Scooter, scribbling in his ever-present notebook, nodded in approval. “This house is full of secrets. It’s perfect for my detective practice! Especially now that I have my own office in the attic.”
Harold chuckled, wrapping an arm around Nina’s shoulder. Then, just as I let myself believe this dinner might pass without a single disaster…
A knock at the door. The entire table fell silent. Everyone glanced at one another. We weren’t expecting anyone. I pushed my chair back and made my way to the door, my heart tapping just a little too fast against my ribs. When I opened it, a man my age stood there, grinning widely and holding a massive bouquet of flowers.
“PATRICK,” I breathed, my stomach sinking.
Before I could react, he stepped forward—uninvited, as always.
“Vivi!” he boomed. “Oh, it’s so good to see you! Wow, look at this place! Big family dinner, huh? What’s the occasion?”
His words tumbled out, unstoppable, and his energy was so relentless that standing near him made my head hurt.
I blinked, still processing. Patrick. My ex. The man who, at one point, had been charming, exciting… until I got exhausted just from keeping up with his constant talking, his impulsive plans, his utter inability to take a hint.
He beamed at me, shaking the bouquet for emphasis. “I drove so far to see you! I can’t believe I finally found you!”
Wait. Found me?
I opened my mouth to demand how he had tracked me down, but he was already stepping past me, looking around like he belonged.
“You don’t mind if I join, do you?” he asked, already setting the flowers down on the counter. “Let me just wash my hands first. Bathroom’s that way, right? No worries, I’ll find it!”
And with that, he disappeared down the hall.
Behind me, my entire family stared in stunned silence.
Greg slowly set down his fork. “Mom. Who the hell was that?”
Harold narrowed his eyes. “Should I throw him out, or are we letting this one stay?”
Veronica, phone in hand, whispered to Mia, “Oh my god, this is better than reality TV.”
Scooter, without missing a beat, grabbed his notebook. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he murmured, “Now this… this feels like the start of another mystery.”
And I… I just rubbed my temples. Because, honestly, he wasn’t wrong.
Source: amomama
