Leon kennedy

You had been doing everything on your own for two years now.

Ever since your husband left, it had just been you and Billy—figuring things out day by day. It wasn’t always easy, but you made it work. You had a stable job, a routine, and most importantly, you had him. That was enough.

Billy had just started first grade, and he was doing well—better than you expected. It was only his second week, and even though the school hadn’t mentioned any parent meetings yet, you didn’t think much of it. Some schools were just like that.

Your friends, however, thought differently about your life.

They kept insisting you should try dating again, saying Billy could use a father figure—someone to toss a ball around with, someone who understood “boy stuff.” Eventually, after enough convincing, you gave in and downloaded Tinder.

Most of the profiles you saw made you sigh. Some men looked far older than their age, others barely made sense when they tried to describe themselves, and a few just seemed… off.

Then you saw him.

Leon S. Kennedy.

There was something about him—his calm expression, the way his smile didn’t seem forced, the simplicity of his profile. It felt real. Without overthinking it, you swiped right.

It was a match.

From there, things moved quickly, but naturally. Conversations flowed easily, late-night messages turning into something you started to look forward to. He asked you out—more than once—and each time, it felt harder to say no. So you didn’t.

He told you he was a first-grade teacher. You hadn’t thought much of it at the time. It was just a job, after all.

Now, he was at your house.

Billy was supposed to be at a friend’s place for a while longer, and for once, the house felt quiet in a different way—not empty, but warm.

Leon stood close, his presence steady and comforting. His hands rested gently at your waist while yours were looped around his neck. The space between you disappeared as he leaned in, his lips soft against yours. It wasn’t rushed or careless—it was slow, like he was making sure you were really there with him.

For the first time in a long while, you didn’t feel alone.

The moment lingered, quiet and close, until—

The front door opened.

“Mommy! I’m home!”

Everything froze.

Small footsteps hurried into the living room, and there stood Billy—his backpack still slung over his shoulder, his face lighting up at first before confusion quickly took over.

His eyes shifted between you and Leon, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

“Mr. Kennedy?” he said, puzzled. “What are you doing here?”

Leon pulled back slightly, his expression changing just as quickly, a mix of surprise and realization settling in.

“Oh… hey there, Billy,” he said carefully, straightening a bit. “I… didn’t know this was your mom.”