Even I laughed then.
But the relief faded quickly.
I turned back to Marcus.
“You should have told me the company recovered.”
“I know.”
“You should have told me before moving six figures around.”
“I know.”
“You definitely should not have involved Sophie in keeping secrets.”
“I know.”
“And I shouldn’t have followed you instead of confronting you.”
Marcus gave me a look.
“Considering how suspicious I made everything look, I’ll give you that one.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I mean it.”
He went quiet.
“I gave you my savings without making you understand what losing that farm had done to me. You made a huge decision because you thought you understood what would heal it. We both made choices for the other person without actually asking.”
Marcus stared down at our joined hands.
“That’s probably not a great habit for married people.”
“No.”
I leaned my head against his shoulder.
“So here’s rule number one.”
“Okay.”
“No secret financial decisions.”
“Agreed.”
“Rule number two: no surprise real estate.”
“Seems unusually specific.”
“I’m serious.”
He smiled.
“Agreed.”
“And rule number three.”
Marcus waited.
“Never trust Sophie with classified information.”
From behind us came a tiny voice.
“HEY!”
We all spun around.
Sophie was standing near Camille’s car.
Marcus’s brother had apparently brought her after Marcus called him during the alarm chaos.
Her hands were planted on her hips.
“I can keep secrets.”
Four adults stared at her.
Sophie frowned.
“Sometimes.”
I started laughing so hard I cried again.
She ran across the grass and climbed into my lap.
“Are you mad?”
I kissed her forehead.
“At you? Never.”
She pointed toward the farmhouse.
“So you know now?”
“I know.”
“Do you like my room?”
“I haven’t seen it yet.”
Her eyes widened.
“Can I show you?”
I looked at Marcus.
He smiled cautiously.
“Only if your mom wants to.”
Sophie froze.
Then slowly turned toward me.
“Mom?”
It was the first time she’d actually called me that.
Not asked whether she could.
Not joked about it.
Just said it.
Mom.
I looked at the farmhouse.
At the barn.
At the piece of land I had spent half my life believing existed only in my imagination.
Then at the little girl waiting for my answer.
“Yeah,” I said. “Show me.”
Six weeks later, we moved in.
The renovations weren’t perfect.
