Two Nights, One Ongoing Tension
January 19, 2026 began with Eve and the girls still at the house for a second night in a row—something my mother strongly dislikes. In her view, two consecutive nights should be avoided or split up. Realistically, with school schedules, Friday and Saturday are usually the only workable options. This time, since the kids didn't have school on Monday, it became Saturday and Sunday instead.
I understand her desire for peace and quiet. I really do. But she also gets that peace five days a week while the kids are in school. Balancing everyone's comfort never feels equal, and it's a tension that doesn't resolve cleanly.
A Surprisingly Gentle Morning
The day actually started quietly. Shockingly so.
The girls stayed in my room, playing calmly for a while, and I remember feeling genuinely amazed by it. Isabella's "room" is technically inside my walk-in closet—a setup that works better than it sounds. It fits her bed, toy boxes, clothes, and still leaves room to play. I wrapped LED lights around the ceiling, which gives her a soft nightlight glow. It's cozy. Safe. Hers.
That calm didn't last long, of course—but even the chaos that followed was brief.
Simple Food, Simple Moments
I fed the kids breakfast, though it looked more like lunch. Eve's girls asked for ramen noodles, and Isabella wanted mac and cheese. Not ideal, maybe—but they ate, and sometimes that's the win.
Eve and the girls stayed for a bit longer before her mom asked us to run an errand. I let Isabella stay behind to play at Eve's house while Eve and I handled it. Afterward, I dropped Eve off and headed home.
Helping Where I Still Can
Later, while talking with The Sister, I found out she needed something from the store. She often goes without what she needs—not always because she can't, but because no one around her thinks about it. So I went and got what she needed and brought it to her. She was thankful.
Still, a thought lingered.
I later found out The Other Guy had been over to see her, and I couldn't help wondering why he wasn't the one stepping up. I don't mind helping—but it feels strange to still be filling gaps that someone else, if he's truly part of her life, should be handling.
I'm the one who fell in love and got rejected. And yet, I'm still here, showing up.
Winding Down
After that, I went home, played some games, did a little cleaning, and had dinner. I asked The Sister for a movie suggestion, and she recommended Possession. I started it, but the day had already taken enough from me.
I turned it off and went to bed.
What I'm Sitting With
Today reminded me that calm can exist—even briefly—and that kindness doesn't automatically disappear just because love didn't work out.
But it also reminded me that boundaries aren't about being cruel.
They're about knowing when care is turning into quiet self-neglect.