Decisions I made のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 31 - チャプター 40

I carefully set the tray of drinks down on the table.The second I did, Diane looked up."Did you put it on my tab?"I smiled."Of course not."Her eyes narrowed."What do you mean, of course not?""I paid for it."The entire table went quiet.Wayne immediately laughed.Diane looked horrified."Lela.""What?""You weren't supposed to pay for it."I shrugged."It wasn't a big deal."Wayne raised his glass."Thank you.""You're welcome."Diane continued staring at me.Not angry.Just studying me.Like she was trying to figure something out.Jack sat back down beside me and looked between his parents."What?"Diane pointed at me."She's buying drinks now."Jack smiled."Yeah.""She's not supposed to be buying drinks."I laughed."It was one round."Diane looked at Wayne."Do you see what I'm dealing with?"Wayne smiled."I do."The entire situation was ridiculous.And somehow hilarious.For several minutes the conversation returned to normal.Mostly.Although I kept catching Diane lookin

The closer we got to my parents' house, the quieter I became.Not because anything was wrong.Quite the opposite.I was happy.Genuinely happy.And after everything that had happened over the previous week, that feeling almost seemed foreign.Jack pulled into the driveway and put the car in park.The porch light was on.Of course it was.My parents believed the porch light was a permanent fixture of life.I looked toward the front window.Then immediately groaned."What?"I pointed.Jack followed my finger.There, standing in the front window, was my father.Not hiding.Not pretending.Just standing there.Watching.Jack burst out laughing."No.""Yes.""No.""He's literally staring at us."The worst part?Dad didn't move.Didn't duck.Didn't pretend he wasn't there.Just waved.Actually waved.I dropped my head against the headrest."Oh my God."Jack was laughing so hard he could barely breathe."I love your father.""That's because you're not related to him."The two of us sat there

The next morning, I woke up before my alarm.For a few seconds, I lay there staring at the ceiling.Then I smiled.Not because I had gotten a full night's sleep.I hadn't.Not because I wasn't facing a stressful day.I absolutely was.I had reports due.Meetings.Deadlines.The kind of workday that normally would have had me anxious before my feet even hit the floor.Yet somehow, none of that seemed important.I rolled over and looked at my phone.The last text from Jack was still there."You looked beautiful tonight."I smiled again.Then immediately rolled my eyes at myself."Get it together, Lela."Unfortunately, I couldn't.Because for the first time in years, I was happy.Actually happy.Not fake happy.Not work happy.Not the smile-you-put-on-for-other-people happy.Real happy.The kind that sneaks up on you.The kind you don't even realize is missing until it returns.I climbed out of bed and pulled on a pair of running shorts and a t-shirt.The house was still quiet.Mom and D

After my parents left for the airport, the house felt strangely quiet.Not empty.Just different.For the past couple of weeks there had always been somebody around.Mom making tea.Dad yelling into a phone.One of my siblings randomly stopping by.The house constantly buzzing with activity.Now it was just me.I stood in the driveway for a moment after their car disappeared down the street.Then smiled.Vegas.Dad would probably lose money.Mom would pretend to be annoyed.And both of them would have the time of their lives.Some things never changed.I headed back inside and immediately started my morning routine.Coffee.Shower.Comfortable clothes.Laptop.The glamorous life of working from home.By 8:00 a.m., I was sitting in the kitchen with my laptop open and three different reports staring back at me.The day was already threatening to become chaotic.Emails were arriving nonstop.My phone kept buzzing.Two meetings had already been added to my calendar.And somehow, despite a

After hanging up with Jack, I finally closed my laptop.The silence in the house felt wonderful.No conference calls.No vendors.No Ron.No Hannah apologizing for the tenth time.Just peace.I stretched and looked around the kitchen.Now came the fun part.Cooking.Unlike most people, I genuinely loved cooking. Growing up with my mother taught me more than just recipes. She taught me how food brought people together. Sunday dinners, holiday gatherings, random Tuesday nights when half the neighborhood somehow ended up at our table—food was always at the center of it.By the time I was in high school, I could cook almost anything.My father often joked that Mom taught me too well because I could outcook most restaurants.Whether that was true or not, I knew my way around a kitchen.Cooking had always relaxed me.Especially after stressful days.And after the day I'd just survived, I needed something relaxing.I decided on one of my favorite meals.Homemade pasta with a rich sauce, fres