The next day dawned crisp and clear, a perfect slice of autumnal bliss, and Leanne was off duty.
At seven on the dot, as reliable as ever, Betty came bounding in to deliver her wake-up call. She could manage nights without Leanne, but mornings were a different story - she needed to see her parents first thing to soothe her longing heart.
Having stayed up late, Leanne struggled to open her drowsy eyes, only for a gentle kiss to land on her eyelids.
"Sleep a bit more," came a deep, soothing voice coaxing her back to sleep. "I'll take care of her."
Leanne's eyelashes fluttered but sleep ultimately reclaimed her, her eyelids closing again as she murmured a sleepy acknowledgment.
Curtis slipped out of bed and opened the door, where Betty awaited, impatient as a little sparrow: "Mommy! Mommy!"
Once the door closed again, Curtis whispered, "Let's not wake Mommy."
"The sun's up high!" Betty protested.
"Sunshine is good for you," Curtis persuaded her with his playful logic, lifting her in his arms as their footsteps faded down the stairs.
Leanne snoozed for another hour or so before descending to find Curtis and Betty playing soccer in the lawn.
Betty was decked out in a white tracksuit, her hair in two little buns, while Curtis wore a black half-zip sweatshirt and casual pants, embodying a relaxed, lazy vibe in the crisp early fall sunshine.
Though it was more of Betty running around clutching the ball than actually playing soccer, even when she stumbled, she didn't fuss, just rolled around on the grass.
Curtis, competitive even with his little girl, didn't let up, securing a whopping 11:0 victory that left Betty sulking at his feet like a koala clinging to a tree, in a huff.
Lifting his foot, Curtis teased, "Throwing a fit after losing? Where's your sportsmanship?"
Betty attempted a bite at his leg, prompting Curtis to chuckle, "A little dirt-lover, huh? Guess Mom's cleanliness obsession didn't rub off on you."
As soon as Leanne appeared, Betty ran into her arms, her face full of protest of injustice: "Daddy's being mean, he won't let me win."
"No use tattling to Mommy," Curtis, plucking leaves from her hair, smiled lazily. "Daddy bullies Mommy too."
"... You big bully." Leanne stamped on his shoe, reaching for Betty's hand, "Let's go."
Betty, mimicking her, also stamped on his shoe: "Bully!"
Having made their point, they took off, "Mommy, run!"
Curtis, glancing at his shoe, arched an eyebrow, generously giving them a head start, "Go on. I'll give you ten seconds."
Leanne scooped up Betty, and their game of chase turned Betty's pout into shrieks of delight as Curtis followed in hot pursuit.
The morning light streamed through the second-floor windows, carrying the sounds of their laughter up to where Larson stood, watching the family from behind the glass. Despite his tough exterior, Larson found a curious charm in this household.
Growing up without a mother, he yearned for the warmth of familial love. Sent abroad at fifteen, he navigated a sea of "friends," but the lively parties left him feeling more alone than ever. To Larson, accustomed to solitude, this warm and inviting home was like something out of a fairy tale, almost too good to be true.
And Curtis and Leanne? They were like the prince and princess straight out of a storybook.
Fairy tales often stop at the wedding, knowing all too well that even the most romantic love faces challenges. Yet, Curtis and Leanne seemed to defy this, their happiness as vivid as ever. Larson watched, trying to spot a crack in their perfect facade, longing to understand the secret behind their seemingly unbreakable bond.
In the afternoon, Leanne and Curtis took Betty to visit a neighbor whose child was Betty's age and her best friend in Emberland.
They returned as Larson was just waking up.
Curtis glanced at him, "What time zone are you living in?"
Larson quipped, "Not the third-wheel zone."
As Betty, sleepy from the day's excitement, leaned on Leanne, Leanne whispered to Curtis to keep Larson company on a trip to the market.
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