They Thought They Were Setting Up Two Lonely Parents, but His Reaction Made Everyone at the Table Cry

Leo’s surgery was a success. Two days later, he was recovering in a private room, propped up on pillows, eating a bowl of green gelatin while Lily sat on the foot of his bed, carefully reading him a comic book.

Emily and I sat on the small vinyl couch against the wall, watching them.

"The doctor said he can go home tomorrow," Emily said softly, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Good. My apartment's heater is finally fixed," I smiled. "Though we should probably stay at your place so he doesn't have to climb my three flights of stairs."

Emily was quiet for a moment. She reached down, taking my hand, her fingers intertwining with mine.

"Daniel?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't want us to have two places anymore."

I turned my head to look at her. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying..." She looked toward the bed where Lily was making funny faces to make Leo laugh. "This house—my house—feels too big with just Leo and me. And your apartment feels too small for the four of us. I think it's time we stop pretending we're just two single parents casually dating."

A warmth spread through my chest, beating back the winter chill outside the hospital window.

"Are you sure?" I asked, wanting to hear her say it clearly. "It's a big step for the kids."

"I've never been more sure of anything," she said, looking straight into my eyes. "When I ran into that emergency room and saw you standing guard over my son... I realized you weren't just a man I was seeing. You were already his family. You were already mine."

Later that evening, Marcus dropped by the hospital room carrying a giant plush bear and a bag of takeout burgers.

"Look at this," Marcus grinned, leaning against the doorframe. "I set up two stubborn, broken-hearted people on a blind date, and look what happened."

"Don't give yourself too much credit, Marcus," I scoffed, though I was smiling. "I still remember you shoved me from behind because I stopped walking."