My Family Left Me Alone on a Holiday – Until One Knock Turned the Night Upside Down

She opened the door, and her face lit up.

“Well, look at you all dressed up,” she said.

“Big dinner tonight! Would you believe I’ve got the whole family coming over?”

“About time! That house’ll sound alive again.

It’s been too long since your kids came to visit.”

“They’re busy with their lives. I don’t think they understand how quiet the house is without Margaret.”

A few minutes later, I headed back home with the borrowed flour.

Soon, that wonderful aroma of baking bread filled the kitchen. I was just pulling the rolls out of the oven when my phone chimed.

It was a text from Sarah.

“DAD, I’M SORRY. WORK RAN LATE. I doubt I can make dinner.”

I stared at the screen.

I typed a response, deleted it, typed another one, but then deleted that too. Finally, I settled on something that wouldn’t sound desperate.

The potatoes came out perfect, just how Margaret used to make them.

The phone rang.

“Hey, Dad. Sorry, but we can’t make dinner.

The kids are wiped. Maybe next weekend?”

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