Nora
I headed downstairs on Sunday morning, not entirely sure what I was supposed to do with myself.
When Charlotte was here, there was always a routine. Breakfast. Getting her dressed. Playing outside. Trips to the park or the pool. Snack negotiations with a very determined three-year-old who firmly believed goldfish crackers counted as a major food group.
But without her here, the house felt strangely quiet.
And with the way Theo and I had left things last night…
With the whole dress unzipping thing and what my romantically delusional brain wanted to interpret as sparks… it just kind of felt like things might be a little different than they’d been even twenty-four hours ago.
Which was both exciting and mildly terrifying.
Still, despite whatever sparks may or may not be sizzling just beneath the surface, the last thing I wanted was to wander downstairs looking like I expected Theo to entertain me all day.
So, putting on the new pink athletic set I’d gotten yesterday, I grabbed a quick protein coffee from the kitchen and then headed to the basement to get in a workout that I was very much in need of.
Was I secretly hoping I might also find Theo getting in one of those workouts that he said was imperative for his mental health?
Maybe…
But when I walked into the home gym and didn’t find him there, I did my best to smother the flicker of disappointment rising in my chest.
Theo had his own life. And just because I happened to be living here now, it didn’t mean we’d be spending our Sundays together like some sort of couple.
So, pushing my thoughts aside, I turned on my upbeat gym playlist and did one of the upper body weight training routines I’d done a thousand times.
By the time I went back upstairs, my muscles were pleasantly tired and my thoughts had stopped replaying all the little moments I’d been twisting to be romantic since last night.
Mostly, at least.
After eating breakfast and taking a quick shower, I decided to head back downstairs to see if I could find a book to read. But when I stepped out of my room, I noticed Theo’s bedroom door was open. And I could hear him moving around inside.
For a moment, I hesitated with my hand on the banister at the top of the stairs, debating whether I should stop by and see what his plans might be for the day.
But would that look too needy?
Yeah… probably.
But then I remembered that I still had the dress from last night hanging in the closet of my new room and decided that returning it would give me the perfect excuse to drop in and say hi. So I went back into my room, grabbed the dress, shoes, and clutch, and carried them down the hall.
Theo was standing near his dresser when I knocked lightly on the open door.
“Hey,” I said, lifting the bundle slightly when he looked up. “I just wanted to bring these back. Thanks again for letting me borrow them.”
“Oh.” His eyes dropped to the items in my hands for a moment before he stepped forward and took them from me. “No problem.”
He set the things down on the bed behind him.
And that was when I noticed the slight droop in his shoulders. The tired look in his eyes. Like he hadn’t slept very well.
Something about his energy felt off.
My stomach twisted a little as the thought crept in.
Was it because of me? Because of last night?
Maybe he was already regretting everything he’d done for me yesterday—helping me replace my things, offering to let me stay here, letting me borrow his wife’s things.
“Hey,” I said gently. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” He gave a quick nod. “I’m fine.”
But the answer came a little too quickly. Like he was brushing the question aside rather than actually answering it.
“Hey,” I said again, a little more carefully this time, the thoughts in my head making heat creep up the back of my neck.
“If it’s weird that I’m staying here… or if you’re having second thoughts or anything, I’m totally fine getting a hotel.
I don’t want to do anything that makes you uncomfortable in your own house. ”
Theo looked up quickly. “No. It’s fine.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I just had a weird dream last night. I guess I’m just a little shaken.”
“Oh.” My expression softened immediately. “I’m sorry. Want to talk about it?”
For a moment it looked like he might. Then he shook his head.
“No, I uh… I think I just need to do something productive today.”
“You have a day off from dad and attorney mode and your first instinct is to be productive?” I shook my head. “Remind me never to ask you for relaxation tips.”
That finally earned me a small chuckle.
“I did my relaxing at the spa last weekend, remember? So I’m good for another year or so.” He sat down on the edge of the bed with a quiet sigh, glancing toward the closet. “I’ve actually been thinking about boxing up Alisha’s things today.”
“Really?” I asked, stepping farther into the room before sitting beside him. “That’s… a lot.”
My instinct was to reach out and place a hand on his knee. But I hesitated, unsure if that would cross a line, so I kept my hands folded in my lap instead.
Theo ran a hand through his dark hair. “Yeah. It is.” He exhaled slowly.
“But I think it’s time. Holding onto her things won’t bring her back.
And if I ever want to have a fighting chance at actually moving forward with my life…
” He gestured toward the bathroom where her closet was.
“I probably need to stop treating that space like a museum.”
And for a moment, I didn’t know what to say.
Should I encourage him? Tell him it was good he was ready to take this next step?
Or should I pull back and tell him there was no need to rush? Say it was okay to hold on to her things forever if he needed?
I’d never lost someone the way he had, so I had no idea what the right answer was supposed to be.
After a moment, I carefully said, “Do you want help?”
He glanced over at me, his eyebrows knitting together.
“I mean…” I shrugged lightly. “I did basically declutter my entire life two nights ago, so at this point I’m practically a professional.”
That earned the first genuine smile I’d seen from him.
And something about that made my chest feel warm.
“Part of me wants to say no.” He rubbed the back of his neck again.
“That I should probably do this on my own. But…” He sighed, his eyes drifting toward the bathroom again.
“Considering how little progress I’ve made in the past two years, having someone there might actually help.
If not to just have someone to keep me company. ”
“I can do that,” I said immediately. “If you want to point at things while I do all the physical labor, I’m happy to volunteer. Or if you just need an emotional support human, I can do that as well.”
“I’ll probably need a mix of both,” he said. Then he glanced around the room as if he was trying to problem solve. “I probably need boxes, though.” His brow furrowed as he looked back at me. “Do people just box up designer couture?”
I shrugged, not having any experience in that arena. “I think you get to make whatever rules make this easiest for you.”
“Yeah.” He nodded again, like that helped. “Easy sounds good.”