Chapter 195

Howard's POV

I stood with Annie backstage in the school auditorium,watching Lucy run toward us through the dispersing crowd. The performance had just ended,and the hall echoed with excited chatter and laughter.

Annie's mother Ruth had departed moments ago to pick up Brian, leaving us to wait for Lucy. Despite the bustling crowd, Lucy's bright smile stood out like a beacon as she weaved between parents and children.

"Mom! How was I?" Lucy asked Annie excitedly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Her cheeks were still flushed from the excitement of being on stage, and wisps of golden hair had escaped from her carefully styled princess hairdo.

Annie gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up, her face radiating pride. "You were absolutely brilliant!"

"You know," Annie continued, gently brushing Lucy's hair back into place,"watching you from the audience was like seeing a star shining on stage.I kept thinking, 'This amazing girl is my daughter, how lucky amI?”"

Lucy looked slightly embarrassed but pleased, burying her face in Annie's embrace. "Mom, you don't have to exaggerate."

"I mean it," Annie said affectionately, her voice warm with sincerity. "Were you nervous up there?"

"A little," Lucy admitted honestly, looking up at Annie. "But then I remembered what you told me about imagining the audience as toy dolls.and it got much better." Watching this tender exchange, a powerful wave of emotion suddenly washed over me. Initially. I thought it was simply joy at seeing Lucy's progress-six months ago when Annie first met her. Lucy would barely speak to anyone, and now she was confidently hosting ain entire event and finding her own ways to overcome stage fright.

But this feeling was much more than that. It was the concentrated warmth of family bonds forming and strengthening before my eyes. I realized with sudden clarity that since my brother William and his wife passed away.I hadn't experienced this kind of intimate family connection.

Yet since Annie's arrival, these moments had been occurring with increasing frequency in our lives.

"Our Lucy knows how to solve problems!" Annie kissed her forehead proudly. "That's my girl!"

I held up the camera, capturing this natural and intimate moment between them. "What would you like to do now?" I asked Lucy.

Lucy thought for a moment, her expression turning contemplative. "Aren't we going away with Grandpa and Grandma this weekend? I need to go home and organize my things."

She turned to Penny who was standing nearby with Sue. "You too-I'll see you at my house tonight."

Penny nodded enthusiastically, then departed with her mother Sue, both waving goodbye as they joined the stream of families heading toward the exit.

Lucy tugged at Annie's hand. "Mom, let's go home."

Back at our Long Island home, the evening passed quickly with dinner and bedtime routines. Luacy couldn't stop talking about the upcoming weekend trip, her excitement bubbling over as she described all the activities she was looking forward to. Before bedtime, she even called Penny to confirm their plans for the next day.

The following morning, Lucy was upstairs packing the last of her belongings for the weekend trip with her maternal grandparents,Edward and Eleanor Parker.Eleanor was helping her organize her clothes, making sure everything was properly packed and nothing important forgotten.

I brewed coffee in the kitchen and carried two mugs to the terrace, where Edward was standing. He was an elegant man in his mid-fifties, staying with us these past few days in preparation for the weekend trip.

"Good morning," I offered him a cup of coffee.

"Thank you." he accepted the coffee, took a sip, and then asked directly."How are things going with you and Annie?"

His straightforward question caught me slightly off guard.I considered my response before answering simply, "Very well." Though brief, it was true.Annie had been living in our home for several months now, our relationship was developing steadily, and Lucy had grown increasingly attached to her.

Edward smiled knowingly. "We're taking Lucy for the weekend, so you should make good use of this time with Annie. When the child is around.you both focus your attention on Lucy. You don't really have time just for the two of you."

I shook my head slightly. "It's not like that. We spend time together at the company as well." "That's different." Edward remarked with a meaningful look, though he didn't elaborate further.

Lucy's voice calledI from upstairs, "Grandpa! I'm ready!"

"Coming!" Edward called back, then turned to me and patted my shoulder.

"Trust me, make good use of this weekend."

I couldn't help feeling somewhat awkward at his suggestion but nodded. "I will."

Shortly afterward, Edward, Eleanor, and Lucy were at the door with their luggage,ready to depart. Lucy hugged Annie tightly and kissed her cheek."See you Sunday,Mom!"

We stood at the entrance, watching their car drive away. Lucy waved excitedly from the back seat until the vehicle turned the corner and disappeared from view.

Suddenly, the spacious living room contained only Annie and me. The house was eerily quiet, the space that was usually filled with Lucy's laughter and energy now feeling unusually empty. The sensation was unfamiliar-since Annie had moved in, the three of us had almost always spent weekends together.

I walked over to Annie, feeling a slight awkwardness. "Finally, we have some time to ourselves."

Annie smiled softly but then said, "I've accumulated quite a bit of work these past few days. I think I'll go take care of some of it first, so it doesn't affect my schedule next week."

A flicker of disappointment passed through me, but I understood the importance of her work. Annie's children's book illustrations had been gaining popularity recently, and she was passionate about her career.Forcing her to set aside her work would only make her uncomfortable.

It's fine. We've got a whole week, I told myself inwardly.

"Of course," I replied simply. "Would you like some coffee?"

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

Annie headed upstairs to her studio, while I walked toward the kitchen.I found myself appreciating this feeling-no outsiders, no phone conferences,no busy schedules, just the two of us in this house.

Alone,yet together. Perhaps this was the "different" that Edward had mentioned.