{"id":10418,"date":"2026-10-25T09:28:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-25T09:28:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418"},"modified":"2026-10-25T09:28:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-25T09:28:57","slug":"part-2-227","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418","title":{"rendered":"Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

She wants to talk to you,\u201d Carter said quietly.<\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u201cTell her I\u2019ll speak with her another time,\u201d I replied. \u201cHave a good day, sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n

I ended the call, finished breakfast, and washed my plate.<\/p>\n

Surprisingly, I felt neither triumphant nor ashamed.<\/p>\n

Instead, everything seemed clearer, as though furniture that had always been arranged incorrectly had finally been moved into place.<\/p>\n

I passed the morning peacefully.<\/p>\n

I watered my houseplants, which somehow survived every winter despite my inconsistent attention.<\/p>\n

Then I called Cordelia and briefly explained what had happened.<\/p>\n

She listened silently before responding.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood,\u201d she said, sounding almost relieved. \u201cYou\u2019ve let that go on for years, Mom. I didn\u2019t want to be the one to point it out, but I\u2019m glad somebody finally did the math out loud.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou noticed too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone noticed, Mom. You were just the only one still pretending not to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her observation troubled me because I knew it was true.<\/p>\n

For years, I\u2019d overlooked disrespect to preserve family harmony.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d convinced myself that grandmothers should always accommodate others, forgive endlessly, and protect children from adult disagreements.<\/p>\n

I had embraced that responsibility so completely that I hadn\u2019t recognized how invisible I\u2019d become.<\/p>\n

It took a video of expensive electronics on someone else\u2019s kitchen counter to make me see it.<\/p>\n

That afternoon, Carter and Yvette appeared at my front door.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d watched their car approach from the kitchen window but made no effort to hurry.<\/p>\n

I opened the door wearing reading glasses and holding a dish towel.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d interrupted an ordinary chore, and I saw no reason to pretend otherwise.<\/p>\n

Carter looked miserable.<\/p>\n

Yvette appeared prepared for confrontation.<\/p>\n

\u201cRosalind,\u201d she said, stepping forward without greeting me properly, her chin up in the way it gets when she has rehearsed something. \u201cThis is completely unreasonable. Those children have been told about the chalet for weeks. Carter\u2019s kids have been drawing pictures of the mountain. You cannot just pull that from them without any warning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI gave the same notice you gave me,\u201d I said pleasantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is not the same thing,\u201d she said. \u201cA text about a gift is not the same as cancelling a family trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d I agreed. \u201cWhat I cancelled was considerably more expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carter touched her arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cMom, can we come in? Can we sit down and talk about this properly?\u201d<\/p>\n

I stepped aside to let them enter the foyer.<\/p>\n

But I didn\u2019t invite them into the living room.<\/p>\n

We remained near the entrance, their winter coats still carrying the outdoor chill.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want an argument,\u201d I said. \u201cSo I\u2019ll keep this brief. You sent me a message saying gifts were cancelled because finances were tight. That message arrived two days before I watched a video of Paulette opening thousands of dollars of gifts you had bought for her. I am not angry about the gifts for Paulette. You are absolutely entitled to spend your money how you choose. But you do not get to claim poverty to me on Wednesday and post luxury hauls on Friday. That is not honesty. That is hierarchy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yvette started to interrupt.<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t finished,\u201d I said, and something in my voice, calm, unhurried, stopped her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have absorbed quite a lot over the past four years. The way I am addressed, or not addressed. The birthday that gets overlooked. The two weeks I spent as free child care so you could take Paulette to Europe. I have done all of it without complaint because I love my son and I love those grandchildren. But I am not a resource to be managed. I am a person, and I have decided to behave accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carter stared at the floor beyond my slippers.<\/p>\n

It reminded me of his childhood habit whenever he knew he\u2019d done something wrong but couldn\u2019t yet admit it.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne more thing,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n

I took a folded paper from my cardigan pocket and handed it to Yvette.<\/p>\n

It showed a screenshot of my Rogers mobile account.<\/p>\n

Four numbers were listed: mine, Carter\u2019s, Yvette\u2019s, and an additional line used by their babysitter.<\/p>\n

For two years, I\u2019d quietly covered the monthly bill of approximately two hundred and twenty dollars.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be removing the three additional lines at the end of the billing cycle,\u201d I said. \u201cThat\u2019s December thirty-first. You\u2019ll want to contact Rogers before then to port the numbers to a new account, so there\u2019s no interruption.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yvette\u2019s expression changed.<\/p>\n

For the first time since arriving, her indignation gave way to visible concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the house key,\u201d I added, holding out my palm. \u201cI gave you both a copy when I had my knee surgery last spring. I\u2019d like it back now. If there\u2019s ever a real emergency, Cordelia has one, and she\u2019s easy to reach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carter stood motionless with his hand inside his jacket pocket.<\/p>\n

He seemed to expect me to reconsider, tell him to keep the key, and declare that everything had gone too far.<\/p>\n

I said nothing.<\/p>\n

Eventually, he placed the cold metal in my hand.<\/p>\n

Yvette remained silent.<\/p>\n

I could almost see her reassessing arrangements she\u2019d assumed would never change.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrive safely,\u201d I said. \u201cThe roads are getting icy.\u201d<\/p>\n

After closing the door, I listened briefly as their car left my driveway.<\/p>\n

Then I returned to the kitchen and finished washing the dishes.<\/p>\n

My hands were steadier than I\u2019d expected.<\/p>\n

The following two weeks were among the most peaceful I\u2019d experienced in years.<\/p>\n

Cordelia visited twice to help organize our luggage.<\/p>\n

Carter had contacted her, hoping she\u2019d persuade me to reconsider.<\/p>\n

She refused, explaining without cruelty that she wouldn\u2019t interfere.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou made your bed,\u201d she\u2019d said, which was entirely accurate, and she relayed the conversation to me over tea with a small, satisfied smile that I recognized from her father.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe actually thought I\u2019d talk you out of it,\u201d she said. \u201cI told him I was looking forward to my room having an actual door this year instead of a pull-out couch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not very diplomatic of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t trying to be diplomatic, Mom. I was trying to be honest. Those are different things, and I think you\u2019ve spent forty years mixing them up on everyone\u2019s behalf but your own.\u201d<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t immediately answer.<\/p>\n

As I folded sweaters into my suitcase later, I considered her words.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Eventually, I admitted she was probably right.<\/p>\n

Yvette tried several strategies during those two weeks.<\/p>\n

First came a photograph of Maisie, their youngest, sitting beside the Christmas tree.<\/p>\n

The little girl hugged her knees, looking unusually sad.<\/p>\n

The caption said, \u201cShe keeps asking why she can\u2019t go to the mountain with Grandma.\u201d<\/p>\n

I studied Maisie\u2019s face for a long moment before replying.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love Maisie so much. I\u2019ll have her over for a baking afternoon in January, just the two of us. She will have a wonderful Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n

I meant it sincerely.<\/p>\n

Whatever had changed between Yvette and me, my love for that little girl remained untouched.<\/p>\n

Next came an indirect Facebook post about removing toxic influences and protecting one\u2019s peace.<\/p>\n

I understood the intended message and quietly muted Yvette\u2019s account.<\/p>\n

There was no reason to participate.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d learned that responding to public performances like that only encouraged more of them.<\/p>\n

Her third approach involved Carter calling on a Sunday evening.<\/p>\n

His exhausted tone suggested he was making a call he hadn\u2019t entirely chosen.<\/p>\n

He admitted they should have handled matters differently and apologized for Yvette\u2019s message.<\/p>\n

He avoided mentioning Paulette\u2019s expensive electronics.<\/p>\n

I thanked him for the apology and said we could discuss everything together in January.<\/p>\n

Our conversation remained affectionate but short.<\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t trying to punish my son or deliberately act distant.<\/p>\n

I simply no longer wished to arrange reconciliations for conflicts I hadn\u2019t created.<\/p>\n

Then came a fourth approach.<\/p>\n

That one genuinely unsettled me.<\/p>\n

Three days before Christmas, Paulette called.<\/p>\n

Her exaggeratedly cheerful greeting immediately made my stomach tighten.<\/p>\n

\u201cRosalind! I just wanted to say, I\u2019m so sorry if there\u2019s been some kind of misunderstanding between the kids. I had no idea my little gifts would cause such a fuss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no misunderstanding, Paulette. I saw the video. I understand exactly what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I just think it\u2019s a shame the grandchildren have to suffer for something between the grown-ups.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe grandchildren aren\u2019t suffering,\u201d I said. \u201cThey\u2019re going to have a lovely Christmas at home with both their parents and their other grandmother, who, from what I understand, bought them each something from under that tree as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

She paused, apparently realizing the conversation wasn\u2019t following her expectations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s really fair to say,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not trying to be fair to you, Paulette. I\u2019m being honest with myself, which is something I should have started doing years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shortly afterward, I politely ended the call.<\/p>\n

The guilt I anticipated never appeared.<\/p>\n

Instead, I experienced relief, like finally leaving a room where I\u2019d spent years feeling unwelcome.<\/p>\n

On departure morning, Brockville\u2019s temperature had fallen to minus nineteen degrees.<\/p>\n

Cordelia arrived in her Jeep at 6:30.<\/p>\n

Without being asked, she helped load my bags and handed me a travel mug filled with coffee.<\/p>\n

James drove.<\/p>\n

Lila and Benji, Cordelia\u2019s teenagers, occupied the back seat, excited but still sleepy.<\/p>\n

One had drifted off again before we reached the highway.<\/strong><\/h1>\n

We crossed into Quebec as sunrise turned the snow-covered fields along the autoroute white and gold.<\/p>\n

Watching through the passenger window, I felt unexpectedly free of complications.<\/p>\n

James had a wonderful talent for making long journeys enjoyable.<\/p>\n

He played old Gordon Lightfoot songs because he knew I liked them.<\/p>\n

About two hours into the drive, Benji awakened enough to ask what one song meant.<\/p>\n

James patiently spent twenty minutes explaining the Edmund Fitzgerald to a thirteen-year-old whose question probably hadn\u2019t required such a detailed answer.<\/p>\n

Listening to them, I felt grateful that Cordelia had found someone who fitted so naturally into our family.<\/p>\n

And I was grateful he\u2019d become part of my life as well.<\/p>\n

The revised chalet was smaller than my original booking but suited us perfectly.<\/p>\n

It had three bedrooms, a long farmhouse kitchen table, and a stone fireplace reaching the ceiling.<\/p>\n

From the rear deck, illuminated ski trails could be seen through the spruce trees at night, their lights resembling glowing decorations.<\/p>\n

Near the side entrance stood a cedar sauna, carrying the familiar scent of woodsmoke and many winters.<\/p>\n

We reached the chalet in early afternoon.<\/p>\n

Everyone began unloading luggage, claiming beds, and exploring.<\/p>\n

The teenagers raced upstairs to secure the bedroom with the window seat.<\/p>\n

When the excitement subsided, I stood in the main room, taking everything in.<\/p>\n

James had already built a fire.<\/p>\n

Cordelia was unpacking groceries.<\/p>\n

Snow drifted beyond the enormous windows.<\/p>\n

Unexpectedly, I missed my husband.<\/p>\n

Grief often visited during happy occasions rather than difficult ones.<\/p>\n

He would have adored the chalet.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d have suggested cards before anyone else and awakened early to clear snow from the deck, enjoying sunrise with coffee before the household stirred.<\/p>\n

I allowed myself a few quiet minutes beside the fire.<\/p>\n

Then I joined Cordelia in putting away groceries.<\/p>\n

After years of loss, I\u2019d learned that grief could be acknowledged without surrendering the entire day to it.<\/p>\n

Sometimes you let the memories come, then return to ordinary tasks, like putting milk in the refrigerator.<\/p>\n

Christmas Eve was spent cooking together.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d marinated a leg of lamb since morning.<\/p>\n

We prepared roasted potatoes and green beans, along with a tarte au pomme James collected from a village bakery.<\/p>\n

We gathered around the farmhouse table while the fireplace burned and familiar Christmas carols played softly.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d expected the teenagers to spend the evening looking at their phones.<\/p>\n

Instead, they insisted on teaching James and me a card game from school.<\/p>\n

When I won three consecutive rounds, they burst into laughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrandma\u2019s a shark,\u201d Lila announced to the table, and I felt absurdly pleased by the title.<\/p>\n

During dinner, I briefly checked my phone.<\/p>\n

Yvette had posted a picture of their living room.<\/p>\n

The children sat watching television, while Paulette occupied an armchair, her new iPad resting on her lap.<\/p>\n

Nobody appeared to be interacting.<\/p>\n

The caption read, \u201cQuiet Christmas at home this year, making the best of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her friends had filled the comments with sympathy.<\/p>\n

I looked at the picture for several seconds, turned my phone over, and passed the potatoes to James.<\/p>\n

Later, after the teenagers retired and Cordelia and James went to the sauna with wine, I sat alone beside the fading fire.<\/p>\n

Snow continued beyond the windows.<\/p>\n

I considered the Christmas I\u2019d originally envisioned.<\/p>\n

The larger chalet.<\/p>\n

Everyone skiing together.<\/p>\n

The exclusive Christmas Eve restaurant reservation.<\/p>\n

The entire family gathered around one fireplace.<\/p>\n

For a moment, I questioned whether I\u2019d made the right choice.<\/p>\n

But sitting in that peaceful room, I knew I had.<\/p>\n

Not because the decision had been comfortable.<\/p>\n

Because it had been honest.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d spent too many years confusing emotional exhaustion with genuine peace.<\/p>\n

At last, I understood the difference.<\/p>\n

Christmas morning began with footsteps on the stairs, Cordelia laughing in the kitchen, and the aromas of coffee and orange buns she\u2019d brought from Hamilton and warmed in the oven.<\/p>\n

We exchanged presents beside the fireplace.<\/p>\n

Months earlier, Cordelia had admired wool-lined gloves in a shop window.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d found the same pair for her.<\/p>\n

I also gave her a framed photograph of her father during his final healthy summer, standing beside a lake holding a freshly caught fish, smiling broadly.<\/p>\n

She cried softly, holding the picture in both hands without speaking.<\/p>\n

For Lila and Benji, I\u2019d purchased a telescope.<\/p>\n

James had mentioned their growing curiosity about astronomy.<\/p>\n

That afternoon, we bundled ourselves in winter clothing and gathered on the deck, searching for clear patches between the clouds.<\/p>\n

Benji insisted he could see Saturn\u2019s rings.<\/p>\n

Privately, I suspected he was looking at a blurred patch of cloud.<\/p>\n

But his excitement was unmistakable.<\/p>\n

That mattered more than what the telescope actually revealed.<\/p>\n

At noon, Carter phoned.<\/p>\n

I stepped onto the rear deck and wrapped my coat tightly around my shoulders.<\/p>\n

The air stung my nose, and my breath formed white clouds.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas, Mom,\u201d he said. His voice was quieter than usual.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas, Carter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s the chalet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBeautiful,\u201d I said honestly. \u201cWe had a wonderful evening last night. Cordelia\u2019s kids are excellent company.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. I\u2019m glad.\u201d He paused. \u201cIt\u2019s been a strange Christmas here,\u201d he said after a moment. \u201cYvette\u2019s been thinking about the text she sent, about a lot of things.\u201d He paused again. \u201cPaulette hasn\u2019t put the iPad down since she unwrapped it. She didn\u2019t really sit with the kids for the movie last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

I let his observation stand.<\/p>\n

Paulette\u2019s priorities weren\u2019t mine to judge aloud.<\/p>\n

Besides, I suspected Carter understood their significance more deeply because he\u2019d noticed them himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we come for dinner in January?\u201d he asked. \u201cThe four of us, with the kids. I think Yvette wants to have a proper conversation. I think we both do.\u201d<\/p>\n

I inhaled the freezing air and watched snow weigh down the spruce branches beneath the pale gray sky.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d I said. \u201cCall me after New Year\u2019s and we\u2019ll find a date.\u201d<\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d He sounded relieved, though I had promised nothing beyond a dinner. \u201cMom, I\u2019m sorry. I should have said that a lot sooner than this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d I said. \u201cWe\u2019ll talk in January. Tell Cordelia Merry Christmas from us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will. Give Maisie a hug from me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will. We\u2019ll see you soon, sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n

I returned to the warm chalet.<\/p>\n

Standing near the doorway, I watched Cordelia\u2019s family enjoying themselves.<\/p>\n

Lila and Benji cheerfully argued over the last orange bun.<\/p>\n

James laughed at something Cordelia said.<\/p>\n

The fireplace crackled steadily.<\/p>\n

I realized that this was what affection felt like when nobody expected payment for it.<\/p>\n

The remaining vacation days passed pleasantly, blending into a collection of warm memories.<\/p>\n

James and the teenagers went skiing.<\/p>\n

Cordelia and I preferred hot chocolate inside the lodge, watching the slopes through enormous windows.<\/p>\n

We\u2019d both decided our knees had earned permanent retirement from skiing.<\/p>\n

On our second-to-last morning, we explored a short trail behind the chalet.<\/p>\n

Snow crunched beneath our boots.<\/p>\n

Benji confidently identified animal tracks, though I suspected most of his explanations were inventions supplemented by a little knowledge from wildlife documentaries.<\/p>\n

Each evening, we used the sauna.<\/p>\n

The four adults took turns with the teenagers.<\/p>\n

Its cedar fragrance lingered in my hair for days after returning home.<\/p>\n

On our final evening, Cordelia and I remained downstairs after everyone else went to bed.<\/p>\n

We shared the remaining wine beside a fireplace reduced to glowing embers.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you regret it?\u201d she asked. \u201cPulling back on the chalet?\u201d<\/p>\n

I considered her question carefully, slowly turning my glass.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d I said. \u201cI regret that it took me this long to notice what I was accepting. I don\u2019t regret stopping.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve wanted to say something for years,\u201d Cordelia admitted. \u201cAbout Yvette, I mean. The way she talks to you sometimes. But it felt like it wasn\u2019t my place, and I was scared that if I said something, you\u2019d just tell me I was overreacting, and then I\u2019d feel foolish for even bringing it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI probably would have told you that,\u201d I admitted. \u201cI was very committed to believing it was fine. It\u2019s easier, in a strange way, to absorb something than to name it. Naming it means you have to decide what to do about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now you\u2019ve decided.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow I\u2019ve decided.\u201d I looked at her, at the firelight catching the side of her face, so much like her father\u2019s it still occasionally startled me. \u201cYou never made me feel like that. Not once, in your whole life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a good example,\u201d she said simply, and reached over to squeeze my hand, and we sat there for a while longer not saying anything else, because nothing else needed to be said.<\/p>\n

We drove back on December twenty-eighth.<\/p>\n

The roads were clear, and brilliant sunlight reflected against the snow.<\/p>\n

I spent surprisingly little time thinking about Carter and Yvette.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Instead, I considered the years ahead.<\/p>\n

For perhaps the first time in decades, I was asking myself what I wanted rather than automatically accepting whatever arrangements others made for me.<\/p>\n

In January, Carter and Yvette came for dinner as promised.<\/p>\n

The four of them arrived on a Saturday evening.<\/p>\n

Maisie carried a crayon drawing she\u2019d made especially for me.<\/p>\n

It depicted the chalet, with a stick-figure version of me standing on its roof.<\/p>\n

When I asked why she\u2019d drawn me there, she couldn\u2019t explain beyond \u201cthat\u2019s where you\u2019d want to be, Grandma, so you could see everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yvette was quieter than I\u2019d ever known her.<\/p>\n

Without being prompted, she joined me in the kitchen and began chopping vegetables for the salad.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Carter and the children prepared the table.<\/p>\n

Partway through our work, she spoke unexpectedly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about why I used your first name in that text.\u201d<\/p>\n

I continued chopping.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I did it because it felt safer than calling you Mom and then having to actually explain myself to someone who deserved an explanation. It\u2019s easier to disappoint a name than a person, if that makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

I stopped cutting and looked directly at her.<\/p>\n

It was probably the most sincere thing she\u2019d said to me in four years.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt does make sense,\u201d I said. \u201cThank you for telling me that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not asking you to put the phone lines back,\u201d she added quickly. \u201cOr the chalet thing. I understand why you did what you did. I just wanted you to know I\u2019ve thought about it. A lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate that, Yvette.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later, during dessert, she called me Mom for the first time in four years.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t a grand declaration.<\/p>\n

The word appeared naturally while she asked whether Mom\u2019s apple crisp recipe was the same one Carter\u2019s grandmother had once used.<\/p>\n

I noticed immediately.<\/p>\n

But I didn\u2019t draw attention to it.<\/p>\n

Our conversation continued for three hours, long after the children moved into another room to watch a movie.<\/p>\n

We discussed things that should have been addressed years earlier.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t pretend the past had never happened.<\/p>\n

Nor did I use those memories to attack her.<\/p>\n

Without formally announcing an agreement, we established that our relationships needed to change.<\/p>\n

When we visited, Yvette would refer to Maisie\u2019s bedroom as \u201cGrandma\u2019s room\u201d rather than \u201cthe guest room.\u201d<\/p>\n

My birthday would receive the same consideration as everyone else\u2019s.<\/p>\n

And financial hardship would never again be used to dismiss me while extravagant generosity was extended elsewhere.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know whether those improvements will last.<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Their future behavior isn\u2019t something I can control.<\/p>\n

What I can control is my willingness to accept less respect than I deserve.<\/p>\n

I no longer wait anxiously for people I\u2019ve always chosen to finally choose me.<\/p>\n

These days, my Sundays often involve talking with Cordelia, looking at Maisie\u2019s drawing taped to my refrigerator, and enjoying the simple comfort of knowing something important.<\/p>\n

Love that survives a difficult Christmas and becomes more honest afterward was never something I needed to purchase.<\/p>\n

I only needed to stop apologizing for expecting it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

She wants to talk to you,\u201d Carter said quietly. \u201cTell her I\u2019ll speak with her another time,\u201d I replied. \u201cHave a good day, sweetheart.\u201d I ended the call, finished breakfast, and washed my plate....<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nPart 2 - Welcome<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Part 2 - Welcome\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"She wants to talk to you,\u201d Carter said quietly. \u201cTell her I\u2019ll speak with her another time,\u201d I replied. \u201cHave a good day, sweetheart.\u201d I ended the call, finished breakfast, and washed my plate....\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Welcome\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-25T09:28:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"16 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/?p=10418#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/?p=10418\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cdbab16ac691b2d41fc3a1b62b58b015\"},\"headline\":\"Part 2\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-25T09:28:57+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/?p=10418\"},\"wordCount\":3649,\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/?p=10418\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/?p=10418\",\"name\":\"Part 2 - Welcome\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-25T09:28:57+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cdbab16ac691b2d41fc3a1b62b58b015\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/?p=10418#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/?p=10418\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/?p=10418#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Part 2\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/\",\"name\":\"Welcome\",\"description\":\"Breaking News\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cdbab16ac691b2d41fc3a1b62b58b015\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/awestories24.press\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Part 2 - Welcome","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Part 2 - Welcome","og_description":"She wants to talk to you,\u201d Carter said quietly. \u201cTell her I\u2019ll speak with her another time,\u201d I replied. \u201cHave a good day, sweetheart.\u201d I ended the call, finished breakfast, and washed my plate....","og_url":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418","og_site_name":"Welcome","article_published_time":"2026-10-25T09:28:57+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"16 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/#\/schema\/person\/cdbab16ac691b2d41fc3a1b62b58b015"},"headline":"Part 2","datePublished":"2026-10-25T09:28:57+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418"},"wordCount":3649,"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418","url":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418","name":"Part 2 - Welcome","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-10-25T09:28:57+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/#\/schema\/person\/cdbab16ac691b2d41fc3a1b62b58b015"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?p=10418#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Part 2"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/#website","url":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/","name":"Welcome","description":"Breaking News","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/#\/schema\/person\/cdbab16ac691b2d41fc3a1b62b58b015","name":"admin","sameAs":["https:\/\/awestories24.press"],"url":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10418"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10419,"href":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10418\/revisions\/10419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awestories24.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}