This is Part 4 of an ongoing story. Here’s a quick recap of the previous chapters. If you haven’t read the earlier parts yet, start here.
To my family, I was nothing more than a quirky grandmother with an eye for extravagant robes and a flair for the dramatic. But when I collapsed at breakfast and called them all to my bedside, I had one clear intention—to gather them under one roof and make us act like a family.
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Greg, my brooding son, Veronica, his dramatic wife, my perfectionist daughter Belinda, and my grandchildren—each brought their own buried truths.
I told them it was about my will, about time slipping away. They didn’t realize I was orchestrating a longer plan that would reveal their hidden lives. What I didn’t anticipate was being forced into a corner by my own.
When my youngest grandson, Scooter, vanished into the neighbor’s yard and returned with Harold, my first secret was exposed. During dinner, Harold declared he was Greg’s biological father and Scooter’s grandfather.
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It was then revealed that Belinda had a daughter—a child she had let go of years ago, allowing our old nanny, Nina, to raise her as if she were her own. This meant we had to track her down.
What no one realized, however, was that Nina and I had history as well… My second secret, exposed. And that was just the start.
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PART 4
I got home later than I had planned. The house was still, bathed in soft moonlight. Even Bugsy, my ever-disapproving cat, was stretched out on the couch, his tail flicking with mild disdain.
But sleep wasn’t on my mind.
I headed straight for the hallway closet, digging through dusty boxes, tossing aside scarves, knotted jewelry, and a pair of glittery disco shoes I was certain I had thrown out years ago.
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Somewhere in the house was my jewelry box, filled with pieces of truth I’d carefully hidden from everyone.
From the shadows, Scooter emerged.
“You looking for something, ma’am?” he asked theatrically, shining a flashlight under his chin.
“My jewelry box. And don’t call me ma’am. You sound like a bus driver. Now, go to bed.”
“I’ll tell you where it is… if you take me with you tomorrow.”
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“This is adult business. Very boring. You’d hate it.”
“I’m not a child,” he declared, puffing out his chest. “If you don’t take me, your jewelry box will stay lost forever.”
“You negotiate like a Wall Street shark.”
He flashed a triumphant grin and gestured for me to follow him upstairs to the attic—his “detective headquarters.”
Among the discarded toys and “classified” files, Scooter dug out the box.
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I opened it. Inside, among vintage postcards and a dried rose from 1972, was what I had been looking for: a worn piece of paper with a scribbled address. There was also a photo—two young girls.
Nina and I. It was time to remind her of the childhood we both wished to erase.
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As the sun began to rise, I slipped out quietly, hoping to escape without anyone noticing. But naturally… there he was. Scooter.
“I made sandwiches,” he declared with a grin. “And! I even brushed my teeth.”
I sighed. “You never give up.”
He flashed that playful grin—the one I couldn’t resist, no matter how hard I tried. And honestly, I had to respect the boldness. It was in his blood.
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As we reached the car, another voice cut through the peaceful morning air.
“I’m coming with you.”
It was Belinda, dressed in her silk robe and fuzzy slippers, holding her coat and looking like she hadn’t slept a wink.
“This involves me too,” she said softly.
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“And what exactly do you plan to do?” I asked.
“Someone has to stop him from eating five sandwiches before we even leave the driveway,” she replied, tilting her head toward Scooter.
Scooter proudly held up a brown paper bag. “I have enough sandwiches. Perfect combo now
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I sighed.
“Fine.”
We piled in, and I started the engine. I had just accepted the reality that our trip—originally meant to be a quiet escape—had turned into a full-blown family field trip… when fate decided to make its presence known from the roadside.
Or rather, Harold.
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“Well, well,” he called out as I slowed the car, “if it isn’t the mystery squad.”
I rolled down the window, already regretting it.
“Keep moving.”
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“I would,” he replied, eyeing the flat front tire, “but unless this road grows wings, I’m fresh out of ideas.”
“I’m sure you’ll convince a passing crow to give you a lift.”
“I’d try hitchhiking,” he said with a grin, “but I don’t think the universe could offer me a better ride than this one.”
“Come on, Grandma! This thing’s practically a full cast now!”
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“One more word, and I’ll be feeding your sandwiches to raccoons.”
I let out a dramatic sigh as I unlocked the doors.
“Get in the car before I decide otherwise.”
Harold gave an exaggerated tip of an imaginary hat and slid into the backseat, chuckling to himself.
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“This is officially the best mission ever!” Scooter grinned from ear to ear.
I glanced in the rearview mirror at the three of them. What was supposed to be a calm, controlled visit had quickly turned into a full-on circus on wheels.
And something told me… the show was only just beginning.
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An hour later, we arrived at Nina’s house. It stood there like a forgotten memory—silent, unchanging, draped in the same weathered paint it had worn for years.
Harold leaned forward, squinting.
“Wait a minute… This is Nina’s house.”
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I tensed.
“How do you know that?”
He shifted in his seat, uneasy.
“After we ended things… I stuck around. I just couldn’t let go. I used to drive by, hoping to see Greg. You were always away—Europe, Brazil, who knows where—so Nina and I started hanging out.”
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I gave him a hard stare. “Time… or something else?”
“We kept each other company. That’s all I’m sharing.”
My teeth clenched.
“She vanished one day. Just disappeared. When I finally found her months later, she answered the door holding a baby. Slammed it right in my face. Told me it wasn’t my problem. But I always wondered… was that baby mine?”
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I took a deep breath. “It wasn’t. Relax.”
Harold blinked, struggling to make sense of it.
“Then… whose…?”
A thick silence filled the air. Finally, Belinda’s voice cut through it.
“She’s mine.”
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Belinda turned to me, her voice laced with suspicion.
“Wait… how do YOU know this address?”
“Nina wasn’t just a nanny. We were raised in the same… foster home. Before I became ‘Vivi with the roses,’ I was just a girl with two dresses and a suitcase of broken dreams.”
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“Mom… you never told us…”
But before anyone could say anything further, the front door creaked open.
A small girl appeared in the doorway. Big brown eyes. Chestnut curls. At that age, she resembled Belinda so much it took my breath away.
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“Hi,” I said softly. “Is your mom home?”
She smiled. “She’s baking cookies. Want one?”
Cookies. The sweet, comforting scent wafted toward us, warm and familiar. So simple. So ordinary.
And then… Nina. She appeared in the doorway, her gaze meeting mine.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
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“Oh, I think we should,” I answered, stepping closer.
“You still can’t move on, can you?”
My voice grew louder, old pain bubbling to the surface.
“Move on? Like you moved on from our friendship? Like you hid the truth about my daughter from me for years? Like you tried to raise her child without ever telling me?”
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“I was there when your daughter needed someone. You weren’t. I raised her. I protected her. And when she had Daisy, I gave that little girl love, stability, a real home.”
“And you shut me out of everything.”
Belinda took a careful step forward, her eyes fixed on the girl.
Daisy.
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“I never wanted it to be this way,” she said softly.
Nina’s voice softened in return. “You had your life. You left. I stayed.”
Before either of them could say more, Scooter piped up, his notebook open.
“Honestly? This is better than any mystery novel I’ve read this year.”
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“Scooter,” I snapped. “Go to the car. Now.”
Just as I stepped forward, a shadow moved behind me.
“Hi, Nina. Long time no see.”
When Nina saw Harold, her face drained of color. Her knees gave way, and in an instant, she collapsed.
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The hospital was freezing. We sat in silence. Scooter slept, curled up against me. Harold walked back and forth. Belinda sat tense, her knuckles clenched around her coffee cup.
At last, the doctor appeared.
“She made it through the surgery,” he said. “But her heart is fragile. The next 48 hours are crucial. She’ll need a transfusion soon. Then, no stress.”
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I rose without a second thought.
“We share a blood type. Take mine.”
A few minutes later, I was lying next to Nina, an IV connecting us. Years of silence distilled into this odd, quiet moment.
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“Who’s Scooter?” she whispered.
“Greg’s son.”
Her brow furrowed.
“Greg has kids?”
“Two. Mia and Scooter.” I paused. “Belinda… can’t have children.”
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Nina’s expression softened, pain flickering in her eyes.
“That’s why she wants Daisy.”
“She’s not trying to steal her. She just wants to be part of her life. With you.”
Nina blinked back tears. “I can’t lose her.”
“You won’t. But you need to let Belinda in.”
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Then, the door flew open. Greg stormed in, Veronica right behind him.
“Where have you all been?!”
I calmly sipped my tea. “Casually donating blood, dear.”
Greg’s eyes quickly flicked to the IVs, then to Nina, pale but conscious.
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“Mom,” he growled. “Is this another one of your crazy stunts?”
“I just saved a life.”
Harold stepped forward, arms crossed, wearing a grin that said he was far too pleased with himself.
“Better sit down, son. There’s more to this. It’s a long story.”
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Two weeks later, the house was alive with energy once more.
Nina had moved in with Harold, who treated her like a lovestruck teenager. Daisy happily split her time between her “Home Mom” and Belinda, who was gracefully settling into her new role in a way I hadn’t expected.
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Dinner was loud. Chaotic. Alive.
Greg lifted his glass.
“Mom… you’ve turned this house into something unpredictable, borderline insane. But I’ve never seen it so full of life.”
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Belinda smiled.
“This place finally feels like home.”
Scooter scribbled furiously.
“So many secrets. I’m going to need a bigger notebook.”
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I chuckled. Perhaps I had actually done something worthwhile by getting everyone under one roof. I had uncovered my daughter’s hidden truth. Sure, I had sacrificed two of my own in the process. But that was the cost.
Now, it’s my son and his wife’s turn. I still recall the whispers behind closed doors on their first night in my home. Their turn is on the horizon.
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They were next to reveal their cards. Or so I thought, savoring my favorite grapefruit juice in the warm evening light.
But my thoughts were shattered by a sudden knock that echoed through the house. We all exchanged glances. We weren’t expecting anyone.
I opened the door… and nearly collapsed.
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No. Not now. Not tonight.
There he was. Bouquet in hand. Grinning like an idiot. Still radiating that irresistible, stormy energy he always carried with him.
“Patrick,” I whispered, barely able to breathe.
“Vivi! I finally found you!”
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Before I could block the doorway, he strode in, his eyes scanning the room.
“Wow! Look at this! Big family dinner? What’s the special occasion?”
The room went quiet. Greg slowly set his fork down, his gaze sharpening.
“Mom. Who is this man?”
“Oh, darling… this is today’s uninvited guest. Just like he’s been for the last ten years.”
Harold stood up from his chair. “Want me to throw him out?”
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“Oh, please. Don’t be rude. I crossed half the world to find you, Vivi. You didn’t tell them about me?”
Honestly… that was another secret of mine. But I had no idea how to explain it. Patrick turned to me.
“We had an arrangement. You owe me, darling.”
I sighed. “Come in. But don’t expect any hospitality.”
I closed the door behind him, already sifting through a sea of words in my mind—trying to find the right ones to explain to my family why Patrick… was part of all this too.
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