Page 18 of Keeping Happily Ever After

Again, Bella’s mother nodded confidently.

Bella looked between the two of them in wonder.

“I got those, too.” Her mother crossed her arms over her chest with a grin and winked at Bella. “Dad, I know all your spots.”

“I’m impressed.” Papa nodded with a smile. “That should be it,” he said. “If there’s anything else, I guess the new owners can have it.” He turned to look at his little house that he had spent decades in.

Bella gave him a moment, certain he’d be emotional. Heck,shewas emotional. And she’d never actually lived there beyond spending summers as a teenager and then again recently.

To her surprise, her grandfather didn’t seem bothered at all to leave his home. Papa nodded once at his house and turned around to face her and her mother. “Okay, let’s go.”

Bella stepped toward him. “Just like that? You’re ready to go? You don’t need to...” She wasn’t sure how to finish the sentence.

Papa shook his head. “No,” he said matter-of-factly. “There’s nothing I need to do , Bella.”

“You’re not sad? Or...”

Papa put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently as he looked into her eyes. “Bella, it’s just a house. A shell. The memories, they don’t live in those walls.” He pressed his mittened hand to his chest. “They live in here.”

Tears came to Bella’s eyes but she blinked them back before anyone noticed. “I don’t really understand, Papa. You were so adamant about not moving. It took everything I had to convince you to even consider it. I just thought...”

Her grandfather smiled. “Bella, it was never about the house. And you were right all along. I shouldn’t be living on my own anymore. It’s time. So there’s no need for me to feel anything but peace with this decision.” He nodded to himself and smiled at her. “It just feels right.”

Bella watched as he moved, his age slowing him more and more, to her mother’s car and got in the passenger seat. Her own car was completely loaded with boxes for the donation center once again. Her mother came up beside her and put a hand on Bella’s shoulder. “You’ve been amazing, kiddo. Thank you for helping Papa through all this.”

Bella put her hand over her mother’s and squeezed. “Maybe he doesn’t feel anything from this house. But I can’t help but feel something,” she said.

“Maybe you should have kept it? You seem to really like Glacier Falls. You could have moved —”

Bella cut her off before she could get carried away. As much as she loved Glacier Falls, she couldn’t keep a house. “Mom, the timing isn’t right.”

“That’s right.” She smiled. “Just as soon as I get your grandfather settled, you and I are going to have a proper catch-up. I want to hear all about what’s going on in the city and this movie of yours. It’s so exciting.”

She gave her mom a spontaneous hug and squeezed tight.

“You’re going to be a big star, Bella. I’m so proud of you, and I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

And Bella couldn’t wait to tell her mom all about it, either. What little there still was to tell. Beyond the preliminary schedule that included meetings with trainers and voice coaches and an acting coach, she still didn’t know when shooting was going to start, or where it was, or really, much of anything at all.

“I’d like that, Mom. Soon, okay? Before you go back to the city?”

Her mom squeezed her hand again. “Of course. And I want to meet this new man of yours. He sounds pretty special. I mean, he’d have to be, if you like him.”

Oh, she liked him all right. Quite a bit. Bella laughed along with her mother.

“He is pretty special,” Bella said with a smile. “And I really do like him. He’s different.”

“Oh, ” her mom took a step back and assessed her daughter, “I can see that. Which is why I want to meet him. Do you think he’ll be able to meet us for a drink while I’m in town? Or maybe dinner? I’d like to get to know him a little bit.”

Bella nodded but she wasn’t entirely sure. Something was going on with Jeremy’s sister, Charlotte, and although he hadn’t given Bella a ton of details about what it was exactly, she knew it was serious. Bella didn’t remember the other woman from when they were growing up. Charlotte was a few years older, and had absolutely no interest in a younger girl from the city spending her summers in town. Beyond seeing her around a little bit, Bella barely knew her at all.

Everything Jeremy had ever told him about the woman she’d become had been glowing and it was clear they were good friends, which was also why Jeremy was so worried about her. Whatever it was that was going on with his sister wasn’t a small thing, that much Bella knew for sure. There was no way Jeremy would be so worked up if it were a minor drama. She didn’t want to push for details, especially when they weren’t Jeremy’s to share. But Bella knew that when the time was right, he’d let her know.

“Jeremy has a lot going on right now,” Bella told her mom. “But I know he really wants to meet you, too. We’ll figure out a good time.”

Lisa nodded. “Sounds good to me. I’ll see you at the Airbnb later? Or will you be staying with Jeremy?”

Bella blushed. It didn’t matter that she was a grown adult; there were still some things that felt strange.

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