fucked up one. Who would have thought the miserable giant would make good company?

As I take a final drag of my cigarette, I hear the door open and footsteps on the porch.

That must be Theo heading home.

I drop my cigarette in the grass and step on it to snuff it out, then push off the wall and begin to walk along the side of the house. It's not that I want to see Theo again or anything, I'm just done smoking and ready to go inside.

But when I near the front of the house, it's Cal's voice that I hear.

"Hey Melissa..." He says with a quiet sigh.

I wait for someone to reply, but no one does, and Cal continues talking.

"Yeah, uh, it's not going to work tonight. I just wanted to call to let you know so that you weren't waiting around for me."

Who did he have to step outside to call?

"No, no," he says to the woman he's in a call with, "We're good! You don't need to worry. Just, some things came up, and I have to deal with them first..."

He laughs softly at whatever Melissa replies with, then shocks the hell out of me by answering, "Hey, you're not my wife. Why would I lie to you?"

What?

I walk around the corner to get a look at Cal, and find him pacing back and forth on the porch, looking down at his feet with a small smile on his lips. He doesn't notice me coming toward him and keeps talking.

"I really do need to see you soon though... Maybe tomorrow night or Monday? Hopefully things are a little more settled here by then. I'm, uh, going a little crazy without you, to be honest, but I'm sure you already guessed that."

He shakes his head to whatever she replies. "No, it's okay, I'll manage. You gonna be okay without me though?"

He laughs loudly this time and grins like a fool. "Sure, sure, whatever you say. I know you're just pining away to see me."

"Yeah, Monday. Sounds good. Get ready to be amazed."

"Tell you? Over the phone? Naaah, I know you'd prefer to hear it when you can see my handsome face. If I can wait, you can too."

He laughs again and then nods his head. "I'll be there. Have a good night... If you even can without me."

He continues to laugh while he hangs up the phone and slides it into his pocket, but he stops immediately when he notices me standing next to the porch.

"Emy... I thought you were in the bathroom?" he explains awkwardly.

My eyes narrow as I cross my arms over my chest. "Damnit Cal. If you're going to be stepping out on your wife, I'm right here."

Author's Note: Oh geez, Cal. What are you up to now? 😳