Sebastian was standing at the sink in Reese''s bright yellow duck apron, the straps barely fitting around his frame. He clutched a sponge in his right hand, scrubbing a porcin bowl so slowly it was like he was afraid it might break. Every movement looked careful, almostical, and somehow made him seem even more out of ce.


    Water dripped from the edge of the bowl, sshing into the sink with soft, scattered sounds. It only made his awkwardness more obvious.


    Reese stopped in her tracks. In all her years with Sebastian, she couldn''t remember a single time he''d washed so much as a coffee mug. Seeing him here, sleeves rolled up, struggling with the dishes-it was surreal.


    "You don''t have to do that," she said quietly,ing up beside him. She nced at the drying rack. Bowls were stacked haphazardly and still covered in suds, a couple of which with dried rice stuck inside. She let out a sigh. Yeah, she''d figured. Sebastian doing dishes? Not likely.


    "I''ll handle it." She nudged him aside, turned on the faucet, and picked up a bowl. The sponge moved easily in her hands, and in just a few seconds she''d cleaned it spotless.


    Sebastian lingered at her side, watching her work. He looked embarrassed. “It''s my first time. I don''t really know what I''m doing."


    He hesitated, then added, "But I want to help out more. I mean it."


    He wasn''t just saying it, either. Married all these years, and tonight was the first time he felt like he was starting to understand what it meant to actually live together.


    Reese shut off the water, set thest bowl in the rack, and turned to face him.


    "Sebastian, thank you foring tonight. For helping Annie and me," she said, her voice gentle but steady. "If you hadn''t shown up, I really don''t know what would''ve happened."


    Sebastian started to reply, but Reese kept going.


    "But you don''t have to do all this," she said. "You didn''t before, and you don''t need


    to now. I''ve been taking care of things on my own for a long time. We''ve both


    gotten this far as we are, and neither of us needs to change."


    "No. I don''t want to be like this anymore." There was a tremor in Sebastian''s voice, something like panic. It hit him, suddenly, how fragile everything between them felt.


    "Reese, I know made mistakes. I misjudged you, I ignored you, I let our family slip away," he said, words tumbling out in a rush. "But I want to fix it want to bring Robbie home The three of us, together, like tonight. Please, Reese. I''ll make it right-you have to believe me."


    He looked so desperate, so sincere, that Reese just stared at him for a long moment. Then she asked, quietly, "Sebastian, are you hiding something from me?"


    Sebastian''s eyes went sharp, his whole body tensing up. Was she talking about the surrogacy? No, it couldn''t be. If Reese knew, she would have left withouta ser?nd thought she''d never just go along with what her grandfather wanted.


    He forced himself to look calm. "No," he said softly.


    Reese closed her eyes, slow and tired. Even now, he still wouldn''t tell her the truth. If she weren''t worried about tipping him off, she would''ve pped him right across the face.


    Sebastian watched her, worry etched deep in his brow. He tried, "Is this about Leslie?"


    He kept going, "We''ve known each


    other for a long time. She saved my


    life once. I was just paying her back.


    I didn''t tell you because I thought she''d go back to the States and it wouldn''t matter."


    That did it. Reese''s patience snapped. She opened her eyes and looked him right in the face.


    "Sebastian, whatever''s between you and Leslie, that''s your business. But you can''t just do anything for her. Not everything."


    Sebastian thought she''d found out about the agreement he''d signed for Leslie at


    the agency. He rushed to exin, "No, I only did that because-"


    Reese cut him off. "Sebastian, you have Leslie in your past. But you should remember, I have Zach in mine."


    Of course he remembered. It had always bothered him. He''d even secretly done a paternity test after Robbie was born.


    "After we got married, I cut Zach out of my life. I never reached out, never asked for help, never did anything for him. Not once."