HEJ, MY LOVE

NAME IT

Jonas led the way to his kitchen, where all was immaculately white walls, cupboards, and dishes. It was in total contrast with Sierra's professional and metallic style one.

"Alright, let's begin," he took an apron, approached, and passed Sierra's head in it.

"What?"

"You didn't think I'd cook alone, did you?"

Jonas acted and spoke like before, but things weren't as they were. Neither was Sierra, whose stare no longer displayed this fleeing stance. Instead, her lashes lightly fluttered, and her eyes shone when Jonas gazed at her. Bashful, Jonas became the one who fled and looked elsewhere.

Seated on the island, Leone smiled and watched his parents prepare. The picture felt like a birthday present for Leone, who longed to see the two in the same room as him again. Yes, it was the best day since at least a decade in baby years. For time seemed to move that slow for him.

"Oh, dad, did you know. Mom cut my hair, and Black Beard vanished. And I took a plane, and I was in the sky, and oh boy, dad, can I call you dad. Eh, Dona's cool but dad sounds epic. All the other kids have papa people. Wait a sec," Leone got lost in his explanation and touched his forehead with both hands as he attempted to organize his thoughts, "eh, some have two mamas, other two papas oh and there's the mapas like the two and one. Anyway, you're my papa, right?"

Of course, for the adults present, all that came out was a procession of syllables, abba dababeㅡbapruuuuㅡ Donaㅡpapaㅡdepapaㅡdemama.

"Wow, is he always like this?"

Sierra nodded. Jonas didn't know Leone's baby conversation, "yes; you'll get tired of him. He has so much to say. The boy is a radio."

They cooked, ate, and Leone took a nap.

The two adults were buffed by shyness as they sat on Jonas's sofa while Leone slept between them.

"I," they said in unison.

"You first."

"No, you, Jonas."

"I'm glad you two are here."

"I'm happy to be here," Sierra said.

A few seconds of silence passed where Jonas was sure Sierra could hear his heart burst. He had loved her for so long, yet sitting next to her, the sensation felt like a first encounter. And it was, in a strange way, as the Sierra he sat next to saw him in a different light.

"Why Jonas? Why did you leave?"

The man didn't expect the question so soon, but he understood it was essential.

Jonas looked straight into her eyes as she faced him, "because I love you, Sierra, and you didn't."

The answer could not be more explicit, and Sierra was glad to be seated. Even if she knew his feeling, hearing Jonas's blunt and sincere expression had its effect.

"You didn't even ask."

Jonas frowned at the response, and Sierra pursued, "you didn't ask if I felt the same."

An uncanny grin appeared on Jonas's face, "you didn't want to hear it, let alone accept it. Why are you here, Sierra?"

It was his turn, he didn't ask her then when he knew she was afraid, but he needed to know now where the woman's feelings stood even if they seeped through every pore of her body. Jonas wanted to hear Sierra name her emotions.

"I told you already."

Sierra's mind raced. Her declaration was still a sloppy draft in her mind. The woman wished for time.