Jason walked over to I, his voice gentle and reassuring. "I, you can call me Papa Jason from now on. If you ever need anything, juste to me." Then, turning to Alisa, he added, "Anastasia, if you ever find yourself in a bind, don''t hesitate to reach out. I promised Will I''d look after you and your daughter."


    He was ready to take on the fatherly role for I, honoring his friend''s memory. For Alisa, his support would be financial, as he wasn''t ready to share a living space.


    Understanding the subtle rejection, Alisa forced a smile and said, "Let''s eat before the food gets cold. Kids say the darnedest things, right, Jason? You''ve been a great help to us." "Of course," Jason nodded, taking his seat.


    After dinner, Jason was about to handle the dishes when a call from work came in; duty called, so he excused himself to his study.


    I helped Alisa with the dishes, both busy in the kitchen.


    In a soft voice, Alisa instructed I, "Later, ask Uncle Luke to help with your homework, okay? Try to hit the hay early, alright?"


    I gave a thumbs-up. "Don''t worry, Mom, I got this. I''ll win Uncle Luke over for us."


    At seven, I was quite perceptive and understood her mom''s hopes. She liked Uncle Luke too, hoping he''d be the dad she wished for. Having a police officer as a dad would be so cool. Alisa, smiling, ruffled her daughter''s hair. "That''s my girl. I''ll cut some apples for Uncle Luke."


    After preparing the fruit, I carried it to Jason. "Papa Jason, have some strawberries. They''re really sweet."


    I smoothly started calling him Papa Jason.


    After ending his call, Jason epted a strawberry with a smile. "Delicious."


    "Papa Jason, I haven''t finished my homework. Will you help me, please?" I asked sweetly.


    "Of course," Jason replied. "What do you have left?"


    "Just a few math problems and some crafts..."


    The workload for a first grader seemed hefty to Jason, who couldn''t remember having so much at her age. School life was tough with all those early mornings andte nights. Jason helped I with her homework while Alisa finished in the kitchen, moving on toundry, washing Jason''s clothes and hanging them to dry.


    Seeing Alisa handle hisundry, especially his underwear, made Jason scratch his head awkwardly. "Anastasia, you don''t have to do myundry. I can handle it..."


    "It''s really no big deal. You''re busy enough," Alisa assured with a smile. "I''ll make some pot pies and freeze them for you. Homemade is better than store-bought." Embarrassed, Jason could only grin sheepishly. By the time I finished her homework, it was 10 p.m., and she was yawning.


    "Papa Jason, I''m sleepy," I murmured, curling up in Jason''s arms and dozing off.


    Given thete hour, Jason decided it was best not to send the mother and daughter home. Setting up the guest room for them seemed like the best choice.


    After ensuring I was asleep in the guest room, Alisa, trying to hide her embarrassment, thanked Jason. "Thanks, Jason. I''s been swamped with school stuff; it''s worn her out." "No worries, Anastasia. You should get some rest too," Jason said. "I need to head back to the station for a bit."


    Jason opted to stay at the station to maintain propriety and protect Alisa from gossip.


    Before Alisa could respond, Jason grabbed his keys and left.


    Alisa stood in the living room, feeling a bit sad. She considered Jason''s ce her home, bing part of his daily life-cooking, cleaning, and being seen by neighbors as his wife. Rather than correct anyone, Alisa let the rumors be, silently guarding the home and rtionship she cherished, determined to keep it safe from outsiders.