Lost & Found

The tale of a wistful girl

Emma watched as Aiden moved fluidly around the kitchen preparing dinner like he was a natural born chef.

"Look at you, Chef Hawthorne," Emma commented, smiling at him.

"Yeah, right. I like to think I'm a good cook, but I've got a lot to learn," he chuckled, sending her a sly smile.

"As I recall, you made some pretty wicked mac and cheese back in the day," Emma pointed out with a smile, also recalling certain other dishes he hadn't made so well in his younger years.

"That I did. I can make pancakes without burning them now too," he said with a chuckle.

She remembered the one time he made her breakfast the summer before she left New York, he ended up setting off the smoke alarms in his house making her pancakes. Even though they were a bit burnt around the edges, she still ate them because it meant the world to her that he wanted to cook for her. And she felt that same elation now that he was making her dinner.

"Is that an invite for breakfast?" Emma asked with a little giggle, causing Aiden to laugh out loud.

"Now, that's up to you," he said, cocking an eyebrow and she giggled again.

"Ha. Now you're the one blushing," he pointed out and it made her laugh.

"Quite the proposition," she pointed out as she took a sip of her wine.

"I didn't propose anything. Just mentioned pancakes. Your mind went there on its own," he countered, smirking wryly at her, causing her to breathe out an amused laugh.

"But I will make you breakfast anytime, Emmy," he asserted, smiling sweetly at her.

"Good to know," she said, biting her lip.

"Daddy, play?" Haven asked, suddenly standing next to Emma, holding up a toy bottle of milk.

"Oh, I'm cooking dinner, baby girl," Aiden cooed sympathetically at her.

"I'll play with you," Emma said, smiling at the little girl.

Haven held out the fake milk and Emma happily took it, pretending like she was drinking it.

"Mm. So yummy," she gushed before handing the toy back to Haven.

Haven giggled and spun on her toes before running back to the kitchen set.

"Have fun," Aiden said in a song-song voice as Emma smiled back at him and followed Haven out of the kitchen.

"Food," Haven said, holding out a plastic apple to Emma.

"Mm. Num num num num," Emma said, pretending to eat it out of Haven's hand.

Haven giggled immediately, her smile wide on her face and her dimples dug deep into her cheeks, much like her father's.

"Eat it?" Haven asked, dropping the apple just to pick up a plastic hotdog.

"Num num num. Yummy," Emma said, smiling at the toddler. A moment later, she grabbed a plastic carrot to hold out to Emma and once again, she pretended to eat it.

"She'll have you here all night eating fake food," Aiden chuckled as he came out of the kitchen with a hand towel over his shoulder and his long hair now tied back into a bun.

The sudden sight of him caused excitement to burst in her stomach. How many times had she seen him in her life? How did he still make her feel that way? Even after all these years?

"Are you hung'y, Daddy?" Haven asked a moment later and Emma's attention volleyed between the two for a few moments. Haven was holding out a plastic banana for him.