“Grandma,” I answered softly.
“Ah, my sweet child.” Her voice crackles with age, warm and trembling. “It’s been too long. How are you managing with those two little ones?”
I rest my elbow on the counter. “We’re all right. The boys are growing fast. They eat like wolves now.”
She chuckles. “Just like their mother did.”
Her laughter fades into a sigh. “Still working too much, aren’t you? Always behind some machine instead of behind someone who can take care of you.”
I smile faintly. “I’m fine, Grandma. Really. I just want to raise them well and keep our lives steady.”
“You can’t live on steadiness alone,” she says gently. “You need someone by your side, Adeline. Someone to share the nights with.”
Her words hit softer than I expect. I stare at the sink, the reflection of my tired face
