108

The restaurant closes at nine every day during weekdays and at ten o’clock on weekends. So far, the revenue has exceeded our expectations. La Mia Cucina offers a wide range of Italian dishes for all ages. My partners and I are very keen on business planning, and while I’m the head chef, I am mostly in charge of the menu.

Mom is in the living room in front of the TV when I return home. She will usually wait for me while the kids are already in their beds. Her condition is getting better through continuous medication too. To be honest, despite all the loneliness, everything is falling into place. I’m a co-owner and the head chef of my dream restaurant, all my siblings are in school, and my mother’s health is improving.

But there’s still a hole in my heart that can’t be filled with all those things alone. I still can’t move on, or better yet, I’m not ready to fully let go.

Mom has fallen asleep on the couch with the TV on. I carefully approach to wake her up, but she opens her eyes even