Just as I’m about to dive into the work I’ve been neglecting, Hudson’s voice slices through the quiet of my office. “Lusting over the hot nanny, I see.”

I roll my eyes, leaning back in my chair. “Kerry and I agreed to amend her title. She’s not my nanny. She’s the girls’ homeschool teacher.” I clarify, trying not to sound defensive but utterly failing.

Mom’s here too, joining in on Hudson’s foolishness with an amused smirk playing on her lips. “Kerry sure does a lot for a teacher. She’s even got you dressing down now, huh? Who are you, and what has she done with my son?”

Their teasing grates on my nerves, but I can’t help but laugh. “Ha, ha, ha, very funny. I was up late last night playing Dance Dance Revolution with Syd then Ari kicked my butt in a midnight game of soccer.”

I learned a few things about myself hanging out with my girls last night. First, I can’t see in the dark. Secondly, my nine year old may be a future soccer champion. And third, despite my perfect body, I’m completely out of shape. I couldn’t move this morning. I literally rolled out of bed!

Hudson and Mom exchange knowing looks, both of them smiling like they’re in on some joke I missed.

“Wow,” Mom says softly, her eyes shining with something more than amusement.

I narrow my gaze, suddenly uneasy. “What?”

They don’t answer right away. They just keep grinning at me like I’ve grown a second head.

“Why are you lookin’ at me like that?” I ask, my voice sharper than intended.

Hudson just shakes his head, still smirking. “Nothing, man. Nothing at all.”

But Mom’s expression softens. “It’s just nice to see you so...happy. You haven’t been this lively in years.”

Her words strike a chord, one I didn’t realize had been waiting to be played. I nod in agreement, acknowledging a truth I hadn’t fully admitted to myself until now. I haven’t felt this light in years. After the loss of my wife, a permanent fog settled over my life, dampening even my brightest days. I threw myself into work and fatherhood, convincing myself that fulfilling my responsibilities was all the satisfaction I needed, but Kerry’s arrival has shifted something fundamental within me.