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Benjamin finally seemed to take notice of the rest of the occupants in the kitchen. “Sorry. Good night, Mom.” He walked over and dropped a kiss on her cheek, before reaching over and dabbing his father, “Dad.” His sister got a head nod. “Junior.”

“Hey Benny, want me to grab you a slice of cake?”

“Thanks, Sis.”

Oliver looked on at the exchange with his mouth open. Ivy never understood how her youngest was able… it seemed, effortlessly to get under her eldest’s skin. It was an art, she guessed. Sage was a master. Who to top things off stuck her tongue out at her brother.

“Seriously Oliver. You couldn’t message me and tell me to come in for cake?”

“Sorry man,” Oliver said around a mouthful.

“Jackass.” Benjamin mouthed. He knew better than to swear in front of his mother with his father present.

Manny was a pretty laid-back father, but on that, he had no compromise.“I’m raising gentlemen.”That was his creed.

After the day she had, it was good to have her family together. It was loud and beautiful. It almost made it feel like there wasn’t a heavy cloud looming over their family, threatening the fabric of the bond between Emmanuel and Ivy. She hadn’t looked over in his direction for a while. The last time she had done so, her heart sank. One of the kids had said something funny. She looked over at Manny, expecting to find him waiting to share the moment with her. Instead. He wasn’t even smiling, but looked off with a faraway look.

“Mom, do you have milk?”

“No sorry, we are all out of Oat milk, Oliver.”

“Ahh, come on Mom.”

Before Ivy could respond. Sage got great satisfaction in doing it. “We don’t have to keep Oat milk. You don’t live here, dude.”

That elicited a healthy debate between the children. Through it all, Manny remained quiet. He was a million miles away. If the children noticed, they probably chalked it up to work worries.

“Dad,” Oliver called. To which his father nodded. “Are you gonna make my last game against Saint Augustine’s on Thursday?”

“Yeah, but I’ll be like a half hour or so late.”

Oliver did the best he could to mask his disappointment quickly, but Ivy spied it.

“I have a track meet right before your game. No one is going out after. So, I will come with Dad to your game,” Benjamin added.

His boys needed him, so he moved heaven and earth to try to be there. Dad goals.

So why are you doubting him? Why did you take that damned STI test?Oh, that part of her was a toughie. Held her to unfair… inhumane standards.

“Oliver, I have to head back to the dorm. If you want a ride back, let’s go.”

Oliver nodded at his brother.

“Boys, take one of the cakes with you.” On second thought, Ivy specified. “You guys split it in half.”

Hopefully, that would keep them from fighting. It was wishful thinking on her part. Oliver went off to grab the item he had stopped by to grab and left his brother to divide the cake. Once Oliver returned, it was clear the hope of them not getting into it was dashed in smoke.

Sage excused herself to go finish her homework. Manny and Ivy worked together to straighten up the kitchen. So Ivy hadn’t paid attention to what Benjamin had done. Besides. Benjamin was normally the responsible one.

“Are you kidding me? Mom, Dad. Get your money back! Benjamin isn’t going to get that undergrad in mathematics. Does this look like half as?—”

“Oliver!”

“Sorry, Dad. But look at this.” Oliver opened the container. Both Ivy and Manny looked at the piece of cake and burst out laughing. Oliver was lucky if there was a third in there.

“How is this fair? Mom, Dad do something.”

Manny went into dad mode. “Benjamin. Come on, man.”

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