"Well? What other shortcomings of mine did you spill to him?"

The boy's smile turned mischievous as he held up his index finger.

“Just the one more, that you can't cook at all... And that you almost burned the kitchen once!"

Tilda's jaw hung open in shock. He said that to Lyndon? By accident?

No, she guessed Sheldon had deliberately exposed her embarrassing failures to that man!

Outside Sheldon's room, Lyndon leaned casually against the door, one hand in his pocket, ears tuned to Tilda and Sheldon's conversation.

A grin spread across his face.

This woman talked tough in front of him but she seemed to be cool with taking feedback.

"Sheldon, you want a father?"

Tilda's voice piped up from inside.

Lyndon perked up, standing a bit straighter, catching every word.

Inside, Sheldon peered at Tilda, his eyes rolling, tugging her arm.

"Tilda, Mr. Fernandez's the bomb. He said he'd be my dad and keep us both safe."

Tilda stayed silent, a small furrow in her brow.

Sheldon got antsy. "Tilda?"

Tilda met his gaze, enveloping him in a tight hug.

"Sheldon, you can call him dad."

She didn't want to bum Sheldon out. It seemed he really dug Lyndon to think of him as his father.

Sheldon's eyes lit up. “Are you cool being his girlfriend?"

Tilda sat up, and pinched his cheek, teasing, "I'll be your girlfriend, right? I'm waiting for you to grow up. I can't be with someone else, can I?"