other room while you recover.”

As I turned to leave, I glanced over my shoulder—and saw Harold still standing there.

The nurse gave him a warning look. “Sir, visiting hours are over.”

He held up a hand, silently pleading. “One minute.

Just one.”

She sighed but relented. “Fine. But keep your voice down.”

I lingered in the doorway, just for a second.

Harold stepped up to Nina’s bed.

“You need rest,” he said. “Come stay with me. Daisy can come too.”

Nina’s brows pulled together.

“What?”

“We’re old, Nina. We shouldn’t be raising kids like parents. We should be playing the role we’re meant to—grandparents.”

She let out a shaky laugh.

“You think Daisy would still see me as her mother?”

“You’ll figure it out. In the meantime, you need support. And you need to fix things with Belinda.”

Nina hesitated.

Then, slowly, she nodded.

The doctor entered with a firm expression. “Alright, visiting hours are officially over. Everyone out.”

Harold grinned, glancing at me as I made my way toward my new hospital bed.

“Except me, doc.

I’m staying.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. But don’t let her boss you around too much.

You’re already annoying as it is.”

And with that, I let the nurse guide me away, exhausted but strangely… at peace. For now.

***

Two weeks had passed, and for the first time in years, the house felt whole. That evening, it was buzzing with life.

Everyone was together for dinner: Greg, Veronica, Mia, Scooter, Belinda, Daisy, Harold, and even Nina, fresh from the hospital but looking more at ease than ever.

She had moved in with Harold, who, to my great surprise, turned out to be a rather excellent caretaker. Always fussing over her tea temperature, making sure she didn’t lift a finger.

And Daisy? She had naturally fallen into a rhythm—calling Nina her “older mom” and Belinda simply “Mom.”

And despite her past fears, Belinda had turned out to be a wonderful mother.

She did everything with such ease, as if she had been doing it for years.

I watched as Belinda carefully helped Daisy serve the salad, the little girl looking up at her with pure admiration.

Harold leaned in beside me, his voice low and smug. “You see? You stir the pot, but in the end, things always settle.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Enjoy the moment while it lasts.”

The mood was light, laughter filling the air as plates clinked and conversations overlapped.

Greg wiped his mouth with his napkin and smirked. “Mom, I gotta admit, we never expected life with you to be this… entertaining. You certainly don’t let us get bored.”

Mia, ever the peacekeeper, nudged him.

“Dad, be nice to Grandma Vivi.”

Veronica sighed dramatically. “Honestly? I feel like this is my real home now.”

Scooter, scribbling in his ever-present notebook, nodded in approval.

“This house is full of secrets. It’s perfect for my detective practice! Especially now that I have my own office in the attic.”

Harold chuckled, wrapping an arm around Nina’s shoulder.

Then, just as I let myself believe this dinner might pass without a single disaster…

A knock at the door. The entire table fell silent. Everyone glanced at one another.

We weren’t expecting anyone. I pushed my chair back and made my way to the door, my heart tapping just a little too fast against my ribs. When I opened it, a man my age stood there, grinning widely and holding a massive bouquet of flowers.

“PATRICK,” I breathed, my stomach sinking.

Before I could react, he stepped forward—uninvited, as always.

“Vivi!” he boomed.

“Oh, it’s so good to see you! Wow, look at this place! Big family dinner, huh?

What’s the occasion?”

His words tumbled out, unstoppable, and his energy was so relentless that standing near him made my head hurt.

I blinked, still processing. Patrick. My ex.

The man who, at one point, had been charming, exciting… until I got exhausted just from keeping up with his constant talking, his impulsive plans, his utter inability to take a hint.

He beamed at me, shaking the bouquet for emphasis. “I drove so far to see you! I can’t believe I finally found you!”

Wait.

Found me?

I opened my mouth to demand how he had tracked me down, but he was already stepping past me, looking around like he belonged.

“You don’t mind if I join, do you?” he asked, already setting the flowers down on the counter. “Let me just wash my hands first. Bathroom’s that way, right?

No worries, I’ll find it!”

And with that, he disappeared down the hall.

Behind me, my entire family stared in stunned silence.

Greg slowly set down his fork. “Mom. Who the hell was that?”

Harold narrowed his eyes.

“Should I throw him out, or are we letting this one stay?”

Veronica, phone in hand, whispered to Mia, “Oh my god, this is better than reality TV.”

Scooter, without missing a beat, grabbed his notebook. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he murmured, “Now this… this feels like the start of another mystery.”

And I… I just rubbed my temples. Because, honestly, he wasn’t wrong.

Source: amomama