Chapter 1738:


    Brenna studied her for a moment, then replied with measured calm. “Ethan gave the house to his father. What his father chooses to do with it afterward is his own decision. You are Ethan’s mother, and Emmett is his father. Divorced or not, you are both his parents. No matter how close he may seem to Shari, she is still an outsider to him. Ethan knows that. You don’t need to worry.”


    The words settled over Elsa like a quiet reassurance. She gave a small, nomittal hum. She wanted to keep griping about Emmett, but then she recalled Brenna saying they weren’t close, and she thought better of it.


    Brenna, as if reading her thoughts, offered a gentle smile. “If something’s on your mind, just say it. Bottling it up won’t help—you’ll only feel worse, and it isn’t good for your health.”


    Elsa nced at her. “You’re really willing to listen to my ramblings?”


    “I am,” Brenna said simply.


    So Elsa began to talk. She spoke of Emmett’s failures when their children were small, of the long, lonely nights she had endured raising them on her own, of his stubbornness and the arguments that never seemed to end. And then thetest wound—the way he had shielded another woman, as though their years together had never existed.


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    She kept talking. By the time she stopped, the sky had darkened to evening, and it was only Ethan’s arrival that finally brought her words to a close. Through it all, Brenna had listened without interrupting, without judging. She rarely spoke, but Elsa knew she was paying attention.


    When Ethan came home, he didn’t hesitate to embrace Brenna, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek right there in front of Elsa.


    Elsa cleared her throat. “I’ll take a walk outside.” She knew the two of them hadn’t seen each other in days, and she wanted to give them their privacy.


    On the weekend, Elsa was up early, nning to visit Kenny and Rosanna with Brenna. She knew Rosanna was expecting and wanted to see whether she needed anything. But after years of tension between them, she had no desire to face Rosanna alone.


    Brenna, however, did not stir until noon.


    “I’ve been waiting all morning for you to wake up. Why did you sleep sote?” Elsa asked when she finally appeared.


    Living with Brenna these past few days had taught her something: Brenna never criticized, never interfered, and never passed judgment on her habits. Whether she was practicing songs, cooking, or tending the garden, Brenna simply let her be. That alone made sharing a home with her infinitely easier than it had ever been with Rosanna, whose constant disapproval had felt suffocating.


    “Is something up?” Brenna settled at the dining table, ncing up casually as breakfast wasid out before her.


    “Will youe with me to Kenny’s ce? I want to look in on Rosanna,” Elsa said.


    “You want to take care of her now that she’s pregnant?” Brenna asked.


    Elsa shook her head, a touch defensively. “No, nothing like that. She doesn’t need me fussing over her, and that’s not why I’m going. I just want to stop by, see how she’s doing, ande back. She’s pregnant—I can’t simply ignore that as her mother-inw. I’ll bring some money, a few gifts, and that’s it. After everything that happened with Emmie, I swore I’d never meddle in their lives again.” Her lips softened into a small, hopeful smile. “I’ll save my energy for helping you and Ethan with your baby. I really hope it’s a girl. I’ve always had a soft spot for little girls.”


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