His white shirt was a little sweaty, clinging to his back. Baby Sol was asleep on his shoulder, her cheek nestled into the curve of his neck, while Theo stirred the pasta sauce with one hand.

“This could very well be a gourmet version of hell, but it’s my life,” he thought, trying to balance the spatula, his body, and his exhaustion.

The radio played softly in the kitchen — some song who the singer is probably Djavan. He wasn’t really listening, just letting it play so the silence wouldn’t drive him insane.

“I’m a twenty-two-year-old man with dark circles under my eyes, calluses on my hands, and Dora the Explorer stuck in my head. And still… fuck. Just look at her.”

His daughter let out a soft sigh against his skin, and Theo closed his eyes for two seconds. The smell of her hair — warm and sweet — mixed with the garlic frying in the pan, was everything he needed to not fall apart.

He thought about Chloe, Sol’s mom. Not too much — just enough to feel that old anger and the tightness in his chest. She had left two days after giving birth, without looking back. And ever since, he hadn’t expected anyone to stay, besides his dad, Kim, Maya and Jayden.

“Fuck it. Sol and them stayed. And she’s worth more than any other human on this planet.”

The doorbell rang.

Theo rolled his eyes, adjusted his daughter carefully, and went to answer it. It was the new neighbor, holding a container in her hands.

“Hi… I think you left this on the stairs the other day.”

He blinked, staring at her. Messy hair tied up in a bun, a shy smile.

“Yeah. Probably. My head’s always full. Literally.” He nodded toward the sleeping girl. “She’s the one in charge.”

She laughed. He noticed. And that’s when it hit him — just the sound of her laugh made something loosen in his chest.

“Wanna come in? There’s too much pasta. And I suck at eating dinner alone.”

She hesitated. He looked back at the pan and gave a crooked smile.

“I promise it’s just food and conversation. I’ve had my share of female complications for a lifetime, trust me.”

Sol stirred on his shoulder, her little fingers clutching his shirt. Theo rubbed her back so naturally it hurt in the best way.