"I won't be gone long," Leon said as he adjusted his cufflinks in front of the mirror, casting a quick glance over his shoulder at the nursery.
Aria was on the floor in her pajamas, hair still messy from sleep, one baby in each arm and a third—Lila—crawling determinedly toward the bookshelf like it owed her money.
"Are you sure you'll be okay for a few hours?" he asked again. "It's a foreign delegation, just a short briefing and contract review. I can delay it if—"
"I'll be fine," Aria cut in, shooting him a look that was part smile, part challenge. "They're my kids too, remember?"
"I do remember. I also remember they tag-teamed us into submission last night. I still have a bruise from Elias's bottle ambush."
"You mean the bottle he gently placed on your face while you were asleep?"
"That's one interpretation."
Aria laughed, rising to her feet with a baby on each hip and her chin tilted like she was gearing up for battle. "Go. Sign your contracts. Charm your foreign delegates. I can handle this."
Leon hesitated, clearly torn. "I could ask someone from the staff to stop by—just in case. You might get overwhelmed with all three."
"Nope."
"Aria—"
"I said no," she repeated, gently but firmly. "I want to do this. They're getting older. I can't always expect help, and I want them to know that I can take care of them too."
He stepped closer, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing the top of Amara's curly head. "You already do so much."
"And I want to do this too."
Leon finally relented with a sigh, brushing a hand over her cheek. "Text me if you need anything. Or if someone starts trying to climb the furniture."
"They all try to climb the furniture."
"Exactly."
He kissed her forehead, then each baby in turn. "Be gentle with your mother," he whispered to Elias.
Elias cooed sweetly. Lila tried to pull Leon's tie.
Aria waved him off with a grin and a "Shoo!" as the front door closed behind him.
The first ten minutes were peaceful.
Then the chaos descended like a thunderstorm.
Amara suddenly decided she hated her socks. Lila launched a full-scale raid on the tissue box. Elias got clingy and wanted to be held—only standing, only near the window, and only if she bounced.
"Alright, alright, one at a time," Aria murmured, juggling sippy cups and sticky hands, calming whines, wiping noses. She finally settled them on the rug, turned on the soft melody cube, and sat down to catch her breath—
Only for Lila to waddle over and dump her snack bowl on Aria's lap.
"Thank you…?"
By mid-morning, Aria's shirt had been spit-up on twice, and someone had definitely bitten someone else over a stuffed giraffe. She managed diaper changes, snack refills, and a small baby meltdown when Elias didn't want to share his teether.
Still, through it all, she didn't call for help.
Not when the living room looked like a mini tornado had passed through.
Not when her back ached from rocking Amara to sleep in her arms while the twins crawled across her legs.
Not even when Lila got yogurt in her hair—her own hair, not Aria's, mercifully.
When Leon finally returned a few hours later, he opened the door quietly, half expecting disaster.
Instead, he found all three babies on the floor, napping in a sleepy dogpile of soft blankets.
And in the middle of it, curled like a cat between them, was Aria.
Asleep.
Yogurt in her hair.
Glitter somehow still on her cheek from yesterday.
Leon exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
He crouched beside her and brushed a gentle strand of hair from her face. She stirred.
"Mmm—what time is it?" she mumbled, barely opening her eyes.
"Early afternoon. You did it."
"Told you," she whispered with a sleepy smile. "Mom strength."
Leon leaned in and kissed her softly. "Remind me never to doubt you again."
"You'll forget by tomorrow."
He laughed quietly. "Probably. But for now… you're incredible."