Chapter 86

Rudolf's POV
“Don’t worry, everything is fine. We got through it, and now I’m here with you,” I replied, gently taking her hand.
After that, I remembered the souvenirs I brought from Canada. I took out two typical Canadian clothes that I had left in my bag and gave them to the kids. “These are for you!” I exclaimed, seeing their faces light up with curiosity.
Daniel and Emma were excited when they saw the clothes. “These are cool! Thank you, Dad!” Daniel said, his eyes shining.
“Yes, thank you, Dad!” Emma jumped happily, and I could feel the happiness radiating from them. They immediately wanted to try on the new clothes.
Then, Mikayla glanced at me, making a small comment about something I wanted to offer. “Rudolf, next time don’t buy too many souvenirs. Especially chocolate for the kids, you know it can make them too sweet!”
I laughed at her remark. “But sweetness is part of happiness, right? There’s nothing wrong with a little chocolate to celebrate my return.”
“Yes, but we have to be careful with their sugar intake. Expressions of happiness must come with responsibility,” Mikayla replied with a smile.
Seeing the way she took care of the kids and managed everything made me feel so grateful to have such a strong woman by my side. She has always been a great balance in my life. “Okay, I understand. Maybe next time we can ask them to choose their own souvenirs – it’ll be more fun!”
We both laughed, and I just hoped that this moment of togetherness would always continue. Unlike the turbulence I had just experienced, here, now, everything felt calm and full of love.
Finally, we arrived home, and I was so happy to see that Mikayla had prepared a special lunch. She smiled proudly and said that she and the kids cooked it. It was amazing to see all this together after a long journey.
After taking off my shoes and entering the house, I felt a sense of warmth enveloping me. However, before sitting down to eat, I went straight to the bathroom. Although I was feeling a little jet lag from the long journey, I didn’t want to disturb the pleasant atmosphere.
After taking a shower and freshening up, I felt much better. When I returned to the dining room, the delicious aroma of food hit my senses. Mikayla and the kids were already sitting and waiting patiently. Seeing them smile made me feel so happy.
“Wow, this is delicious…” I exclaimed, looking at the plates of food served. There was pasta, fresh salad, and other dishes that looked appetizing. All of this reflected the effort and love that Mikayla put into cooking.
“Thank you, Mikayla! You’re amazing,” I added, taking a bite of the food that instantly made me feel good in my stomach.
“The kids helped too! We tried to make the best for you, Dad,” Daniel said happily, while Emma nodded enthusiastically.
Seeing the kids collaborating in the kitchen with Mikayla made me feel so proud and grateful. This was the moment of happiness I always look forward to—having lunch with my family.
“You’re welcome! I’m glad you took the time to cook for me. It was the perfect welcome after a long journey,” I said, looking at each of them with a heart full of love.
We began to eat, talking and laughing.
The next day, I was getting ready to go to the office when Mikayla asked in a serious tone, “Rudolf, what if I want to go back to college?”
I was surprised by her question, but on the one hand, I felt proud. I think it would be great if she wanted to continue her education.
“That’s great, Mikayla! I support your decision,” I said, giving her a big smile so she knew I really agreed with the idea.
“Maybe, this could be a good opportunity for you to develop yourself and pursue your passion. Is there a particular field that you are interested in?” I offered, trying to dig deeper into her plans.
“Yes, I am interested in psychology. I want to understand more about how people think and behave, and how to help them,” she answered enthusiastically.
“That’s great! Psychology is a very meaningful field. You can help a lot of people with that knowledge,” I said. “You can also consider looking for a flexible study program, such as online, so you can still maintain a balance between study and family.”
Mikayla seemed to think for a moment, trying to imagine how it could all work. “That’s a great idea, Rudolf. I want to study while still taking care of the kids and the house.”
“And we can support each other in that process. I’m ready to help you with anything you need,” I said, feeling excited. “If you want to learn more, we can research together. Making a schedule that we can do together would also help.”
Seeing the excitement in her eyes made me feel proud of this decision. Not only investing in supporting Mikayla’s career, but also creating a good environment for the kids to see how important education is.
“Thank you, Rudolf. For your support,” she said, behind her smile. “And who knows, this could be a good new step for all of us.”
Mikayla's POV
I started to research the campus I was looking for with enthusiasm. Well, I did think about going to college, but it never happened. The cost of college was always a barrier, and even though I wanted to learn more, fear and doubt held me back.
I knew that my education was important, but thinking about money made me hesitate. “What if I can’t afford it?” I thought. Plus, I didn’t feel like I was very smart, which made it even harder to get a scholarship.
But as I thought about all of this, I remembered Rudolf. He had always supported me and believed in my abilities. Knowing that my decision to go to college would have his support made me feel more courageous.
I checked the websites of several universities, looking for programs that fit my time and budget. This gave me new hope. I found some part-time programs and online education options that were quite affordable. This way, I could manage my study time while still taking care of the kids and the housework.
“Where there’s a will and effort, there’s a way,” I whispered to myself. Maybe now was the right time to take this step to improve all of our lives.