The next day

You wake feeling good. You slip out of the bedroom and into your sanctum, the kitchen. There, you start to cook and think. You should really feel guilty, you muse. However, you don’t. In fact, you feel almost as close to Lisa as when she was alive. It makes no sense, as this is as big a betrayal as a single mom could find in her husband, but there it is. Not only did you sleep with one of Lisa’s daughters, you fucked all three. While they initiated it, and they are adults, you still are much older and should be guiding these young ladies. You should hate yourself. But you don’t.

Breakfast this morning is pancakes. You decide to be adventurous and add some blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries to the mix. One by one the girls trickle down, lured by the smell. They know the drill of staying out of your kitchen, so they sit at the island and talk about their various schoolings. Mindy notes sourly that she still has several weeks left of high school, though the seniors are done in all but name.

You slice two grapefruits and slide half in front of each girl. Sara and Mindy barely even notice, though they dig in. Izzi flashes you a smile. You remember when Lisa would smile just like that when you did small things for her. She never let your small gestures pass without letting you know they were appreciated. It’s one of the reasons you two were so compatible. You loved doing things that would elicit that smile, and she was never stingy with it. Izzi’s smile brings back those memories, and you revel in the thoughts as you flip the pancakes. First round done, you place them on a plate and over to the island before starting another round.

“What do you think, John?” asks Mindy, jarring you out of your reverie.

“Sorry, love, I haven’t been listening. What do I think about what?”

Sara scoffs playfully. “Really, John, what could be more interesting than the conversation we’re having?”

“I was thinking about your mom,” you admit. “She was never so happy as when we would all have meals together.”

“She really just loved your cooking!” Sara laughs. “And that’s one of the reasons I am so fat now.” She pats a stomach that is anything but.

For some reason, this fills you with a warm glow. Lisa always made sure to compliment your efforts in the kitchen, but it is nice to hear from an outside source.

“Please, Sara,” says Izzi. “I’ll bet the boys all stayed far away from your fat ass.”

The girls crack up, and you leave them to it. Round two is ready to be flipped.

Breakfast is a merry affair, until the girls start comparing experiences. “This is so interesting!” Sara exclaims. “I never thought I’d be able to discuss technique with my sisters.”

You clear your throat. “If you girls don’t mind…”

“We don’t!” they chime together, and continue to discuss what you like, what they like, and your… shortcomings. You would be offended, but they glance at you so obviously when they say it that you know they are trying to get under your skin. In a word, they are adorable.

The meal passes. You hand over dish duty to Sara. Mindy informs you that she’s heading to a friend’s. They’re going to culminate their environment class by going into the woods and identifying mushrooms. You tell her not to poison herself. She giggles as if you’ve said something funny.

Sara comes into the living room, drying her hands. Turns out she also has plans. A group that hasn’t been in person together since last summer. The girls leave to shower and get ready. Izzi, still in her pajamas, crosses her legs. “So, John, what are we going to do today?”