Chapter 12. Acting Like She Owns The Place

The little boy, with tears still clinging to his lashes, picked up the spoon and began eating the rest of the meal on his own.

“Howard!”

Caitlin’s heart swelled with a bittersweet ache. So that’s why he cried? It was the first time he’d ever eaten a meal his mommy cooked—it must have touched him deeply.

“If you like my cooking, Mommy will make it for you every day, okay?”

Howard glanced at her, lifted his little arm to wipe away his tears, and nodded.

I need to get it together! Howard thought. Why had he already cried twice since seeing his mommy? He felt like he wasn’t acting like a proper little man at all.

Seeing her son eat every last bite, not leaving even a single grain of rice on the plate, Caitlin clapped her hands in delight. She stroked his little head and said warmly, “Good job, Howard! You finished everything Mommy made for you. What a good boy you are!”

Sebastian, overhearing, couldn’t hold back his skepticism. “Impossible. You