Chapter Fourteen – Leo
“This is going to be great,” Leo’s bear said happily.
I hope you’re right, Leo replied. They both knew how much was riding on this morning. He’d invited his family over for breakfast to meet Estelle and Adara.
She needs this, his bear continued. They both do. A family.
Leo glanced at the clock, then checked the oven where muffins were baking, their cinnamon-apple scent filling the kitchen. He’d been up since dawn, preparing everything with care: fresh fruit cut into neat chunks, bacon cooked crisp, coffee measured out and ready to brew.
“Is it time yet?” Adara asked, standing on her tiptoes as she peered out of the window. She’d been stationed there for the past fifteen minutes, Fizz clutched tightly to her chest.
“Almost,” Leo replied, smiling at her excitement.
She’s not afraid at all, his bear noted with approval.
No, Leo thought. Children adapt more easily than adults. It’s Estelle I’m worried about.
Estelle had already changed her outfit twice, and with every passing minute, her tension had become more obvious. A little while ago, she had slipped into the bathroom to freshen up, and now ten minutes had gone by.
“I should check on your mom,” Leo told Adara, wiping his hands on a dish towel.
He crossed the hall, knocked softly on the bathroom door, and waited. For a moment, he thought she wasn’t going to answer.
“Estelle.”
“Come in.”
He cracked the door open and found Estelle staring at her reflection, her knuckles white where she gripped the edge of the sink.
“Hey,” he said softly. “Are you okay?”
She startled slightly, then forced a smile. “Fine. Just... preparing.”
Leo stepped behind her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. “They’re going to love you. Both of you.”
“What if they don’t?” The vulnerability in her voice made his heart ache.
“Impossible,” he said firmly. “But even if, and that’s a big if, they’re still just people. People whose opinions can’t hurt you unless you let them.”
She doesn’t believe you, his bear observed.
I know, Leo replied. Words aren’t enough here. She needs to see it.
The distant sound of cars approaching made Estelle stiffen beneath his hands.
“They’re here!” Adara called from the living room, her voice high with excitement.
“Ready?” Leo asked, meeting Estelle’s eyes in the mirror.
She took a deep breath and nodded once. “As I’ll ever be.”
They’ll be on their best behavior, his bear said as they walked back to the main room. Remember what you told them.
I was very clear, Leo agreed. But “best behavior” means different things to different Thornbergs.
He’d called each family member individually, emphasizing the need for sensitivity and discretion.
His mom had listened with her usual warmth before promising to keep everyone in line.
Caleb had been calm and practical, as always.
Matt had made a joke, then turned serious when Leo didn’t laugh.
Kirk had simply said that he understood.
Spencer, in his usual quiet way, had promised not to stir the pot. Not that he ever did.
The doorbell rang, and Adara looked to Leo for permission before racing to answer it.
“Wait,” Estelle called, hurrying after her. “Let Leo...”
But Adara had already flung the door wide open, her small face tipped up to take in the crowd on the porch.
“Hello!” she announced with the fearless confidence of a child. “I’m Adara, and this is Fizz. Are you Leo’s family?”
Leo moved quickly to stand beside her, his hand finding Estelle’s lower back as she joined them. The touch was meant to reassure, to ground, to promise I’m right here.
Eleanor stood at the front of the group, her eyes bright with excitement even though she was clearly trying to keep her expression composed.
Thaddeus stood beside her, steady and watchful in the way that always made Leo think of deep roots and old trees.
Behind them were Caleb with Hannah, Matt with Tessa, Kirk with Isla, and Spencer standing slightly apart on one side.
He needs a mate, too, Leo’s bear said.
Yes, he does, Leo agreed.
“Well, hello there,” Eleanor said, crouching slightly to meet Adara at eye level. “I’m Eleanor, Leo’s mom. And yes, we’re his family.” She looked up at Estelle, her smile widening. “You must be Estelle. It’s lovely to finally meet you both.”
“Come in, come in,” Leo said, stepping back to let them enter.
They filed in with the usual Thornberg chaos, voices overlapping, children immediately asking where Snuggles was, and everyone trying to carry in food at once.
Hannah came in with her best friend’s daughters, Lucy and Aria, close beside her; once the girls heard breakfast was happening at Leo’s house, they had insisted on coming to see Snuggles.
As if summoned by the attention, Snuggles appeared from the hallway with his tail high, weaving around ankles and brushing against trouser legs as he inspected the new arrivals.
Lucy bent to stroke him at once, and he accepted it as his due before winding around Adara’s feet too, purring as if he had appointed himself part of the welcoming committee.
“I brought orange juice,” Eleanor announced, holding up a large pitcher. “Freshly squeezed.”
“And we brought pastries,” Hannah said, lifting a bakery box while Lucy and Aria hovered beside her.
“Because apparently breakfast can’t happen in this family without enough food for twenty,” Tessa said dryly.
“Correct,” Matt said cheerfully. “That is exactly how breakfast works.”
Leo watched Estelle carefully, alert for signs of overwhelm. She stood slightly apart, her posture tense and her expression wary, as if she didn’t know how she was meant to behave. Yet when Eleanor approached her directly, something in her eyes flickered with unmistakable longing.
She wants this, his bear said softly. Even though it terrifies her.
“It’s lovely to meet you,” Eleanor was saying, taking Estelle’s hand between both of hers. “Leo has been absolutely impossible to pin down lately, and now I see why.”
The gentle teasing made Estelle’s cheeks flush, but Leo noticed her shoulders relax slightly.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” she replied, her voice steadier than he’d expected.
“And you,” Eleanor echoed with a smile. “It can’t be easy starting over in a new town when you have a little one.”
Estelle half turned, searching the room for Adara. Leo followed her gaze and smiled despite himself. Lucy and Aria were already making friends with the little girl, while Snuggles had settled himself nearby as if supervising the entire exchange.
“That dragon’s really pretty,” Lucy said, peering at Fizz with admiration.
“Does she have a name?” Aria asked.
“Fizz,” Adara said proudly, holding her up. “She flies and likes chocolate.”
“Then she’ll fit right in,” Percy said, stepping forward at last with more confidence now.
“There’s a fairy garden at our house,” Lucy said. “Maybe you and Fizz can come and see it.”
Adara’s eyes widened. “A real fairy garden?”
“It’s the best,” Lucy said importantly. “We made tiny paths and little houses.”
“And there’s a treehouse too,” Aria added. “And fairy steps.”
Percy nodded. “I helped with some of it. We can show you.”
They’re already making her part of the family, his bear said with satisfaction.
It’s all going better than I’d hoped, Leo agreed.
It would be even better if you fed them all, his bear added.
It would.
“Shall we go and eat?” Leo suggested, guiding everyone toward the kitchen where the table was already laid. “While everything is still hot.”
As his family bustled around, adding their contributions to the spread, Leo moved to Estelle’s side.
“Doing okay?” he asked quietly.
She nodded, her eyes following Adara, who was now deep in conversation with Lucy, Aria, and Percy about whether fairies liked dragons or only tolerated them.
“She’s so... happy,” Estelle said softly.
The wonder in her voice made his heart ache.
“Kids are good at that,” he murmured. “They just get on with it.”
“Something we adults could learn from,” Eleanor commented, appearing beside them with plates in hand. She gave Estelle a gentle smile. “Leo tells me you’re new to Bear Creek. How are you finding it so far?”
Leo tensed slightly, ready to intervene if the questions became too personal, but Eleanor’s tone was casual, her question broad enough to be safe.
She’s being careful, his bear noted with approval. She understood what you told her.
Estelle seemed to recognize it too, her posture easing further as she answered. “It’s beautiful here. So peaceful. Adara loves all the trees and wildlife.”
“It’s a wonderful place for children,” Eleanor agreed, glancing toward the knot of children now clustered near the table. “They need room to explore, to work things out for themselves, to become who they’re meant to become.”
“Yes,” Estelle said, her voice catching on the emotion she was trying to hold in check. “That’s exactly what I want for her.”
“Okay, everyone, dig in,” Leo urged as they all found seats around the table.
The meal settled into the familiar rhythm of Thornberg gatherings, dishes passed, conversations overlapping, laughter punctuating the clatter of silverware.
Leo kept a careful eye on Estelle, ready to step in if she needed it, but to his relief, she seemed to relax.
Before long, she was deep in conversation with Kirk about hot chili sauce.
Then she looked up and watched as Adara charmed everyone at the table, and the expression on her face gave Leo a surge of hope. And gratitude toward his family. They had made her feel included.
Part of something.
Leo’s bear stirred with satisfaction. She’s seeing it now. How they could be allies, not threats.
I think so, Leo agreed. Just watch how she looks at Mom when she thinks no one’s paying attention.
It was true. When Eleanor was focused elsewhere, Estelle studied her with a wistful expression that made Leo’s chest ache. She was seeing something she had never had.
She’d never known what it was like to have family always there for her. Then she’d lost Maris, the one person she had truly connected with and depended on. After that, she had to fight for Adara against Julian’s family.
How different Estelle’s life might have been if she’d had family beside her through all of that.
She has now, Leo’s bear said.
Yes. She has, Leo replied.
“More pastry?” Hannah asked Adara, who nodded enthusiastically, chocolate already smeared across one cheek.
“Please! Fizz says they’re the best ever.”
“Fizz has excellent taste,” Hannah replied solemnly, placing another piece on her plate.
“Then can we go outside?” Percy asked, his eyes drifting to the back door.
“Can we go into the jungle?” Aria asked Leo.
“The greenhouse,” Lucy corrected at once. “It only looks like a jungle.”
“It does look like one,” Percy said. “Especially at the back.”
“Me too,” Adara said, stuffing the last of the pastry into her mouth. “Fizz wants to come as well. She likes the jungle.”
At that, Snuggles jumped down from his chair and wound around Adara’s legs, then Percy’s, as if he fully expected an invitation too.
That earned a laugh around the table and, more importantly, a real smile from Estelle.
“I’m not sure you should go alone,” Estelle said, though there was less worry in her voice than there had been earlier.
“We can all go,” Isla said, leaning toward her. “I want to steal some of Leo’s tomatoes for a pasta recipe I want to try.”
“They are so good,” Estelle said, then turned toward him. “Everything you grow is. You can tell when something’s been cared for properly.”
Leo held her gaze, hearing the weight beneath the words.
Estelle’s smile softened. “Not everyone has that gift. Nurturing things until they feel safe enough to put down roots, I mean.”
This is working, his bear roared happily.
It is, Leo agreed.