Carefully packing items into boxes, Annie didn't notice her mother approaching from behind.
"Now, honey, have you left the door unlocked again? Anyone could just wander in."
Annie shrugged slightly and replied, "Mom, no one's coming here. I have nothing to fear anymore. When Sam was alive, every day felt like it could be our last. But that's all in the past now. I've decided to go through his things and take them up to the lake house."
Looking at the contents of the boxes, Irene pointed toward the tools.
"Keep those; you'll need them. You never know when you'll need to fix something around the house. Besides, trying to get a handyman out here is a nightmare—half the time they don't have the right equipment or don't show up at all. These are good to have. But the clothes are just taking up space, and you should definitely take the fishing gear to the cabin."
Annie paused for a moment, thinking. "Maybe I should give the gear to Alex. He's the big fisherman in the family. Do you think he'd want it?"
Irene gave a small smile. "Are you kidding? When has your brother ever turned down free gear? He'll take it all and probably ask for more. But tell me, how are you planning to move forward? Financially, you're fine, but I worry about you being alone."
Annie frowned but found the words to answer calmly. "Mom, it's only been two months, and you're already trying to set me up. Honestly, Sam wasn't a bad man. Look at Sarah—she's been miserable with Brian for years, and they have kids watching all that. Are you saying Sam and I didn't have our happy moments? He kept me on edge with his job, but I was just glad he always came home to me."
Annie's late husband had been a police officer. Naturally, his work involved things that would make anyone's hair stand on end. But as he always said:
"It's my duty to protect people."
Until one day, he ran out of luck.
***
Sam had gone out with his unit for a high-stakes arrest and never made it back. Annie remembered that day vividly because she had always believed Sam was invincible, that no bullet could touch him. Her mother's talk about "moving on" felt premature and unwelcome. Annie had decided she would live for herself; finding a decent man for a serious relationship felt like an impossible task these days anyway.
Nodding in agreement, Irene said, "Well, maybe you're right, honey. A good man who isn't afraid of responsibility is hard to find with a flashlight in broad daylight."
After loading the boxes into the car, Annie dropped her mother off and headed toward the lake house. On the way, she called her brother.
"Alex, I've got something for you. If you've got some free time, swing by the cabin. You'll see when you get there."
Alex was quick and arrived before his sister.
"Annie, you've made my day! I love fishing, and having professional tackle makes it even better. But wait—what's with the face? You look like you've been lectured all day, like a kid who got caught skipping class."
Annie walked into the yard without a word and only then replied, "Just a bit of stress at work. We have a new operations manager starting soon. Word is he's incredibly strict and plays strictly by the book. I just got used to the old boss. I'm worried he might start 'restructuring' the staff."
Alex let out a booming laugh. "Sis, you're too much! With your track record, anyone would be lucky to have you. Don't worry, the new guy won't do a thing to you. And if he gives you trouble, you know who to call."
Annie didn't doubt that. Her brother would move mountains for her if she asked. Opening the door to the cabin, she pointed Alex toward the boxes.
"Take these up to the second floor. I'll start some lunch, and we can eat once you're done."
Half an hour later, Alex finished moving the boxes and joined her in the kitchen. Sitting by the window, he said wistfully, "I'd move out here in a heartbeat if Linda would let me. But she's a city girl through and through. You couldn't lure her out here with a pot of gold. Tell me, what is it with women?"
The question felt heavy and personal. Annie pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes. Alex realized he'd stepped in it.
"Sorry, Annie. I forgot... about Sam. It just feels like women are hard to please sometimes."
Wiping her face, Annie sat down beside him. "Oh, Alex, you're a piece of work. You should be counting your blessings with Linda, not looking for reasons to argue."
Alex didn't love the lecture, but he took it because he respected her. Besides, Annie was four years older, which gave her the edge in life experience. After eating, they spent the afternoon tidying up the cabin. Their mother didn't visit often due to her health, so it was a good chance for them to clear their heads and get some work done. As evening approached, they prepared to head back.
"Seriously, sis, it'll be fine. The new guy will throw his weight around for a bit and then settle in."
Annie looked at him curiously. "What are you talking about, Alex?"
He waved a hand dismissively. "The new manager. Don't be afraid of him; he's not a monster."
Annie got into her car and replied, "True. We haven't had any monsters at the plant yet. I just hope he doesn't have horns, or I might actually lose my mind."
As they drove, Annie remembered the conversation with her mother and decided to ask Alex's opinion. "Listen, do you think Sam and I were a good match?"
Alex seemed caught off guard. "I don't know, I'm not an expert on that stuff. In my book, if a wife cooks, keeps the place clean, and is happy to see you, that's as good as it gets."
Realizing the question was a bit over his head, she changed the subject. "Forget it. Let's stop by your place; I want to see Linda."
While Alex was on the phone bragging to his friends about his new fishing gear, Annie chatted with Linda. Linda listened intently to Annie's concerns about her personal life and offered her take.
"Don't rush to write yourself off. Just wait. If you feel like you need someone by your side, then go for it. But if you're doing fine on your own, don't overthink it."
Annie tried to interject, but Linda kept going.
"And another thing—your mom is a wise woman. She just wants you to be happy. Don't forget that. Take care of her so you don't end up having to seek advice from strangers."
At that moment, Annie glanced at Alex. Linda, reading her mind, added, "And don't count on him for deep talks. He's the type to kick a door down before he thinks to turn the handle. He's great for muscle, but don't expect a masterclass in life advice."
Maybe Linda was right, but Annie's talk with Alex at the cabin suggested he wasn't as simple as he let on. Perhaps he was just modest. Either way, she knew he'd take on anyone who dared to cross her.
When Annie finally got home after visiting her brother, a wave of loneliness hit her. She felt like she could howl at the moon, but she gathered her strength. Life was still ahead of her.
The next morning, she was woken by a loud pounding on the door. Stumbling out of bed, she went to the hallway.
"Who is it at this hour?"
A gruff male voice responded, "It's your neighbor downstairs. You're flooding my place!"
Annie threw the door open immediately. "What? But I didn't leave any faucets running. Come in, see for yourself—the kitchen and bathroom are fine."
But as soon as they stepped inside, their feet splashed into a puddle.
"And you call this fine? You've got a regular Atlantis going on here, lady. What's the plan?"
Annie suggested calling emergency maintenance. "Let them handle it; it's their job to fix the pipes."
Water had indeed pooled overnight and seeped through to the floor below. It turned out a radiator had sprung a leak. However, the neighbor, seeing the disaster, suddenly softened and smiled.
"You know what, I can see you're a responsible neighbor. Your faucets are perfect, and it's just a small spot on my ceiling. No big deal. I'll paint over it, and it'll be like new. Just make sure the plumbers put in a decent radiator this time."
Surprisingly, her mother's advice about the tools proved useful. Within an hour, two plumbers arrived, but they lacked a second pipe wrench to grip the valve. Annie was relieved she hadn't taken the tool kit to the cabin. Handing them Sam's old tools, she said:
"Here, use these. And make sure you do it right the first time."
The plumbers nodded and got to work. Suddenly, her phone rang.
"Annie, hey! How are things?"
It was a colleague who also had the day off.
"I'm alright. Just dealing with a minor home renovation. My morning started with a flood and a neighbor who's surprisingly happy about it. Why are you calling so early? Do you have news?"
Her colleague laughed. "Spot on. It's about the new manager. They said his start date was pushed back, but now we heard he's coming in tomorrow. So, Annie, get ready for a big introduction. We're all going to be watching."
Annie didn't want to hear more. "Fine, we'll see tomorrow."
She hung up and watched the plumbers. They worked hard and finished the job in two hours. Annie tipped them generously. Afterward, she went downstairs to ensure her neighbor was truly okay with the situation. He confirmed he was and even tried to ask her out, but Annie declined, citing a busy schedule.
She spent the rest of the day at her mother's house. Irene sat her down with a slice of apple pie. Taking a small bite, Annie sighed.
"I got asked out today, but I said no."
Irene was instantly curious. Annie described the neighbor in detail, like she was painting a portrait. When she finished, Irene clapped her hands happily.
"Well, there you go! A chance for a fresh start. Don't tell me you didn't like him."
Annie tilted her head. "I knew you wouldn't miss a chance to try and marry me off again. Stop it, Mom. I'll decide how to live my life. When I'm ready, I'll find someone."
She stayed the night at her mother's and went straight to work the next morning. As soon as she walked through the gates, she heard a familiar voice.
"Hey! You ready to meet the new boss?"
Annie shushed her colleague. She changed into her work clothes and ran into the technician in the shop.
"Morning, Annie. Remember: follow the manual, no experiments today."
Annie nodded, and a moment later, an engineer approached her. "The manager wants to see you in his office."
After walking through several corridors, they reached a large office suite. Finally, stopping before a door labeled Operations Manager, Annie knocked but heard no answer. The engineer shrugged.
"He might have stepped out. Just wait here."
But Annie was too curious to wait. She pushed the door open and nearly fainted. There, on the desk, was a familiar framed photograph. Her eyes weren't lying: it was a photo of Sam, the husband she had just buried. Her legs went weak. At that exact moment, the man who owned the office walked in.
"Are you okay? Let me help you."
He guided her to a sofa and sat in a chair beside her. Once she caught her breath, he asked, "Are you feeling alright? Should I call someone?"
Annie waved her hands, her voice nearly a scream. "You? But... how? This is impossible. You're dead."
Confused, the manager reached for the phone to call for medical help. Annie stopped him, pointing at the photo.
"That's my husband. The man I buried."
He raised his eyebrows, still lost. "No, no. You must be mistaken. That's a photo of me."
Annie pulled a small notebook from her bag where she kept a picture of Sam. "Look. This is Sam, my husband. Look at him."
The manager turned pale. "Is it possible... was I lied to my whole life?"
He didn't wait for an answer. "My name is Max. Just Max. My parents... the people who raised me... they never mentioned a brother. Maybe they had a secret, but it doesn't matter now. I can't believe he's gone. We would have had so much to talk about."
After work, Max offered to walk her home and look at other photos of Sam. He wanted to see a personal item Sam used often to be certain of their connection.
A DNA test later confirmed they were biological brothers, though the resemblance alone had made it obvious. Max suspected they were separated at birth, but with their parents gone and Sam having no paper trail of his early years, the full story remained a mystery. Sam had only ever mentioned an aunt who had vanished years ago.
The link to the past was broken, but Annie had found someone who, while not exactly a relative, was closer than a friend. After Max settled into his role, Annie eventually received a promotion. Her mother was overjoyed to learn Sam had a brother. Now, they often gather at Irene's house, keeping the family bond alive.
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