“Hi, Grandma.”
It had been a while since Hadley last heard from Nyla.
Hadley looked confused as she asked, “Grandma, how have you been feeling?”
“Oh, I’m doing just fine. I feel great,” Nyla responded warmly.
Her voice was bright and full of life, instantly putting Hadley at ease. She didn’t sound like she was in distress or in a bad mood.
“Hadley, when do you think you’ll have time to visit me? I’ve missed you.”
Hadley quickly sat up straighter, a wave of guilt washing over her. “I should’ve come by sooner… I’m sorry I’ve stayed away this long.”
“It’s alright. I understand you’ve had your hands full,” Nyla replied gently, her tone as kind as ever. “So let’s plan on it then. I will be here, waiting.”
“Alright, Grandma. Take care. Talk soon.”
Once the call ended, Hadley got lost in thought. Why did Nyla want to see her so suddenly?
Hadley had a vague sense of what it might be about.
It had been a week since she returned from her trip and settled back into life in Srixby. Once she was back on Jewel Avenue, she allowed herself a brief rest before reaching for her phone and calling Nyla.
“Grandma, I’m back in Srixby. Is now a good time to come by?”
“Of course, dear! Come right away. I can’t wait to see you.”
After freshening up, Hadley made her way straight to Nyla’s place. Nyla was still living at the care home these days.
By the time Hadley arrived, Nyla had already laid out tea and a spread of snacks, clearly having prepared everything just for her.
“Hadley, come, have a seat,” Nyla said warmly, gesturing to the chair beside her.
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“Okay.”
Hadley obeyed and sat down. Her eyes drifted to the table, where she spotted a plate of freshly baked brownies—her favorite.
A soft smile appeared on her face. “Grandma, is there something you wanted to talk about?”
“Such a bright girl.” Nyla returned the smile and took Hadley’s hand in hers. “Yes, there is. I wanted to ask… what do you think of Elissa?”
Nyla was already aware that Elissa was Locke’s biological mother. Yet she couldn’t entirely shake her concerns about Elissa’s past marriage.
However, Ernest had made his position crystal clear. He was set on being with Elissa and had no intention of backing down from his plans to marry her.
In fact, Nyla’s own feelings had started to change. Knowing how close Hadley and Elissa were, she had invited Hadley over today specifically to hear what she had to say. It was mostly to soothe her own doubts.
“Elissa?”
Hadley instantly grasped what Nyla was getting at.
She gave the old woman’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Yes, Grandma, Elissa had a failed marriage before… but the whole situation wasn’t her fault.” She paused before adding, “If anything, if Ernest hadn’t come into the picture, she might still have a whole, happy family by now.”
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