Trouble in Paradise by Three Way

I dressed properly in the bathroom, dried my hair, and then stepped out. However, when I did so, the bedroom was empty-the
man who had been so eager to suggest showering together had vanished.
I felt a mix of relief and a strange tinge of disappointment. Shouldn't I already be used to Nicholas being like this? No one could
fulfill every promise, especially with something said so casually. I smiled to myself, returning to the bathroom to wipe off the
sweat on my forehead.
I laughed at the irony of having just taken a shower, only to end up sweating again while getting dressed and drying my hair. It
felt like the shower had been for nothing.
There wasn't enough time to shower again, so I tidied myself up and headed straight to Cory's room.
Cory's mother was no longer around. So, I figured he might appreciate the feeling of being woken up and dressed by a mom.
But when I opened the door, Cory wasn't there. His little blanket had been neatly folded and placed in a corner of the bed, the
curtains were drawn open, and the window was partially opened for ventilation.

I stepped out to look for one of the housekeepers to ask if they had seen him, but then I spotted a small figure downstairs in the
dining area, helping the housekeepers.
He was holding a small cloth, standing on a chair, wiping the dining table, and setting up placemats, plates, and cups.
"Cory," I called out.
Cory looked around but couldn't find where the voice came from. Scratching his head in confusion, he noticed the housekeepers
pointing upward and smiled brightly when he saw me. "Ms. Ariana!" Cory looked up at me with a radiant smile.
However, I noticed right away that his eyes were a bit swollen.
"Did you sleep well last night, Cory?"
He nodded.
I walked downstairs to him, gently taking the cloth from his hand. "You don't have to do this. After waking up, just come and eat
breakfast, alright?"
Wendy came out of the kitchen and

said to me, "Mr. Hawk said he had an urgent matter and left. He asked me to let you know and also mentioned that someone will

be coming to the house later, soyou must stay home today."
I nodded to show I understood. Only then did Wendy continue.
"Cory has been so well-behaved. He woke up early and didn't want to sleep in. So, he came downstairs and greeted everyone,
saying he wanted to help."
She patted Cory's round little head.
He smiled back at her and said, "It's nothing. t'used to help my dad make breakfast every day. He's often very busy, and I just
wanted to help him out..."
But his initially cheerful face gradually fell as his voice trailed off. His slightly red and swollen eyes began to well up with tears.
Cory missed Jerry again.
"I have plenty of time to take care of you. If you really miss your dad, you can call Mr. Nick 'Dad' and me 'Mom'. We'll love you
just like your parents did."
Cory suddenly started sobbing, wrapping his little arms around my neck and burying himself in my embrace.
I could feel his small body trembling as tears poured out uncontrollably. All I could do was gently stroke his back to comfort him.
Some wounds had to be faced and overcome by one, after all.
A short while fater, Wendy came downstairs holding Tabitha. The moment Cory saw Tabitha, he quickly wiped his tears and said,
"Tabitha doesn't like it when I cry. I won't cry in front of her anymore."
Wendy and I exchanged looks. All the comforting words from the adults in the house had failed, yet just seeing Tabitha was
enough to lift Cory's spirits.