“Let me take those,” he said, hurrying over to relieve her of the bags. He placed them gently on the floor, one by one, and his voice brimmed with concern.
“How’s your recovery? Did you finish everything at the hospital? Was there traffic on the way? And why’d you buy so much? Your mom and I have everything here. Just focus on taking care of yourself… and Thaddeus and the baby. We’re fine.”
Hearing the commotion, my mom emerged from the kitchen, still wearing her apron. She awkwardly wiped her hands on it, her face lighting up.
“Elysia, you’re back? Go wash your hands first. The food will be ready soon. Thaddeus is in the bedroom watching the baby,” she said with a smile.
It’s often said that mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law are natural adversaries, but Elysia had a bond with my parents stronger than any biological daughter could claim.
Elysia smiled warmly at their concern, nodded, and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. As she walked away, my dad turned to my mom and waved her back into the kitchen.
“What are you standing here for? Get back to cooking! Everyone’s home now, and dinner’s still not ready. Don’t keep the three kids hungry.”