When Family Became a Place I Couldn’t Return To novel Chapter 160

She snuggled with Carrie in bed for what felt like forever before finally getting up.

“Mom, even if you’re super busy, you still have to sleep, right? So… can you come home and sleep with me every night from now on?”

Carrie clung to Nelly’s hand as they walked to the dining room. She chattered nonstop, her words always circling back to asking Nelly to stay. The way her daughter suddenly couldn’t bear to be apart from her made Nelly’s heart melt. Truth was, she wished she could see Carrie every day too.

In the dining room, Marian had breakfast all set out. The table was loaded with all kinds of dishes, and right in the center sat a big clay pot of soup. Nelly spotted it immediately. Usually, mornings were a rush, with just some milk, oatmeal, maybe an egg drop soup or a bit of pancakes. They almost never had a soup that took hours to make.

When Marian saw them come in, she quickly served up two bowls.

“Try this. The soup’s been simmering for four hours. Mr. Garland asked me to add lots of healthy stuff—he said both you and Carrie need to eat well and get your strength up.”

Nelly knew Brody would never actually say something like that, but Marian was so cheerful and kind she didn’t want to spoil the mood. She just smiled and handed Carrie her utensils.

Carrie blinked up at Marian. “Did Daddy already leave?”

“He left really early this morning.”

No surprises there, but Carrie still looked a little disappointed. Last night, both her parents were home. She’d thought maybe her dad would wait and eat breakfast with her mom.

Nelly caught the look in her daughter’s eyes and said gently, “Isn’t it always like this?”

Back when she lived here, it was usually just her and Carrie at the table. Brody barely showed up for meals.

“But it’s different now…” Carrie poked at her soup. “Daddy really cares about you now, Mom.”

Nelly let out a small, skeptical laugh. “Carrie, you don’t have to say stuff like that just to make me stay.”

“But it’s true!” Carrie looked at her, eyes wide, desperate for Nelly to believe her. She spent a lot of time with her dad, and she could tell something had changed. Lately, every night he’d come home and ask what she and her mom talked about on the phone. And he hadn’t had dinner with Ms. Olson in a while, either.

Nelly just took another sip of soup and said, “Finish your breakfast. It’s almost time for kindergarten.”

Carrie swallowed her frustration and listened. She was afraid if she made Nelly upset, her mom might leave her again.

It was still early, so Nelly decided to take Carrie to kindergarten herself. When they reached the classroom door, Nelly let go of her hand.

“Go on in.”

Nelly remembered how, not long ago, Carrie had introduced Sheila as her mom to the other kids. She wasn’t mad anymore, not really, but she didn’t want to embarrass Carrie either.

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