The house was finally quiet. The guests had gone, the twins had played to their heart's content, and even the laughter from the housewarming had faded into echoes.
Maxine had stayed a little longer to help tidy up, but eventually, she waved goodbye, leaving just the twins and me in the living room.
"See you when i see you, Anna! We should plan something ! Don't let these little monkeys eat too much chocolate!" she teased.
"Haha, I'll try," I replied, smiling as I closed the door behind her.
The twins, exhausted from the day, were sitting on the floor, toys scattered around them. Xia yawned and leaned against Xayden, while he quietly examined his toy car.
I sank onto the sofa, letting out a soft sigh. The house was quiet now, almost peaceful, and I could finally breathe.
Just as I was about to start tidying, my phone buzzed.
Yushen
I glanced at the screen, feeling my chest tighten slightly.
"Hi, Yushen," I answered calmly.
"Hey, Anna. Are you all settled in for the night?" His voice was calm, thoughtful, just as I remembered.
"Yeah… the kids are winding down," I said softly, glancing at Xia and Xayden.
"Good," he said. "I was thinking… tomorrow, I'll come by and pick you and the twins up. We can spend some time at my place. Just a little visit… I want Xavier to hang out with them."
I hesitated, thinking of a polite way to reply.
"That's… okay. Tomorrow sounds good," I said. "I'll get the kids ready."
"Perfect," he said. "I'll be there in the morning. Don't worry, it'll be easy. Nothing complicated. or maybe we can discuss"
I could hear the subtle calm in his voice—the careful thought he always put into things.
"Alright… we'll see you then," I replied.
"Goodnight, Anna," he said softly. "Sleep well… and give my regards to the twins."
"Goodnight, Yushen," I whispered.
I ended the call and set the phone down, glancing at the twins.
"Mommy," Xia yawned, "Uncle Yushen coming tomorrow and fetch us?"
"Yes, baby," I replied softly. "Just for a little while."
"Yay!" she cheered quietly, then snuggled closer to Xayden.
I leaned back on the sofa, letting the quiet settle around me.
Just the twins and me. The calm after a long day. And the small, careful plans of tomorrow… just a little step closer to letting our worlds meet.
💛