Page 13 of Sobek’s Joy

“I’d like to try it sometime.”

The words were simple, neutral even, but something in Sobek’s tone made Rudy’s pulse skip.

“Yeah?” Rudy fiddled with the dish towel. “I mean, sure. Anytime. You’re always welcome here. Obviously. Since you keep showing up and I keep letting you in like some kind of...person who lets people in. Which I am. Clearly.”

Stop talking. Please, for the love of everything holy, stop talking.

Sobek’s mouth curved - a real smile this time. “I appreciate that.”

Rudy’s heart did a full gymnastics routine in his chest. I’ve got it bad.

/~/~/~/~/

By the time Sobek finished preparing the fish, neatly wrapped fillets in the fridge for later, with instructions on how to cook them, it was mid-afternoon. The kids had migrated to the living room for “quiet time,” which in practice meant Jack read a picture book out loud while Rose built block towers and Timothy dozed on the couch.

Rudy walked Sobek to the door, very aware of how much taller the man was, how his presence seemed to fill the space without being oppressive.

“Thanks for the fish. And for cleaning it. And for basically doing half my chores today without being asked.” Rudy shoved his hands in his pockets. “You really didn’t have to do any of that.”

“I wanted to.”

“Yeah, but why?” Rudy tilted his head, genuinely curious. “Not that I’m complaining, but you’ve been showing up here almost every day for a week, helping with kids who aren’t yours, dealing with bedlam that would send most people running. What’s in it for you?”

Sobek was quiet for a long moment, his dark eyes searching Rudy’s face. “I like being here.”

“With three feral children and their disaster guardian?”

“Yes.”

Something in the way Sobek said it made Rudy’s breath catch.

“Well.” Rudy rocked back on his heels, fighting the urge to smile like an idiot. “Good. Because the kids really like you. Especially Timothy. I’ve never seen him take to someone so fast.”

“And you?”

The question hung in the air. Rudy blinked up at Sobek, caught off guard by the sudden intensity in the man’s expression.

“Do I like you?” Rudy laughed, a little breathless. “Yeah. Yeah, I really do.”

Sobek nodded once, as if Rudy had confirmed something important. “Good.”

He left without another word, climbing into his black car and driving away while Rudy stood on the porch like an idiot, watching until the vehicle disappeared around the bend.

Once inside, Timothy appeared at Rudy’s elbow, clutching his stuffed alligator.

“He’ll come back,” Timothy whispered.

Rudy looked down at his smallest, quietest child and ruffled his dark hair. “Yeah, buddy. I think he will.”

And that thought - the certainty that Sobek would return, that this wasn’t just temporary kindness but something more - terrified and thrilled Rudy in equal measures.

He’d been alone for what felt like forever, just him and the kids against the world. Having someone else step into that space, someone who looked at Rudy’s erratic household and chose to stay anyway...

Rudy pressed a hand to his chest, feeling his heart beat too fast beneath his palm.

“Come on, Tim. Let’s go see what destruction your siblings are causing.”

Chapter Seven