The sound of footsteps disappeared upstairs, the creak of the last stair fading into silence. Down in the kitchen, Chris and Jade stood at the sink, side by side, handling dishes in an unusually quiet rhythm.
Chris, as always, was calm. Focused. He handed over plates and cups as Jade rinsed and dried them without saying a word. But her movements were stiff, her eyes blank, like her soul had exited her body during dinner and never came back.
After the last dish was placed on the rack, Chris dried his hands and turned toward her. He tilted his head slightly, then stepped behind her, wrapping his arms loosely around her waist. His chin hovered near her shoulder as he leaned forward.
"What's wrong?" he asked, voice low, quiet enough not to startle her.
Jade didn't answer at first. She remained still in his embrace, stiff as a board. But after a few heartbeats, something in her posture softened. She relaxed slightly against him, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I don't know…" she said. "You're the second guy they've ever seen. So… I guess I'm nervous. Awkward. Shaken."
Chris blinked. "Second?" he asked, brow furrowing. "You mean…?"
Jade gave a small, bitter nod. "Yeah. The first wasn't… pleasant. Caught us before. You know. Doing it." She exhaled like she was pushing something heavy off her chest.
Chris stayed quiet for a moment, then hugged her a little tighter, resting his cheek against the side of her head.
"That must've been rough," he said simply.
Jade stiffened at his words—not out of discomfort, but surprise. She hadn't expected gentleness, not from him, not right now. Slowly, she turned in his arms, burying her face against his chest, wrapping her arms around him with a quiet strength.
"You're stuck with me now," she murmured. "I'm warning you."
Chris chuckled softly and grinned. "As you say, my lady."
That earned him a sharp pinch to the side, and he yelped under his breath, making her giggle into his hoodie.
A glance at the kitchen clock startled him. "Shit, it's already past nine. I gotta go—they're probably waiting for me at home."
Jade nodded, pulling away but still holding onto his wrist as they walked toward the front door together. The hallway was dimly lit, warm in the quiet that settled after everything had been said.
Chris turned around at the door, meeting her eyes.
Instead of the usual playful smirk or the hungry glint that so often sparked between them, he leaned in and pressed a gentle, lingering kiss to her lips. It was warm, quiet, soft—nothing like how they usually touched.
When he pulled back, Jade looked stunned, blinking once, then twice. Her mouth opened as if to say something, but Chris only smiled.
"See you later," he said, turning around and heading off into the night.
As the door clicked shut behind him, footsteps creaked down the stairs again.
Jade turned, rolling her eyes. "What?"
Elaine appeared first, arms crossed loosely, amusement dancing in her eyes. "So," she said warmly, "mind telling us what we just witnessed?"
Jade crossed her arms and huffed. "What's more to say? My boyfriend told you everything, didn't he?"
Elaine's chuckle was light and genuine. "He did. Just wanted to hear it from you."
Marcus grunted from behind her, clearly satisfied.
Meanwhile, back home…
Chris stepped into the house, greeted by the soft hum of the dishwasher and the faint murmur of a show on the living room TV. The dining table was cleared, his share of dinner neatly covered and left on the counter.
Tom and Rachel sat together on the couch, casual and relaxed. Claire was probably in her room.
Rachel looked up first. "You're late. Everything okay?"
Chris walked to the counter and stared at the plate for a second. "Yeah. Had dinner."
Tom turned his head toward him. "Where?"
Chris, still not meeting their eyes, replied, "Jade's place."
Both his mom and stepdad blinked and finally gave him their full attention. Rachel was the first to ask.
"You mean Claire's friend Jade?"
Chris nodded, finally turning to face them.
Then, slowly, as if thinking aloud, he asked:
"What would you think… if some guy you'd never seen before was cooking dinner in your house, and then your daughter came downstairs wearing his clothes?"
Rachel and Tom exchanged glances—half concerned, half stunned.
Chris didn't explain further. He just gave them a small smile, shook his head, and carried his plate to the microwave.