On Bryan and Alix's side. They were sitting side by side on the bed, the phone placed in front of them. The screen lit up and the face of their daughter, Alixia, appeared. She was twelve years old, her hair a little messy, and a look that was half-amused, half-exasperated.
"Hi Dad, hi Mom."
"My little one!" Bryan exclaimed, leaning toward the screen. "Are you eating well? Sleeping enough? You're not cold at night?"
Alix gave him a light elbow nudge, amused.
"Bryan, let her breathe a little."
Alixia smiled.
"I'm fine, Dad. I'm doing good."
"So?" Alix asked. "How's it going right now?"
"We're at Grandpa and Grandma's this week. Grandpa is still as serious as ever. He checks that I've done my homework properly before letting me watch TV. On the other hand, Grandma is too funny. She tells me all the embarrassing stories about Dad when he was little. The other day she pulled out the photos where he put on Grandma's shoes and was pretending to be a princess."
Bryan choked.
"She did NOT do that!"
"Yes, Dad. And she even imitated your voice."
Alix burst out laughing.
"I want those photos."
"They're already on my phone, Mom. I'll send them to you after."
Bryan hid his face in his hands.
"And last week, at Ikan's grandparents'?" Alix asked.
Alixia had a little smile.
"They're cool. They let us play outside pretty late, and Ikan's grandfather even taught us how to tie fishing knots. We watched movies until late. It's more relaxed than here."
Bryan sat up suddenly, looking much less relaxed.
"Wait… so you really do rotations? One week at our place, one week at theirs?"
"Well yeah. Like usual."
"And you sleep in the same room?"
Alixia blinked, a little confused.
"At Grandpa and Grandma's no, Grandpa is too strict for that. But at Ikan's grandparents', we're allowed to sleep in the same living room with mattresses. Why?"
"Because he's a boy."
Alixia sighed.
"Dad… it's Ikan. You and Uncle Eiden have been friends for a long time."
"Exactly! You're too close. I saw him looking at you the other day. He had something weird in his eyes."
Alix pinched the bridge of her nose, already tired.
"Bryan… she's twelve."
"Twelve is the age when it starts! I know what I'm talking about."
"You're ridiculous. Leave them alone. They're just really good friends."
"Really good friends, yeah… Too good friends for my taste. I don't want him putting ideas in her head."
Alixia, on the screen, was simply watching her parents argue, one eyebrow raised. She didn't even need to intervene anymore. She knew the show by heart.
"Dad, we just play cards and watch cartoons…"
"For now! But after?!"
Alix shot him a death glare.
"Bryan. Stop. Right now. You're turning into that dad who scares off his daughter's little boyfriends before there's even one."
"There already is one! His name is Ikan!"
"He's her friend."
"He's a boy."
"And you're an idiot."
Alixia finally sighed, amused despite everything.
"I'm going to hang up before this ends in a live divorce. Kisses Mom. Kisses Dad… even if you're weird."
"I'm not weird!" Bryan protested.
The call had already ended.
Alix turned to her husband, arms crossed.
"Did you really think that at ten years old he was going to court her?"
Bryan pouted.
"You never know. Boys start early. And then these rotations… I'm not sure it's a good idea."
"It's going very well. Stop dramatizing everything."