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“I was thinking we could make breakfast. How does that sound?”

“Like yum!”

“Have you ever had eggs benedict?” She shrugs her little shoulders. “Well, you’re in for a treat.”I hope…do kids like hollandaise sauce?

Tatum stands on her stool at the counter, and I show her how to separate egg yolks from whites. “Dis feels yucky,” she squeals, and I agree.

Once our yolks are safely in the blender, we add two teaspoons of water using her special rainbow set of measuring spoons, along with salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. Switching gears, Tatum drags her stool over to the stove and we set to work on step two of our sauce, melting the butter until it’s nice and foamy.

When it’s just right, I help her slowly pour the butter into the blender as well, before securing the lid. I show her which button to press, and she squeals when the loud mechanical whir fills the room. She then helps me transfer the sauce to a small bowl, and I cover it with plastic wrap.

“What next?” she asks, her voice bubbling over with excitement.

“Now we poach our eggs.” The hot water makes me nervous, so I only let her watch with this part, but I still explain every step. “You don’t ever want the water to be boiling, just a few bubbles. You got that?”

She nods like a scientist checking an experiment. “Bubbles, not boils.”

We set our eggs onto a paper-towel-covered plate and start on toasting our English muffins. While they get golden and crispy, we fry up some Canadian bacon.

“We done?” she asks, looking at the plates of food on the counter.

“Not quite. Now we have to assemble them.”

“Ah-swimble?”

“Assemble. Or…build them. Kind of like blocks.”

I show her the order to stack them with the first one and help her with the second, but the third…the third I let her try solo.

The tip of her tongue pokes out in concentration as she sets an English muffin onto the plate in front of her. She moves the Canadian bacon with surgeon-like precision. It’s the egg that trips her up. She sets it down a little too roughly, and the yolk bursts.

Suddenly, my worst fear is coming true. Her big green eyes are full of tears. “I broke’d it,” she wails, absolutely distraught.

Without even thinking about it, I wrap her in my arms and hug her tight. “It’s okay,” I soothe, “I promise. It’s okay.”

“But now da yolk ran away,” she sniffles.

“It did. But it didn’t get far.” I show her how the yolk is pooling around the bread. “It will still taste just the same. In fact, I think I want to eat this one. Can I?”

Her tears wane, and she looks at me with pure joy. “Really?”

“Really-really. Now, let’s finish up. Your mom should be ready to join us soon.”

We crank out the remaining benedicts, and I carry them to the table just as Natalie enters the room. “Mmm, something smells good!”

Tatum rushes over to her and drags her to the table. “We made eggs…uh, eggs…”

“Benedict,” I fill in. “And Tatum helped every step of the way.”

Natalie shoots me a knowing look. One that says,that’s because she takes after you.My throat clogs with emotion, but I swallow it down. “Let’s eat!”

CHAPTER 26

NATALIE

I typically finishassignments long before the allotted time runs out, but tonight I am down to the wire. Every little sound Alden and Tatum make distracts me.What are they doing? Are they having fun? Are things going smoothly?I try my damndest to focus, butgah! The distraction is real!

At the last minute possible, I click submit and push back from my small, cramped desk. Standing, I reach my arms over my head and arch my back in a stretch worthy of a cat resting in the sun. I give myself a mental pep talk, pumping myself up for whatever they’ve been up to and head out toward them.