Chapter 1060

Skylar glanced at Joe, engrossed in his work, then lowered her head to respond to Aiken. They sat in silence for a while. As night deepened, punctuated by the occasional croak of frogs, Joe suddenly set down his phone. “A car will be here soon to take me back to Jipsburg. I have urgent work.”

His eyes, deep and unfathomable in the dim moonlight, seemed to hold a stillness that belied turbulent waves beneath the surface. Skylar was startled. “Are you leaving tonight?”

She checked her phone; it was nearly 10:00 pm. “Yeah,” Joe replied flatly, his demeanor a stark contrast to the approachable man she'd known the past few days. He seemed a different person, leaving her feeling disconnected. She pondered what had changed since their return from Viola's house. His demeanor felt off; she wondered if it was work-related.

Silence stretched for several minutes. Skylar didn't know when Joe had called, but soon a car approached. A knock came at the door. Before Skylar could reach it, Joe strode across the room and opened it. “Wait a few minutes,” he told someone outside.

Returning, he retrieved his suitcase. Passing Skylar, he said, “Call if you need anything.”

“Okay, be careful,” she replied.

Joe exchanged a brief glance with Skylar before turning and leaving. The car started, and he was gone. Skylar stood alone in the quiet yard, lost in thought for a moment before shaking off her melancholy and regaining her composure. It was time for bed.

The next day, Skylar woke early. After rising, she searched for Janine's requests. Janine, despite the time passed, remembered where everything was stored. They video-called.

Gazing at their rural home, Janine sighed. “When I married your dad, I thought I’d spend my whole life here. I never imagined leaving after half a lifetime. When Christmas comes, and you all have time, let’s come back and celebrate together. It’ll be just like when your dad was with us.”

“Sure, let’s make it happen,” Skylar replied, excited about a Christmas homecoming. The countryside would be perfect for fireworks; the family could gather in the yard, enjoying food and drink in a relaxed atmosphere. Nothing brought more joy than a healthy, united family.

Janine reminisced, gazing at the familiar surroundings. “I don’t know what’s been going on lately, but I keep thinking back to when we were young, when I first married your dad. We didn’t have much money, but we were so happy. Then, you all came along, things improved, we even built a two-story house. But then your dad had that accident…”

Skylar heard the nostalgia in Janine’s voice. To change the subject, she asked if Janine needed anything else.