Chapter 61 Our New Normal
Monday Afternoon - 11:25 AM
They arrived at the community center five minutes early.
Other parents were already waiting. Moms in yoga pants, dads in business casual, a few grandparents. Everyone with the same slightly anxious expression.
Elena recognized the feeling. Waiting to see if your child survived without you.
At eleven-thirty exactly, the door opened.
Susan led the children out one by one, matching them with waiting parents.
Leo emerged near the end, backpack crooked, hair sticking up.
He saw them and ran.
"MAMA! DAD! I made a friend!"
Elena caught him, lifted him up. "You did?"
"His name is Marcus and he likes dinosaurs too! Not as much as me but still A LOT. And we built a tower this tall—" He stretched his arms wide. "And then Oliver knocked it down but it was an accident so we didn't get mad. And we had snack time and I got crackers and cheese and Miss Sarah said I was very good at cleaning up!"
The words tumbled out non-stop.
Alexander signed the pickup sheet. "Sounds like you had fun."
"SO much fun! Can I go back tomorrow?"
"Wednesday. You go Monday, Wednesday, Friday."
"That's too long to wait!"
They walked to the car, Leo still talking.
"And we read a book about a caterpillar who eats a LOT of food and then he turns into a butterfly and Marcus said that's metamorphosis which is a really big word but I learned it! Met-a-mor-pho-sis!"
"Very impressive," Elena said.
"I know! And guess what?"
"What?"
"Miss Sarah said I'm a natural student! I don't know what that means but it sounded good so I said thank you!"
At the car, Alexander buckled him in.
"Did you miss us?" Elena asked.
Leo thought about it. "A little bit at the beginning. But then I was too busy to miss you. Is that okay?"
"That's perfect, baby."
"Good. Because I want to go back. School is actually really fun."
They drove to a small diner near Elena's apartment. Leo's choice—they had grilled cheese and curly fries.
Inside, Leo climbed into the booth, still chattering.
"Marcus has a baby sister. She's really little. Like THIS little—" He held his hands close together. "And Oliver has a dog but the dog stays home because dogs can't come to school except special dogs who help people. And there's a girl named Emma who can already write her WHOLE name. I can only write L-E-O but Miss Sarah says that's very good for three."
The waitress came. They ordered.
Leo kept talking through the entire meal, barely stopping to eat.
Finally, halfway through his grilled cheese, he yawned.
"I'm not tired."
"Mm-hmm."
"I'm just resting my mouth from all the talking."
"Good idea."
He took another bite. Yawned again.
By the time they got back to Elena's apartment, he was fighting sleep.
"I don't need a nap. I'm three now. Three-year-olds don't nap."
"Just lay down for a little while," Elena suggested.
"Fine. But only for a LITTLE while."
She tucked him in. He was asleep before she left the room.
In the living room, Alexander had collapsed on the couch.
Elena sat beside him. "You okay?"
"Just tired. Didn't sleep last night."
"Worried?"
"About everything. Jobs. What happens if my father actually—" He stopped. "Everything."
She took his hand. "One day at a time."
"I know. But tomorrow's going to come. And the day after. And eventually the savings run out and—"
"Then we figure it out. Together."
He pulled her closer. She settled against him, head on his shoulder.
"I need to call HR tomorrow," Elena said quietly.
"What?"
"Find out if I still have a job. Victoria hired me. Now Victoria's gone. They might—" She stopped. "They might let me go too."
Alexander sat up. "They can't do that."
"They can. I've only been there three months."
"But you didn't do anything wrong—"
"I'm dating their son. The one who just walked out. The one their parents want nothing to do with." She pulled her knees up. "I'm associated with you. That makes me a liability."
"Elena—"
"It's fine. I've lost jobs before. I'll find another one."
"It's not fine. You need that income. For Leo. For—"
"I'll figure it out. Like I always do."
He looked stricken. "This is my fault."
"No it's not."
"If I hadn't brought you to that dinner—"
"If you hadn't brought me, they still would've found a way to make things difficult." She touched his face. "This isn't on you. They made their choices. Now we make ours."
"What choice? We're both about to be unemployed."
"Then we'll both find new jobs."
"In this economy? With the Thorne name attached?" He ran his hands through his hair. "Who's going to hire the son who betrayed his family?"
"Someone will. Eventually."
"And in the meantime?"
"In the meantime, we survive. Same as I've been doing for three years."
He pulled her close. Held on tight.
"I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry."
"Stop apologizing. You chose us. That's what matters."
"Even if it costs you everything?"
"I didn't have everything to begin with. Just Leo. And now—" She pulled back to look at him. "Now we have each other too. That's more than I had before."
Elena's phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
She answered. "Hello?"
"Elena? It's Susan. From the preschool."
Elena sat up. "Is Leo okay?"
"He's fine! I'm calling because—well, I wanted to mention that Leo did wonderfully today. Really wonderfully. But I noticed on his registration form that you left the emergency contact section mostly empty?"
"I—yes. It's just me. And Alexander now."
"No other family? Grandparents, aunts, uncles?"
Elena's throat tightened. "It's complicated."
"I understand. It's just—for safety reasons, we need at least two emergency contacts besides parents. Is there anyone else who could pick him up in an emergency?"
"Mrs. Chen. My neighbor. She watches him always."
"Perfect. If you can get her information to me by Wednesday, that would be great."
"I will. Thank you."
After she hung up, Alexander was watching her.
"No family," he said quietly.
"We have each other. And Mrs. Chen."
"My family was supposed to—" He stopped. "I thought Leo would have grandparents. Cousins eventually. Family dinners and holidays."
"Maybe someday. When they come to their senses."
"And if they don't?"
"Then Leo grows up knowing he's loved by the people who chose to stay. That's better than being raised by people who resent his existence."
Alexander nodded slowly. "You're right."
"I usually am."
That got a small smile from him.
The afternoon passed quietly.
Leo woke up after an hour, disoriented and cranky until Elena gave him a snack.
"I thought I dreamed school. But it was real!"
"Very real. You go back Wednesday."
"Good. I have things to tell Marcus. Important dinosaur facts he needs to know."
Alexander stayed through dinner—spaghetti again, Leo's current favorite.
After dinner, Alexander helped with dishes while Leo played with his toys.
"I should look for jobs tomorrow," Alexander said, drying a plate.
"Already?"
"Might as well start. See what's out there."
Elena set down the sponge. "I should too. If they let me go—"
"They won't."
"But if they do, I need to be ready. Can't afford to wait around hoping."
"What about Leo? School's only three mornings a week."
"Mrs. Chen can watch him the other days. I'll figure it out."
"Elena—"
"I've done harder things. I'll manage."
He pulled her close, sudsy hands and all.
"We'll figure it out together."
"You keep saying that."
"Because I mean it."
At bedtime, Leo insisted both of them read stories.
"One from Mama, one from Dad. That's the rule now."
"Since when?" Elena asked.
"Since right now. I just made it up."
She read the bear book. Alexander read about dinosaurs.
Leo fell asleep halfway through the dinosaur book, exhausted from his big day.
They stood watching him sleep.
"First day of school," Elena said softly. "He did it."
"He did."
"Tomorrow—" She stopped. "Tomorrow we figure out what happens next."
"Together."
"Together."
At the door, Alexander pulled her close.
"Thank you. For today. For being steady when I'm falling apart."
"You're not falling apart."
"I feel like I am."
"You're adjusting. That's different."
He kissed her. Slow and thorough.
When he pulled back, his eyes were dark.
"I don't want to go."
"You could stay."
"Elena—"
"Just—" She paused. "I just don't want you to be alone tonight."
He studied her face. "You sure?"
"I'm sure."
He stayed.
They lay in her small bed, fully clothed, just holding each other.
"Tell me something good," she whispered.
"Like what?"
"Anything. Something that makes you happy."
He was quiet for a moment. "Leo called me Dad today. In front of other parents. Like it was the most natural thing in the world."
"It is natural."
"To him, maybe. To me—" His voice caught. "It still feels like a miracle."
"You're a good father."
"I'm trying to be."
"That's all anyone can do. Try."
They fell asleep like that.
Tangled together in the dark.
Tomorrow would bring its own problems.
Elena might lose her job.
Alexander would start realizing what he'd given up.
And reality would fully sink in.
But tonight, they were safe.
Together.
Building something new from the wreckage of everything old.
One day at a time.
Starting with this one.