When fate plays its hand

It had already been a blessing that Mindy and Lionel had spent Easter with Fiona and Aren and stayed for so long afterward. The elderly couple couldn’t have asked for more than that.

But just one day after they left, the silence in the estate felt unnervingly foreign to Fiona. She had lived there for years, but now it seemed like the saying was true–it was easy to get used to comfort but hard to return to simplicity

After having Mindy and Lionel around, the emptiness felt unbearable.

“I can’t take it anymore!” Fiona suddenly jumped to her feet. “I’m going to Lumberville.”

Aren shot her a look of disbelief. “Don’t be ridiculous. Min is still in Echo Bay. What exactly are you going to do in Lumberville on your own?”

“I… Can’t I go and visit Lionel? Or maybe I’ll go to Echo Bay instead. I just can’t stay here another minute.”

He sighed heavily. “Lionel’s busy with teaching, and I heard he’s even taking on a class advisor role this semester. If you show up unannounced, you’ll just be in his way.” novelbin

“I won’t bother him. I’ll just stay at home, cook for him, and wait for Min to return from Echo Bay,” Fiona insisted.

“You… You’re getting pretty attached, huh? At your age, can you really not be away from

the kids?”

She huffed. “I don’t believe you’re not itching to go, too.”

He fell silent. Deep down, he did want to go.

Fiona said, “If you’re not going to make a move, I guess I’ll have to take the lead. So, are you coming with me or not?”

Aren said nothing.

The following morning, Fiona got up early, had breakfast, and began sighing dramatically.

In contrast, Aren was calm. He was wearing his reading glasses and was distracted by whatever was on his tablet.

Fiona sat nearby but didn’t seem interested in what he was doing. Her eyes kept drifting to the fruit bowl on the coffee table, and her mind wandered back to Mindy. She couldn’t help but feel a mix of longing and sadness.

He noticed her growing moody and handed her the tablet. “Here. Pick one you like.”

She took it and looked confused. Then, she glanced at the screen showing listings for villas

and townhouses. “What is this?”

Aren explained, “Remember how we were talking about getting a place in Lumberville? Since Min can’t come to Elgerson, I figured we might as well move closer to her.

“I hadn’t found anything suitable until two days ago when Jovi called about some good options. These three look great. They’re fully furnished and ready to move in. You can decide which one you prefer.”

Fiona glared at him for a moment but then broke into a grin. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? I’ve been miserable for two days. Look at this one–it’s in Mindy’s neighborhood.”

Aren glanced at the listing. “I knew you’d like that one.”

“Then, why even ask me?” she retorted.

He scratched his nose awkwardly. “I just thought living too close to the younger crowd might cause friction. Are you sure about this? The other two places are only a ten–minute walk away.”

“You said it’s only a ten–minute walk. Isn’t that far? I’m sure Lionel isn’t the kind of guy who’ll be hard to get along with. We’ll get along just fine.”

2

“Alright, this one it is. I’ll have someone handle the paperwork right away,” Aren decided.

Fiona’s mood lifted instantly at the thought of living so close to Mindy. The weight on her shoulders seemed to disappear.

Just then, the maid entered and told them that Nelly was outside. She asked if she should let her in.

Fiona and Aren exchanged glances. “No. Tell her to leave.“.

“But…” The maid hesitated.

“What is it?” Fiona asked.

“Ms. Garri… Nelly said Timothy wants a divorce,” the maid stammered.