Chapter 87: Dream Home
JULIA
Ellie took the microphone and smiled at all the attendants. Thank you so much for participating in this year’s family day! May all of your families prosper and make it here next year,” she jokingly added, making me chuckle.
With that, the parents went off with their children, making the school more quiet. The sound of children’s laughter and adults‘ gossip was replaced by the soft rustling of the leaves.
Andy was already asleep in my arms. His face was peaceful, his lashes brushing against his cheeks, and I couldn’t help but smile. He’d had such a good time today.
Suddenly, Heath’s phone buzzed, breaking the silence. He glanced at the screen and clicked his tongue.
“Unfortunately, I have to head back to the office,” he said. People can’t seem to operate without their best employee around.”
I scoffed. “Whatever, just go.”
With that, Heath winked at me and went on his way. I still had a lot of questions I wanted to ask him, but it seemed he wasn’t ready to answer them.
As soon as he was gone, Evan stepped closer, appearing more nervous than usual.
“Is there something wrong?” I asked.
He cleared his throat. “Can I take you home?” he asked in a soft voice.
I pursed my lips and hesitated for a moment. Then, I nodded.
“Let me,” he said, reaching for Andy. I let him lift the little boy from my arms. Andy stirred slightly, his hand clutching at Evan’s shirt, and then he muttered something under his breath.
“Dad.”
A small smile appeared on Evan’s lips. Throughout the day. Andy hadn’t acknowledged his presence. However, it seemed he unconsciously longed for him. Evan carried him ever–so–softly to the car, making sure he was tucked in safely.
With that, we entered his car.
We drove in silence for a while. I glanced at Evan and saw him biting his lip in nervousness.
“Can we talk now?” Evan asked suddenly.
So, that was why he was nervous.
The talk we should have had years ago.
I nodded, looking away. “Yeah. We should.”
He didn’t say anything else; he just kept his eyes on the road.
I could feel the weight of everything we hadn’t said hanging between us. It had been gnawing at us for so long.
“Can we go to my house?” he reluctantly asked.
I nodded once more.
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Chapter 87: Dream Home
We drove the rest of the way in silence, the city lights fading behind us as we reached the quieter, tree–lined
streets.
Evan’s house came into view, and I couldn’t help but marvel at the sight.
It was beautiful.
I’d been here before, but it had been when at night I was drugged. So, I couldn’t take it all in.
H
Evan parked the car and came around to my side, opening the door for me. He gently lifted Andy from the backseat, cradling him against his chest. I followed him inside.
T
Evan carried Andy down the hall, and I followed. He opened a door to a bedroom, and I froze in the doorway. The room was painted in soft blues and greens, with a bed shaped like a race car in the center.
The walls were covered in decals of cars and trucks, and there was a bookshelf filled with toys and books.
I walked out of the room and continued observing the interior.
Just then, a memory hit me.
We were seventeen, sitting in Evan’s backyard on a warm summer night. The air smelled like blooming jasmine, and the stars above us were scattered like diamonds across the sky.
Evan’s parents were inside, their voices rising and falling as they argued.
It wasn’t anything new–his parents fought often, especially after Evan’s grandfather died.
Evan sat beside me on the old wooden swing. I could feel the anger radiating off him, but he didn’t say anything. We just sat there, the swing creaking softly as we swayed back and forth.
Finally, he let out a long breath and leaned back. “Let’s talk” he said. “I don’t want to hear them anymore.”
I nodded. “Sure, what do you want to talk about?”
He turned to me, suddenly appearing excited. “Let’s build our home,” he said. “Just the two of us. Or our family. Whatever we want it to be.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “Our home?”
“Yeah,” he said, his voice softening. “Not like this.” He gestured toward the house, where his parents‘ voices still carried through the open windows. “Not loud. Not angry. Just peaceful and… ours.”
Of course, I liked the idea.
“Okay,” I said slowly, a smile tugging at my lips. “What would it look like?”
He grinned, his face lighting up in the way it always did when he was excited about something. “It wouldn’t be too big,” he said. “But it would have a pool. And bright walls. Lots of windows, so the sunlight can come in.”
“Plants,” Ladded, my own excitement building. “Lots of plants, to make it one with nature.”
He laughed. “Yeah, plants. And it would be a little bit far from the city. Somewhere quiet, where we can hear the birds in the morning.”
“And a fireplace,” I said, leaning into him. “For cold nights”
“Definitely a fireplace,” he agreed. “And a big kitchen, so we can cook together.”
“And a room for our kids,” I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them. My face flushed, but Evan
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Chapter 87, Dream Home
didn’t seem to mind. He just smiled at me.
“That would be nice for a kid,” he said, looking up at the stars. “To have a home where he feels safe and is filled with things he likes.”
“You alright?” Evan asked, snapping me back to the present.
My heart hurt a little as I turned to look at him.
“It’s strange,” I muttered, more to myself than to Evan.
“What is?” he asked.
“This place,” I chuckled, in disbelief that I was even suggesting this. “It’s exactly how I envisioned our dream home to be.”
Evan didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he took a step closer, his eyes never leaving mine.
“What if it was?”
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