The mansion was quiet when Izana and Leah returned.
Not completely quiet.
Nothing was ever completely quiet anymore.
Not since Zarek.
But it was calm enough that Leah immediately noticed something strange.
The moment they stepped through the front doors, there was silence.
No little footsteps.
No excited voice.
No lion plush being dragged across the floor.
Leah blinked.
"That's suspicious."
Izana closed the door behind them.
"Yes."
Very suspicious.
Because usually Zarek somehow knew the exact second either of them arrived home.
Leah had barely finished taking off her coat when—
"MAMA!"
A blur shot across the entrance hall.
Then:
"DA-DA!"
Leah laughed instantly.
"There he is."
Zarek came running at full speed.
Unfortunately, full speed for a two-year-old wasn't always a good idea.
Halfway across the hall, he nearly tripped over his own feet.
Leah gasped.
Izana moved immediately.
By the time Zarek reached them, Izana had already stepped forward and caught him before disaster could happen.
Zarek didn't seem bothered.
He simply wrapped his arms around Izana's neck.
Then reached for Leah.
Wanting both.
Leah immediately kissed the top of his head.
"Hello, sweetheart."
"You back!"
Leah smiled.
"Yes, we're back."
Zarek grinned.
Then hugged them both as tightly as his tiny arms could manage.
As if he needed to make sure they were really there.
Behind them, a newspaper rustled.
Leah looked up.
Elias sat in one of the nearby chairs, looking thoroughly amused.
"Good morning," he said.
"Morning," Leah replied.
Then she noticed another familiar figure standing nearby.
Dante.
And he looked exhausted.
Leah frowned slightly.
"Was he difficult?"
Dante stared at her.
A long pause followed.
Then:
"No."
Leah visibly relaxed.
"Oh good."
Another pause.
Then Dante continued.
"He asked where you were forty-three times."
Leah immediately burst out laughing.
Dante wasn't laughing.
"I counted."
That only made Leah laugh harder.
Zarek looked offended.
"I miss Mama."
Then he looked at Izana.
"And Da-da."
The offense immediately disappeared from everyone's expressions.
Including Dante's.
A little.
Leah kissed Zarek's forehead again.
"We missed you too."
That answer seemed acceptable.
Zarek nodded seriously.
Then settled more comfortably in Izana's arms.
Mission accomplished.
The rest of the morning passed peacefully.
At least on the surface.
But something was happening.
Something subtle.
Something dangerous.
Zarek was observing.
Nobody noticed at first.
Not even Izana.
But Zarek was paying attention.
Because despite being only two years old, he was surprisingly observant.
And today something felt different.
Mama was smiling more.
Da-da looked happier.
And every now and then they exchanged little looks that Zarek didn't understand.
Suspicious looks.
Secret looks.
Adult looks.
Which naturally meant there was a mystery.
And mysteries needed solving.
After lunch, Leah sat on one of the sofas reading through something on her phone.
Izana sat nearby reviewing documents.
Normal.
Very normal.
Except every few minutes one of them would glance at the other.
And smile.
Tiny smiles.
The kind that appeared without either of them noticing.
Zarek noticed.
Zarek noticed everything.
He sat on the floor with his lion plush and teddy bear.
Watching.
Waiting.
Investigating.
Eventually he stood.
Walked over.
And stopped directly in front of them.
Leah looked up first.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
Zarek narrowed his eyes dramatically.
Then pointed at both of them.
"You hiding secret."
Leah nearly choked.
Izana looked completely calm.
"No."
Zarek immediately pointed again.
"Yes."
Leah turned away to hide her smile.
Unfortunately that only made Zarek more suspicious.
He gasped.
"See!"
Leah laughed.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Secret."
"No secret."
"Secret."
Leah couldn't stop laughing.
Across the room, Dante walked through the doorway carrying paperwork.
Unfortunately, he arrived at exactly the wrong moment.
Zarek immediately pointed at him.
"Dan-tee!"
Dante stopped.
A terrible feeling appeared instantly.
"What."
"You know secret?"
Dante closed his eyes.
Immediately.
"No."
"Why no?"
"Because I value my peace."
Zarek blinked.
"What peace?"
Dante stared into the distance.
"...Exactly."
Then he turned around and left the room before he could become involved any further.
A wise decision.
The day continued.
But unfortunately for everyone involved, Zarek had not forgotten.
Not even slightly.
Throughout the afternoon he kept watching.
Watching Leah.
Watching Izana.
Watching the mysterious smiles.
The suspicious glances.
The tiny moments that seemed completely normal to adults.
But clearly meant something.
By dinner he was convinced.
There was definitely a secret.
He just hadn't figured out what it was yet.
That evening, after dinner and bath time, the mansion gradually grew quieter.
The day settled.
Lights dimmed.
Conversations softened.
Eventually it was bedtime.
Izana carried Zarek upstairs.
The little boy already looked sleepy.
Lion plush tucked securely beneath one arm.
Teddy bear under the other.
His flower crown from days earlier had long since disappeared.
But the lion and teddy bear remained.
Always.
Izana sat beside the bed after tucking him in.
The nursery felt peaceful.
Safe.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Zarek yawned.
A huge toddler yawn.
Then snuggled deeper into his blanket.
Izana thought he was about to fall asleep.
Then—
"Da-da?"
Izana looked up.
"Yes."
Zarek hugged his lion.
Then asked:
"When baby sister come?"
Silence.
Complete silence.
Izana stared at him.
Because apparently the secret investigation had somehow returned to this.
Of course it had.
Zarek waited patiently.
Completely serious.
Expecting an answer.
Eventually Izana spoke.
"I don't know."
Zarek blinked.
Confused.
"Why?"
A very reasonable question.
A very difficult question.
Izana considered his answer carefully.
"Because some things take time."
Zarek thought about that.
Then frowned.
"Long time?"
"Maybe."
The frown deepened.
"Too long."
Izana almost smiled.
Almost.
"Perhaps."
Zarek sighed dramatically.
A sigh far too large for someone his age.
Then hugged the lion tighter.
Clearly dissatisfied.
A little while later, Leah entered the nursery.
She immediately noticed the expression on Zarek's face.
The expression of someone who had received deeply disappointing news.
Leah sat beside him.
"What's wrong?"
Zarek looked at her.
"Baby sister taking too long."
Leah immediately covered her mouth.
Trying not to laugh.
She failed.
Completely.
Izana looked away.
Which was the closest thing to surrender he would ever admit to.
Leah smiled and smoothed Zarek's hair back.
"Sweetheart, some things can't be rushed."
Zarek considered this carefully.
Then asked:
"Can ask every day?"
Leah immediately laughed again.
Across the room, Izana closed his eyes briefly.
Because he already knew the answer.
The answer was yes.
Absolutely yes.
Every single day.
Without fail.
Leah kissed Zarek's forehead.
"You probably will."
That answer seemed acceptable.
For about three seconds.
Then:
"Mama?"
"Yes?"
"Tomorrow baby sister?"
Leah laughed so hard she nearly doubled over.
Even Zarek started giggling because her laughter was contagious.
And across the nursery, despite every effort not to—
a small smile appeared on Izana's face.
Warm.
Helpless.
Entirely caused by the two people he loved most.
The sight made Leah smile even more.
And for a little while longer, the nursery remained filled with laughter before sleep finally claimed its smallest occupant.
Though as Izana carried the now-sleeping Zarek to his bed properly, he had one very certain thought.
Tomorrow was going to be another long day.
Because Zarek was absolutely going to ask again.