CHAPTER 13: THE REBUILD CONTINUES
The lake house was finally finished in June.
I stood in the living room, looking at the new hardwood floors, the fresh paint, the beautiful fireplace mantel I had found at an antique shop. The kitchen was exactly what I had always wanted—open, bright, with a large island and stainless steel appliances. The master suite had a balcony overlooking the lake, and the guest rooms were cozy and inviting.
I had rebuilt everything. Every wall. Every floor. Every detail.
And I had done it myself.
Well, with Carlos's help. But I had supervised every step of the process. I had made every decision. I had signed every check.
The house was finally mine. In every way that mattered.
I invited my father to the housewarming party. It was small—just a few friends, a few neighbors, and him. We sat on the back porch and watched the sun set over the lake.
"You've done an amazing job, Bella," he said.
"Thank you, Dad."
"I'm proud of you. You took something broken and turned it into something beautiful."
I smiled. "That's what I do."
"Your mother would be proud too. If she were here."
"She's not here. And I'm okay with that."
He nodded. "I know. I'm okay with it too."
May you like
We sat in comfortable silence, watching the stars appear.
It wasn't the family I had imagined. But it was the family I had chosen. And that was better.
