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My mother looks at me, her eyebrows rising in surprise at my joking accusation. "What do you mean?" she asks.
"Since when do you not care about what I do for a living?" I ask, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "The mom I know wouldn't be happy with her daughter being a nanny."
Mom gives me an embarrassed smile, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. "Well," she starts, taking a deep breath, "after your father passed away last year, I've been doing a lot of self-reflection."
Her voice is soft, almost hesitant as if she's treading on unfamiliar ground. "That's the funny thing about being alone. You suddenly have all this time to see things about yourself that you've been avoiding."
She pauses, her gaze falling on the family photos scattered around the room. Photos of Ava and Dean, of Melanie and her husband, and of me - photos that tell the story of our lives here in Cooper Hills.
"I realized that I've been way too hard on you and Rachel over the years," she continues, her voice barely a whisper. "That's part of the reason why I came to Cooper Hills. I hate that my daughters never call, that you're too embarrassed to tell me about what's going on in your lives. Life is too short for things like that."
Tears well up in her eyes, and she looks up at me, her gaze filled with a mixture of regret and hope. "I want to start over, Lily," she says, her voice choked with emotion. "Can we do that? Can we start over?"
Tears fill my own eyes, and I reach out to squeeze her hand. "Yes," I say, my voice just as shaky as hers. "Yes, Mom, we can start over. I'd like that very much."
As I wrap my arms around my mom, I feel a sense of relief washing over me - a weight I didn't even realize I was carrying suddenly lifted. We stand there, holding each other in the middle of the living room, and I can't help but feel a sense of peace settling over me.
When we pull apart, her eyes are sparkling again. "So," she starts, a playful smile tugging at her lips, "are you going to tell me about what's going on between the two of you?"
I give her a confused look. "The two of who?"
She glances up the stairs, her smile turning into a knowing grin. "You and the firefighter."
Instantly, I can feel my cheeks grow hot. Even though I'm thrilled that Mom and I are starting over, this conversation is still awkward. I let out a sigh. "Things are... complicated."
Mom quickly retorts back, "It doesn't look complicated to me."
Quirking an eyebrow, I ask, "What do you mean?"
She gives me a pointed look. "That man is in love with you, dear. Anyone can see that."
As if on cue, Dean comes walking down the stairs, pulling on his coat. "Headed out?" I ask, trying to mask the surprise in my voice.
"Yeah," he replies, grabbing Ava's tiny pink gloves from the hook by the door. "Thought I'd take Ava to see the Christmas light exhibit and get some hot chocolate. Figured you two would want some time to catch up." He pauses, glancing between Mom and me. "Unless you want to come with us?"
Before I can decline, Mom chimes in, "Of course, I'd love to come."
Chapter seven
Dean
Thesoundofsnowcrunching underfoot echoes through the air as we trek across the parking lot.
We've just arrived at the Christmas Tree Light Expo. It's a tradition as old as the town itself, where every tree is decked out in twinkling lights that dance and shimmer, turning the winter chill into a canvas of living art.
There's something for everyone - from trees adorned with handmade ornaments by local school kids to towering giants blinking with professional light shows.
It's not my usual scene, but seeing Lily's eyes sparkle brighter than any light display melts away my grumbles. And today, we've got an unexpected guest: Lily's mom, Mrs. Hopkins.
Given Lily's stories about their rocky relationship, I'd braced myself for tension. But to my surprise, Mrs. Hopkins has been all smiles, even sharing a few laughs with Ava. It's like stepping into a parallel universe.
I turn to Lily, who's beaming at Ava and her mother.
"Your mom seems nice," I venture, trying to keep the surprise out of my voice.
Lily giggles, her breath misting in the cold air. "You sound surprised."
"Well, I am, considering everything you've told me about her."
