**Chapter 24**

**Ethan's POV**

Watching Mase was such a fun experience. I could tell Mason's crush on Jules hadn't lifted with the way he smiled and kept asking for her to be the one to help put him to sleep.

His chubby cheeks would redden each time Julia leaned down to talk to him, and his eyes followed her every move with a dreamy adoration only a child could muster.

"Aunty Jules, can you read me another story?" Mason asked, his eyes wide and hopeful.

"Of course, Mase," Julia replied with a warm smile.

She picked up a book from the stack beside the couch and sat down, patting the spot next to her. Mason eagerly climbed up, snuggling against her as she began to read.

I eagerly sent a picture of how cute they were to Em and Keilen, who asked for thirty-minute checkups.

I found it adorable. The toys I got for Mase and my snacks only kept him busy for thirty minutes. Thank goodness for Julia's understanding and patience with children.

Julia effortlessly engaged him with stories and games that required nothing but imagination and prevented him from a meltdown.

Julia's eyes aimed at the kitchen as she flashed that way. I knew it was time to give Mason a snack as he listened to the stories. I walked into the living room carrying a tray with Mason's favorite snacks – apple slices, cheese cubes, and animal crackers.

"Snack time, buddy," I announced, placing the tray on the coffee table.

Mason's eyes lit up. "Yay! Thanks, Uncle Ethan!" He reached for an apple slice, happily munching while keeping his eyes on the book Julia was reading.

Julia's voice was animated, bringing the characters to life. I knew Mason was enjoying it by how completely absorbed his focus was, occasionally giggling or gasping at the story's twists and turns.

I sat down across from them, watching the scene with a smile. Julia would one day make a great she has a knack for this. I hoped to be on the journey with her that day.

Then, I thought of having my own child crossed my mind, filling me with longing and excitement. My chest rises with pride.

AJ's face popped up in my head. What if he is? He has hardly any resemblance to Sophia and Alex. It started to nag at me. Gabby's words had my mind curious. But I pushed it back.

I remembered how Em reacted when we arrived tonight. The look Em gave me as she spotted the bags with all the snacks was one of bemusement, and she promptly asked Jules to deal with it, which Jules did with a light-hearted eye roll.

Once Jules finished the story, I took Mason to get a bath filled with bubbles and put all his toys in it. He played in the water as he splashed me. Jules searched for pajamas for him and settled on Spider-Man.

After getting him ready for the night, we decided to play a game to tire him out for bedtime. "How about a treasure hunt?" Julia suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Mason's face lit up. "Yes!" As he covered his eyes with his hand wide so he could see.

Jules laughed as she tried to distract him. I quickly improvised, hiding small toys and candies around the living room.

Julia gave Mason everything he needed, creating a makeshift map and a paper pirate telescope with a listing of the items. I doubt Mason needed them since his eyes followed me.

"Alright, Mase, uncover your eyes and find it!" I eagerly said.

Mase's little legs carried him around the room. He went vigilantly to everywhere I hid, with Jules following him. She went to areas I didn't, and he laughed.

"Nothing, there, Aunty Jules! Follow me," Mase eagerly said, holding her hand and peeping through the makeshift paper pirate telescope.

We cheered him on as I helped him decipher the map, and he uncovered all the hidden items. Each discovery was met with shouts of joy and laughter, filling the room with a lively energy. He grinned each time.

It was a pretty fun night. As the scavenger hunt wound down, we heard Mason begin to yawn, his energy finally waning.

Julia scooped him up, cradling him in her arms. "Looks like it's bedtime for you, young pirate," Julia kindly stated.

Mason nodded sleepily. "Can you sing me a lullaby, Aunt Jules?"Mason tiredly asked.

"Of course," Julia said softly. She carried him to his bedroom, the soft glow of the nightlight casting a warm light over the room. She sat down in the rocking chair, holding Mason close as she began to sing a gentle lullaby.

I stood in the doorway, watching the tender scene. Julia's voice was soothing, and Mason's eyes began to droop. By the time she finished the song, he was fast asleep. She gently placed him in his bed, tucked him in, and kissed his forehead.

As we returned to the living room, I whispered, "You're amazing with him, Jules."

Julia smiled, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. "He's a sweet kid," Jules declared.

Jules and I cleaned the living room and kitchen back up. It was amazing how much dirt one child could make. We played chess for the remainder of the night as we checked on Mason. Jules was good at the game, not giving me any mercy as she won two games straight in a row.

Emily and Keilen arrived home not long after my first victory. They were happy to see Mason asleep and peaceful, his little body curled up in his bed under a soft blanket, clutching his favorite stuffed animal. They both looked at him with a mix of exhaustion and relief.

"Thank you," Emily whispered as she gently rubbed his hair. Then she and Keilen placed a kiss on his forehead. They quietly closed his room door as they guided us.

"How was he," Emily questioned with a smile.

"He was an angel," Jules happily said with a smile. "How was the event?"

"Got declared Junior Partner, so that's good news," Keilen replied, his face lighting up with pride.

Keilen's accomplishment was impressive. He had branched away from his mother's multi-billionaire firm and settled for a simpler one to earn everything without his parents' assistance. It was a great thing to see, and the benefits of his hard work were now starting to show.

"That's fantastic, Keilen! Congratulations!" I said, giving him a pat on the back.

"Thanks, Ethan," Keilen said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Okay, we will see you later," I declared as I gathered our stuff, giving them both a hug.

"I still can't believe you guys are baking from scratch. That is so weird," Em stated, shaking her head with a smile.

"Well, you would love our dishes," Julia happily said as we left. Her excitement was infectious, and I looked forward to our baking session.

Back at Jules' place, we started baking to make some cookies for the lunchroom for the pediatricians and nurses. The kitchen filled quickly with the comforting aroma of sugar and vanilla.

Julia had the idea to personalize the cookies with a 'J' for Julia, and I got a bit carried away creating cookies in the image of her face. My artistic creativity wanted to shine, and Julia's smile at my efforts made it all the more worthwhile. I put my entire effort into making it worthy for her to win a nomination.

As we settled into our baking, I accidentally tapped Julia's nose with a spoon, causing flour to stick to her. She looked so cute with her nose powdered white, but before I could apologize, she threw some flour into my hair, giggling as she darted away.

We had a playful flour fight, running around the kitchen like kids. It was fun, though we regretted it a bit as we saw how much batter we had wasted.

With the cookies in the oven and the timer set, we took a moment to clean up. As I washed the flour from my hair, I realized I missed having shorter hair because of how quickly my longer hair got messy. Besides, it made me sweat more since the weather was getting hotter.

"Jules, I was thinking about getting myself a haircut since it's getting hot," I stated, running my fingers through my now flour-free hair.

"No way, that will be so cool," she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "I could do it! I help some of the kids at the hospital with their haircuts."

I appreciated her enthusiasm but wasn't sure if Julia would be the best person for this job. However, her excitement was infectious, and I found it hard to say no.

I only nodded, watching Jules eat a cookie she had swiped from the cooling rack. It was beyond good to see her so relaxed and happy. I cherished seeing Jules like this.

Julia texted Em the news about her giving me a haircut. In less than a few minutes, Julia's phone started ringing, and I could hear shrieks of excitement from the other end. My eyes widened at the volume.

"Put me on speaker," Em yelled through the phone. The speaker was unnecessary, given how loud she was being.

"Ethan, do not do that until I am there. I have to see this," Em eagerly insisted.