Miriam was often tired and went to bed early, while Colette stayed up and read or sometimes wrote in her diary. This would be the first time in years that the pair of them would do something so mundane or simple together, and the idea appealed enormously.

The water heater was working again, allowing Colette to enjoy a warm bath for a change. It had taken her several weeks to get the money together to pay for its repair, but now it was fine.

She lay in the warm water, thinking about the latest turn in events.

Remission. It was a word with a lot of power.

For years her whole life had become a routine centered entirely around Miriam’s illness. Now it seemed that center was no more, and while of course she was thrilled by her mother’s news, Colette couldn’t deny she felt a bit lost, too.

Tears started in her eyes as she released the emotions she’d withheld for so long. Worry about her mother’s illness, the pain of her father’s abandonment and her sister’s departure. Having no social life or companionship amid the pressure of running a business that was the sole means of her family’s survival.

She’d buried those feelings deep inside and now as she lay in the warm water, they were spilling out uncontrollably.

At that moment, she needed to cry, needed to release herself, so that for the first time in what felt like forever, she could just be Colette Turner, a young woman with no clue about anything and afraid of everything.

Still, a burning question loomed in her mind.

Now what?

When Colette emerged, she toweled the damp from her hair and dressed in her favorite pair of Snoopy pajamas. She’d had them since she was a teenager and, though old and tatty, they were still a comfort—a reminder of a much simpler life.

When she returned to the kitchen a plate of beef stew with boiled potatoes and broccoli was waiting for her. There was even garlic bread.

“Mum, you outdid yourself,” she exclaimed.

Oh, she couldn’t wait. While she was a competent enough cook, her efforts weren’t a patch on Miriam’s, and she’d so missed her mother’s cooking. Especially stew—her favorite. Her heart softened, knowing that her mother was going all out on purpose.

“It’s long overdue, love,” Miriam replied gently, taking a seat at the table across from her. “Besides, you deserve it. You’ve done so much for me over the last few years. This is just a small thing to start making it up to you.”

“Oh, Mum, of course there’s nothing to make up,” she answered. “I just did what any daughter would do.”

“And I’m so grateful, Colette,” her mother responded. “I truly am. I don’t know how I would have made it through this if it weren’t for you.”