Chapter 23: Trio Routine Establishment, Part 2

Saturday Morning — The Kitchen

The smell of fresh coffee filled the air. Sunlight streamed through the kitchen windows, casting warm patches across the floor as the trio moved easily around one another.

Mama stood by the stove, turning the eggs gently in the pan. Carla sliced fruit at the island while Eli poured coffee into the mugs already lined up neatly on the counter.

Their quiet domestic ballet had become second nature.

“I still say we should try that new Thai place for dinner tomorrow,” Carla offered.

“We always go there when you pick,” Eli teased. “I think I’m owed a turn.”

Mama smiled as she plated the eggs. “And you’ll pick that noodle place again with the terrible parking lot.”

Eli raised his hands defensively. “Hey, you both admitted the food was good.”

Mama arched an eyebrow. “Fine. But this weekend is mine.”

“Deal,” Carla said with a grin.

Eli poured the last cup of coffee and set it on the table. “Fair is fair.”

They all sat, sharing breakfast and easy conversation—work updates, schedules, client stories. Life, as it had settled into something new and strange, but beautiful.

As they finished eating, Mama glanced at her phone and smiled softly as a message arrived.

Yenni:{br}

“Morning, Mama! Have fun today ❤️ See you Monday.”

Mama replied:
“Gracias, mija. Enjoy your weekend.”

The message left a small warmth in her chest. Yenni always checked in at the start of the weekends. That pattern hadn’t changed—even as so much else had.

Saturday Afternoon — Quiet Work

After breakfast, the three slipped into their own quiet corners of the house.

Eli retreated to his office to review project statuses and finalize new assignments for his software team. The upcoming week promised long client calls, and he wanted the team aligned before Monday chaos hit.

Carla took over the sunroom, spreading reports across the table as she reviewed the security logs and schedules from her company’s multiple client sites. Shift swaps, special requests, incident reports — always something that needed her attention before the next workweek.

Mama returned to her own home office, sorting through cleaning contracts and integrating new clients into her scheduling system. She toggled between spreadsheets and client notes, fine-tuning staffing allocations while sipping her second cup of coffee.

It was quiet work. Comfortable. Productive. And it gave each of them time to tend their personal responsibilities while still feeling connected to one another by the shared rhythm of their weekend.

Saturday Evening — Dinner Together

By evening, work was set aside.

Sometimes they went out—an easy restaurant meal, casual and familiar—but tonight they stayed in. Mama prepared a simple but rich dinner: roasted chicken, fresh vegetables, and warm rolls. Carla handled the salad and set the table while Eli opened a bottle of wine.

They ate together with relaxed conversation, sharing stories about coworkers, projects, and little neighborhood updates.

No stress. No pressure. Just family.

As the evening wore on, they settled into the living room, sprawled out on the sectional. Carla dozed against Eli’s shoulder, Mama tucked into his opposite side. The room glowed softly from the floor lamp in the corner, and Eli let his eyes drift closed with both women resting against him.

Their strange, beautiful, complicated life.

And for the moment, it was perfect.

Sunday Morning — Separate Preparation

The first hints of daylight crept through the blinds, spilling soft golden lines across the sheets. Eli stirred beneath the covers, feeling the familiar warmth of Carla’s body curled into his side. Her head rested on his chest, breath slow and even, one leg tangled possessively over his thigh.

But this morning, there was more.

Mama Caceres lay against Eli’s other side, her head nestled into the crook of his shoulder, her hand lightly resting across his stomach, fingers occasionally flexing in her sleep. Her soft cotton robe had shifted as the night went on, revealing smooth brown skin along her collarbone and shoulder.

Eli remained perfectly still, savoring the quiet intimacy of the moment. This, too, had become routine. Not every night—but often enough that it no longer felt unusual. It simply was.

The house was still. The faint hum of the HVAC, the soft white noise of suburban silence, the distant ticking of the kitchen clock—they all blended into a peaceful rhythm.

Carla stirred first, shifting slightly and lifting her head to blink up at him. Her lips curved into a slow, sleepy smile.

“Morning, mi amor...” she whispered.

Eli smiled back, brushing her hair from her face. “Morning.”

Her eyes drifted across him to Mama, still softly breathing against his other side.

A mischievous glint flashed in Carla’s eyes. She leaned up and whispered against his ear, “You wore us both out last night.”

Eli chuckled softly, keeping his voice low. “That’s not a bad problem to have.”

Carla gently reached across him, tracing her fingertips lightly along Mama’s bare shoulder. The touch was soft, almost reverent. Mama murmured in her sleep and shifted closer, her hand tightening briefly against Eli’s stomach before relaxing again.