Frowning, Helena inquired, “What, sweetheart?”

“The diver. Why did he take Nemo away from his daddy?” Leah questioned, her brow slightly furrowed in both confusion and annoyance. Nicky turned from the screen, then, staring at his mother as he, too, awaited an answer. 

Helena offered them a little shrug. She understood the parallels her children were making with the character from the film and their own situation, though was unsure how to explain it to them without them seeing her as the horrid ‘diving dentist’ who had stolen them away from their father. “He wanted him for himself, didn’t he? He didn’t understand that Nemo needed his daddy,” Helena tried, waiting for their reaction.

Nicky was first to answer, Leah merely offering a blank stare, and stated bluntly, “He should have,” before turning back to the screen and engaging in the film. 

Feeling slightly stung by her son’s words, whether or not that was his intention, Helena shuffled back in her seat. Leah was still watching her, however, almost expecting her mother to further her explanation. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Helena told her softly, “He’s not away forever, though, baby…Nemo sees his daddy again.” 

“I know…and Dory…” Leah told her, then, as the little blue fish sprung onto the screen, added, “She’s my favourite.” 

“I like the fish that make the faces,” Nicky voiced, and Helena felt the tension had lifted enough for her to leave them to their own devices to make a drink. 

Whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, Helena’s thoughts wondered to her predicament with Dylan. Their dance around the sheets had been unplanned and unexpected, though Helena could not deny that she had enjoyed it. It was this fact that unsettled her, however, having been so certain of herself a mere week earlier. She had always appreciated a beautiful woman, always been able to look easily at toned limbs and tight-fitted outfits, though never in a manner that had ever suggested that she wanted anything more than to own their perfect bodies. And, what with having kicked her own body back into shape after giving birth to both Nicky and Leah, she found herself doing that less and less each day. But there had always been something different about Dylan. Helena believed the woman would be her undoing, though she couldn’t stand to ignore what had happened between them any longer. Dylan had not yet been in touch and she wondered if the other woman was regretting what had happened, or perhaps Dylan believed she regretted what had happened and wanted to give her some space. Either way, despite being unsure about her feelings towards the matter, the Brit knew she could not put off their discussion of it any longer.