Chapter 69

Rudolf's POV
Hearing her story made me imagine the beauty of the beach and the fun time spent with my family. “That sounds amazing. The aura of the beach and the sound of the waves must be so calming. We should plan a visit there with the kids,” I said, feeling excited to keep our moments together.
“Yes! They will definitely be very happy. Just imagine playing in the sand, making sandcastles, and then enjoying food on the beach,” Mikayla continued, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“And we can have a small picnic there. For example, bring their favorite food and play some games,” I replied, getting more excited thinking about the plan.
“Maybe on the weekend if your condition allows, we can go to our house on the beach. We need healing,” I suggested, feeling that time there could be a refreshing therapy for Mikayla and the kids.
“That’s a great idea,” Mikayla said, her smile showing how enthusiastic she was about the plan.
The weekend arrived, and I was ready to take my family to our house on the beach. We deliberately did not invite a babysitter so that we could be more intimate and enjoy time together as a family without any disturbances.
When we arrived at the beach, the kids immediately ran out of the car, their faces shining with joy. “Mommy! Daddy! Let’s play in the sand!” Emma exclaimed, followed by an excited Daniel.
Mikayla and I laughed at their enthusiasm. “Let’s build a big sandcastle!” I said, feeling a happy flutter in my heart.
We all ran to the sand area, fresh materials to create a magnificent sandcastle. Mikayla sat with the children and began to mold the basic shape of the castle, I looked for buckets and shovels to build taller towers.
“Daddy, I want to build the tallest tower!” Daniel said, trying to lift the sand with all his might.
“That’s a great idea, Daniel! Your mom and I will help you!” I replied, looking at Mikayla who looked happy as she watched the kids having fun.
While everyone was focused on our sandcastle project, I stole a glance at Mikayla. She looked happier and more relaxed, as if all the burdens in her life were slowly starting to disappear.
After a while, the sandcastle we had built began to take shape. We all stood there, admiring the results of our hard work. “Wow! Look how big it is! We have to decorate it with shells and rocks!” Emma exclaimed, running to find materials to beautify our castle.
The day was filled with laughter and loving closeness. We had not only built a sandcastle, but also priceless memories. Seeing our family come together, I realized that this is where our true happiness lies.
We spent the rest of the day playing, enjoying the sun, and listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.
After we had enough of playing on the beach, we went back to Mikayla’s house. I appreciated her efforts to build her own house. However, when we arrived, I saw her facial expression change.
“Rudolf, my house is gone,” Mikayla said, her eyes wet with tears. Of course I didn’t know what was wrong, but my heart was shaking seeing her so emotional.
She didn’t know that I had renovated her house into a two-story and larger one. She cried instead, and I immediately approached her. “Why didn’t you tell me before, Rudolf? That house is full of memories,” she protested in an annoyed tone.
I felt the need to explain. “Mikayla, wait… I didn’t mean to disappoint you. I felt that the house was a place where we could spend more time together and recreate more beautiful memories,” I replied, trying to convince her.
“But that’s my house… everything, the past memories are there,” she complained again, her voice shaking.
“Mikayla, I understand how important that house is to you. I renovated it so that we could be more comfortable and have more space for our family. Let’s see it, I’m sure you’ll like it,” I said, trying to encourage her.
After a moment, she nodded slowly, still looking uncertain. “I want to see it,” she said, anxiously.
Gently, I took her hand and led her into the house. As soon as we stepped inside, Mikayla was stunned. “Wow, this… this is so different,” she said, walking around the completely renovated room.
“Look, I made the living room bigger so we can gather together comfortably. And there’s also a playroom for the kids upstairs,” I said, pointing to the parts of the house that had been added.
Seeing her face begin to light up again made my heart ache. “And I also did my best to keep all the memories inside. I want this place to be our home, full of love and joy.”
Mikayla turned to me, tears in her eyes now shining with hope. “Why are you doing all this for me?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“Because you and the kids are everything to me. I want you to be happy and comfortable here. We’ll create new memories together,” I said, reaching for her cheek and wiping away the tears.
Finally, her smile returned, and I felt relieved.
Mikayla began to look at the contents of this house with curiosity. I had indeed prepared everything for this house, from the interior to the exterior. She entered each room, and I explained every detail that had been done.
“Here, I made a bigger family room, so we can gather comfortably while watching movies together,” I said, pointing to the large sofa in the living room.
The kids immediately fell asleep without seeing the contents of this house—their faces were tired after playing all day at the beach. I felt sorry for them not being able to witness this change, but they were too tired.
When Mikayla walked upstairs, “Wow, I really like this playroom. It feels so cheerful!” she said, her smile wide again.
“I also added a large window in the room to get more natural light. So, when the kids play here, they can feel as if they are outside,” I explained enthusiastically.
“When did you start renovating this house?” Mikayla asked with deep curiosity.