6 - Leon

It's been weeks since I met that little boy at the airport.

The boy was polite.

His mom? I didn't get close to her, but I caught the smell of daisies and honey the moment I stepped out of the men's room.

"When will you get married? You're not getting any younger, Leo!"

My mom complains.

I'm out for an afternoon run.

Jogging clears my mind.

By then, my mom decides to call me.

"I don't know."

This is what makes me think about that little boy, Leo.

"Does your mommy also say she will kill you?"

I chuckle at the memory.

"Leo, all my friends your age have grandchildren. What about me?"

"Mother, did you call me just to complain?"

"If not complain, what should I do?"

"Complaining never solves anything."

"Since I won't be expecting grandchildren for my birthday, get me Chef R.J."

I pause my jogging and start walking.

"Chef R.J.?"

"Yes, and no excuses! My friend said she had a dish prepared personally by her, and it was divine. She is strict with her food, so I know the food is good."

"I can have Ben order from one of R.J.'s many restaurants and hotels."

"No! I want R.J., and that is final!"

With that, she cuts the call, and I continue my run, calling Ben.

"Sir?"

"Where is Chef R.J. at the moment?"

"I don't know, sir. Let me—"

At that very moment, I hear a little girl's voice shout.

"Mommy!"

I look to the side and see a car moving at an unacceptable speed.

I don't have time to think. I just lunge forward.

I pick up the little chubby girl and sidestep the car.

"Leona!"

A woman runs towards me in a panic.

"Baby, are you okay?"

She looks her child over.

"I'm okay, Mommy."

The little girl's eyes are on me, even as she speaks to her mother.

"Are you Prince Charming?"

I can't help but chuckle.

"Thank you so much, sir."

I look at the woman. She's the woman from the airport, the one I can't seem to forget.

"Why is everyone always picking up Leona? She's fatter than Liam and me!"

I hear a familiar voice beside me.

It's the boy from the airport, and, as if to prove my point, the woman calls his name.

"Leo!"

The little girl stops her.

"I can handle this."

She asks me to put her down, then walks over to the boy.

"I am beautiful, I am cute, I am kind, I am brave, and I am everything you're not! Don't talk about my body!"

As if to punctuate her words, the little girl delivers a light slap to the boy's cheek.

I see the woman holding back her laughter.

"Mom, she hit me!"

"You deserved it."

Leo looks at me.

"Aren't you the Toilet Uncle?"

At the boy's words, the woman seems to remember me.

"Sir, please, how can I repay you for saving my daughter?"

She looks too young to have children this old.

"It's fine."

"Please, sir."

"Mommy!"

A boy identical to Leo comes over, holding my phone. I hadn't even noticed that I'd dropped it.

"Is this your phone? I'm so sorry."

She takes the phone from the boy.

I stare at the three children. They must be triplets, I think.

Although the girl is chubby, they all have the same face.

"Can you lift me, Prince Charming?"

She opens her arms.

The girl is everything she said she was: beautiful, brave, and kind.

I take her into my arms.

"Mommy, I took a picture of the car," the other boy says.

"You did? That's so smart, Liam! Send it to me, and I'll have my lawyer find that person. Okay, baby?"

So, Leo, Leona, and Liam.

"Sir, please come. I'll treat you to an early dinner."

"There's no need."

"Please, sir. Let Mommy thank you properly for saving my sister."

Liam, I assume, is the responsible one among the trio.

"Mommy makes the best food in the whole wide world!" Leo adds.

"Please, Prince Charming."

"Please, sir."

I take a deep breath and nod.

"Okay."

"Yay!"

She lives in the house opposite mine.

I've been seeing people from the houses around here coming to dine at her place.

When we enter, the woman leads me to a table with the children and hands us menus.

"Choose anything you want. It's on me."

I skim through the menu. The prices are undeniably high.

"What would you suggest?"

The kids talk over each other.

"Whatever they're having, I'll be out in a bit."

When she walks away, I can't help but be curious.

"Whose house is this?"

"Ours," Liam responds, sounding too much like me.

"Who's cooking?"

"Mommy is the world's best chef. Many people know her as Chef R—" Leona begins, but Liam cuts her off.

"Stop talking."

Liam seems too guarded for a four- or maybe five-year-old.

"Where is your father?"

"Mommy says she's both our mommy and daddy," the little princess answers as if it's the most normal statement in the world.

"She doesn't need a man. She has us!" Leo puffs out his chest, and Liam rolls his eyes.

"What's your name?"

I look at Liam. I've only been with him for a few minutes, and I can already tell his IQ is high.

It's the same with the other two, except that he seems to be on a different level.

"We have the same name," Leo responds.

"Why do you look like an older version of us?" Leona's question causes Liam to look between Leo, Leona, and me.

I stare at them. Something about these children feels familiar in a strange, unexplainable way.

What am I thinking?

"Are you complimenting me, princess?"

Her cheeks flush.

"I like you. Can you be our daddy?" Leo asks.

"That's not how it works," Liam responds.

"I..."

Just then, their mother comes over with the food.

She places it on the table.

"Enjoy!"

Before turning away to talk on the phone, she says, "I just sent you a picture of a car. Find the owner and make sure they pay for nearly hitting my daughter."

She listens to the other end.

"I don't care. Whatever it costs, find them!"

With that, she cuts the call.

This woman is intriguing.

My eyes go to the food in front of me.

The food doesn't look half bad.

I grab my fork and knife.

I cut into the juicy meat, and when I take a bite, it melts in my mouth.

My eyes widen.

"Good, right?" Leona asks, taking a bite of her tiny, heart-shaped meat salad.

Liam has his food arranged in perfect cubes.

Leo's food has different shapes.

This culinary...