Page 138 of Pucking Daddy

“Ms. Wins—” she starts, then corrects smoothly, “Mrs. Halberg?”

“That’s me,” I say, hoping my smile reads as warm and not strained. “Please, come in.”

She steps inside with a polite nod, her gaze already moving, taking in everything. The space. The light. The details most people wouldn’t notice.

“This is Jaxon,” I say, gesturing toward him. “And this is Lily.”

“Hi,” Lily says, a little shy now, pressing closer to Jaxon’s side.

The evaluator crouches slightly, her expression softening just enough. “Hi, Lily. Thank you for letting me visit your home today.”

Lily nods solemnly, like this is a very important responsibility.

“I’m just here to see how your mornings usually go,” the evaluator continues gently. “You don’t have to do anything special.”

Lily looks at Jaxon. “We’re already having pancakes.”

He nods. “Best morning ever.”

The evaluator smiles faintly and straightens. “That sounds perfect.”

We move back into the kitchen, and I feel her presence immediately—quiet, observant, constant.

I plate Lily’s pancakes, cut them into smaller pieces without thinking, pour her juice.

“Do you always prepare breakfast?” the evaluator asks, her tone neutral.

“Most mornings, yes,” I reply, keeping my voice steady. “But sometimes her dad or our housekeeper, Mrs. Henriksen, step in as well.”

The evaluator makes a small note.

She glances up. “How do you typically divide responsibilities in the household?”

“We both handle the daily routines,” I say. “Breakfast, school prep, bedtime. It depends on our schedules, but we keep it consistent for Lily. I tend to take more mornings, and Jaxon often handles evenings and bedtime.”

The evaluator nods, writing again.

“How do you handle conflict between the adults?” she asks next.

My stomach flips slightly.

Jaxon doesn’t hesitate. “We talk.”

“Even when we don’t agree,” I add.

“Especially then,” he says.

The evaluator nods slowly.

“Do you feel your relationship developed quickly?” she asks, her tone still neutral, but more pointed now.

“Yes,” I say honestly. “It did.”

“And how do you account for that?”

I glance at Jaxon briefly, then back at her.

“Because we were already functioning as a unit before we labeled it,” I say. “Living together. Raising Lily. Building routines. The emotional part caught up quickly, but the structure was already there.”