Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Sydney
The first thing Sydney noticed when she woke was the light.
It was so soft and golden. The most stunning brilliance spilling through the curtains like a promise.
The second was the quiet hum of voices from somewhere beyond her door, low and familiar.
For a moment, she lay still beneath the cozy blanket, listening.
The tightness in her chest, the weight that had pressed on her for so long, felt lighter this morning.
She felt... safe. Safe, cared for and cherished in a way she was not going to take for granted.
A sweet, unfamiliar smell drifted in, something toasty, sugary and absolutely to-die-for. She sat up slowly, brushing her hair back from her face, and padded barefoot toward the kitchen, drawn by the sounds and smells.
Roland’s voice came first, full of enthusiasm. “You’re not even ready for how good these are gonna be. You know as well as I do, Levi, Pop-Tarts are iconic. Any self-respecting Daddy knows this is the way to get into a Little’s heart.”
Levi’s rumbling reply made Sydney smile. “That ain’t breakfast, Ro. That’s dessert disguised as food. She’s gonna get used to it and think I’m a mean Daddy when I make her eat something with actual protein.”
Sydney hesitated in the doorway, peeking in. Roland stood at the counter, fussing over a toaster like it was a high-stakes operation, his expression bright and boyish. Levi leaned against the opposite counter, arms folded, pretending to glare, but his mouth was twitching at the corners.
“Good morning,” Sydney said softly, unable to hide the smile tugging at her lips.
Both men turned at once, their faces lighting up at the sight of her.
“Well, there’s our little bird,” Roland said, crossing the room to her in two quick steps. He bent and kissed her temple, his hand warm on her back.
Levi followed, wrapping a strong arm around her shoulders and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Morning, baby. Sleep well?”
How could she not? She’d awoken once and discovered that Roland had not only come home, but had joined them in bed.
It had been such an incredible feeling, one of safety and coziness that she’d snuggled deeper into the covers and fallen back asleep.
She nodded, warmth flooding through her at the simple affection.
The sight of Roland brushing a crumb from Levi’s shirt, Levi stealing a quick kiss in return.
It filled up something empty inside her.
This. This was what she’d dreamed of, the casual intimacies shared between partners.
No matter what shape that partnership took.
Or how many people it had in it, apparently.
Roland gestured dramatically to the toaster. “Okay, okay. I know it’s not, like, a proper breakfast—”
“Darn right it ain’t,” Levi muttered, though the fondness in his voice gave him away.
“—but I had to go to the store yesterday, stock up on a few essentials. And after you said you’d never had Pop-Tarts before, I had to get them for you. It’s a cultural experience!”
Sydney giggled, covering her mouth. “I didn’t mean to make such a big deal about it!
There are a fair few things I’ve never tried before.
.. some of them I’d honestly be able to live without.
” She shuddered just at the thought of having powdered sugar donuts.
From a bag of all things! They were meant to be baked fresh and consumed in the same state, for goodness’ sake!
“But now it is a big deal,” Roland declared, triumphant. The toaster popped just then, making Sydney jump and Roland laugh.
Levi shook his head, but his eyes crinkled with amusement. He tugged her gently toward the table, keeping her tucked under his arm. “Come on, little miss. Let’s get you sitting down before Ro decides to introduce you to Twinkies and Cheetos, too.”
Roland shot him a grin. “Don’t tempt me.”
“I mean... we do have Tinkies, without the oddly placed ‘w’, along with cheese naks. But I’m definitely not opposed to trying your wackier American versions,” Sydney teased as she slid onto a chair, feeling shy and glowy all at once.
She watched as the two of them moved around each other, casual touches and easy kisses exchanged in between grabbing plates and napkins.
When Levi brushed past Roland, his hand lingered at his waist. When Roland passed Levi the butter, his fingers squeezed Levi’s for just a second longer than needed.
And Sydney felt wrapped up in all of it, part of it. When Levi set a glass of milk in front of her, she dared to say, “Thank you, Daddy.”
His head turned, eyes soft and warm, and he bent to kiss her hair again. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
Roland beamed, sliding a plate in front of her with the Pop-Tarts carefully arranged. “And from this Daddy, otherwise known as your official Pop-Tart provider.”
She bit her lip, heart fluttering, giggles building inside her chest. “Thank you, Daddy Roland.”
His eyes sparkled, and he ruffled her hair gently. “That sounds good coming from you, you know that?”
Just as she thought her heart couldn’t feel fuller, Roland’s eyes lit up. “Oh! I almost forgot, I have something for you!”
He darted out of the room, returning a moment later with a small shopping bag.
He set it on the table, practically bouncing with excitement.
“Okay, so the Pop-Tarts weren’t the only thing I saw that had to come home with me yesterday.
You don’t have anything like this here yet, because as you know, we were woefully unprepared for you.
But I saw them, and I thought that maybe you would like to use them when you come over here?
It could make your meal times with us more fun. ”
He pulled out two brightly colored sets; each with a cup, plate, bowl, and little fork and spoon. One was a vivid pink with chubby bunnies frolicking across it. The other had dancing bananas in blue-striped pajamas, their cartoon faces goofy and cheerful.
Sydney burst into giggles, covering her mouth. “Oh no! How am I supposed to choose? They’re both so funny!”
Roland grinned. “I knew you’d like them. Hmm… how about this? We mix and match. Bunnies for your plate, bananas for your cup. Or the other way around! You can create your own set.”
Her giggles doubled, and she nodded eagerly. “Yes, please!”
Levi chuckled, reaching over to tuck her hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered for a second, the touch so gentle it made her heart ache in the best way ever. “You’re easy to please, little miss.”
The three of them set to work arranging her new dishes, Roland making a show of deciding which combinations were the most stylish, Levi pretending to judge them like some grumpy food critic but unable to hide his smile.
And through it all, Sydney kept waiting, waiting for one of them to bring up last night.
Her punishment. The tears. The storm of emotions.
But they didn’t. Levi and Roland treated her like nothing had changed, like she wasn’t fragile or in trouble, like she was just theirs.
The past was left in the past, and this morning was bright and new.
She let herself lean into it. She took a bite of the Pop-Tart, grinning at Roland’s eager look, and when Levi offered her a forkful of his eggs “so she could taste real breakfast,” she took that too, feeling cherished.
For the first time, the idea of staying didn’t feel like something she had to earn. It felt like something she already had.
“Now, just wait until I get you some bagels to try!” Roland told her after she polished off three Pop-Tarts while Levi scowled at them, though his eyes betrayed his amusement.