Forget Me Not

I rolled over onto my side, hunting the fleeting warmth of her, the scent of her, and fell asleep again with an almost clear conscience.

The smell of coffee and the gentle pressure of her body woke me.

"Danny, süsse, it is breakfast time. Come. I have made us pancakes."

"I love you," I mumbled.

"Also," she breathed into my ear. She buried her face into my neck for a moment. "Come, or Ilse will eat them all. She is a Zuckerteufel."

"Sugar... demon."

"Yes. Come."

I slid groggily out of bed and pulled on my pants and rumpled shirt. I ran my hand over my stubble, and then tried to flatten my hair into something resembling a hairstyle.

Erika took my hand and led me to the small kitchen table, where she'd placed a stool for me opposite Ilse.

"Pancakes, Daniel," Ilse announced. "I am eating mine!"

"Thank you, Ilse," I said. "Are they nice?"

"They are my mama's and they are the best pancakes in the whole wild world!"

I smiled over at Erika, who flushed slightly. "She is biassed."

"Doesn't mean she's wrong, you know."

"I love how she is with you. I love how you are with her."

She looked up at me. "I love what you have given me. Us."

I reached out to take her hand, held it gently in mine. "It is no gift. It was earned."

She blinked, flushed more, looked away.

"What are we doing today mama?" Ilse demanded. "Can we go to the park, mama?"

"That depends on Daniel, Ilse."

"I would love to go to the park with you, Ilse."

"Park! Park! Can we go now mama!"

"No, Ilse, Daniel needs to eat his pancakes and drink his coffee. Then we need to let him wake up and shower. And then we can go, yes?"

"Yes mama!"

I laughed softly. "She sounds just like my niece. No off switch."

"You just have no idea," Erika said, as she brushed a strand of hair back from her face.

"I will learn."

"Yes. You will," she said, smiling.

Later, as we walked to the bus stop with Ilse hanging off our hands between us, I looked across at Erika and realised that there was nowhere on earth I would rather be than there with them.

She looked at me and smiled, and I knew that I was home.