Chapter 677
The news that the property next door was purchased with plans to turn it into a playground had been the talk of the neighborhood, but that wasn't what was preoccupying my mind. It was my mom's decision to move out, giving me and Gregory some space.
I remembered leaving earlier today, noticing something off about my mom's expression. I had been too rushed to dive deeper into it, and now, it felt even more awkward to bring up. Christine came to my rescue, "Having your own space is crucial, regardless of the relationship. It's important."
"And with the property next door now ours, I can swing by with the kids. If it gets late, I can just crash there, catch up with Bella on the latest gossip, living the dream."
My mom chuckled, "You can't survive on gossip alone, I don't know why you're so fond of it."
Christine raised an eyebrow, "It's the perfect side dish."
My mom, with a loving shake of her head, replied, "Alright, I'll serve you two more dishes of gossip tonight to satisfy your appetite."
Christine, linking her arm with mine, whispered reassuringly, "Don't take this too much to heart."
"People have their habits. Sharing space because of the kids is one thing, but even the best of relationships need a bit of breathing room. This solution is perfect, the best of both worlds." "I wish I could find someone as thoughtful as your Gregory."
Her words did put me at ease.
My mom had initially wanted to spend more time with us, but the need to give me and Gregory our space had driven her to decide on living alone. It didn't sit well with me.
Now, with her just next door, the physical distance was there without the emotional distance. It felt right.
However, the idea of building a playground in our backyard seemed a bit over the top.
The community's amenities were top-notch, with plenty of play areas for kids. We didn't really need one at home.
After dinner, I brought this up with Gregory.
Wrapping his arms around me as we headed to our room, he said, "This is mom's way of showing she cares. We shouldn't stop her."
"You wouldn't want to upset her, right?"
I was speechless at his reasoning.
Gregory, ever the moral compass, added, "Seeing mom happy, doing these things, forgetting the mishap from before, and truly relaxing isn't that what you wanted for her? She's content now."
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"...Always the empathetic one," I teased, pinching him playfully only to be swiftly pinned down on the bed.
"Is this a hint?" he teased back, sealing my protest with a kiss.
Meanwhile, Christine was in high spirits, hitting a local bar for some drinks.
When Clarence heard Dailey was in town, he immediately showed up spotting Christine and assuming she was there for the same reason. "Why not head straight up? Dailey's already in the private room*
Christine was puzzled, "Why would I go up there just because Mr. Clarkson is in the private room?"
Clarence scratched his head, "Isn't
this meet-up your doing? With your sister's birthday and the kids' day around the corner, not to mention Greg's proposal plans. Shouldn't you be discussing the arrangements?"
Christine was at a loss for words at Clarence's misunderstanding, "How did you even find out?"
"It's no secret, a happy occasion," Clarence said, "I'm here to help out. I might talk a lot, but I know better than to spill everything."
What else could Christine say but, "Mr. Clarence, please go ahead and discuss with Mr. Clarkson. I'm family; the proposal isn't for me to meddle in."
Clarence, still confused, asked, "Are you and Dailey not on speaking terms?"
"We have nothing to fight about," Christine quickly denied.