Living with my son Andrew and his sharp-tongued wife Kate was far from the peaceful arrangement I had envisioned. My slightly dramatized leg injury had reluctantly forced Kate to agree to the arrangement, though I could tell she wasn’t thrilled.

One crisp autumn morning, I stepped onto the porch and saw Kate struggling with a rake in the yard. Watching her awkward attempts, I couldn’t help myself. “Kate, you’re doing it all wrong!” I called out. She didn’t even glance my way. Assuming she hadn’t heard, I hobbled closer for dramatic effect. “You need to start with small piles before combining them, otherwise you’re wasting time.”

Kate stopped abruptly, leaning on the rake. “I thought your leg hurt,” she said flatly, her eyes narrowing. “Maybe it’s time for you to go home?”

“but my record player’s broken.” “You don’t need music to dance,” I replied, surprising myself. We swayed in the dim light as he hummed an old tune, and for the first time in years, I didn’t feel so alone.

Peter, as he asked me to call him, quickly became a bright spot in my days. We spent hours laughing, reading, and cooking together. I felt lighter, happier. Kate’s remarks no longer bothered me. My world revolved around Peter.

On Thanksgiving, I invited him to join us, not wanting him to spend the day alone. But as I saw him quietly speaking with Kate in the kitchen, my curiosity got the better of me. I overheard Peter thanking her. “The record player will be here soon. Thank you for making this easier,” he said. Kate replied with a hint of relief, “You’ve no idea how much I appreciate this.”

My heart sank. “So, this was all a game?” I burst into the room. Both of them froze. Kate stammered, “It’s not what you think—” but I cut her off. “Explain now.”

Andrew arrived just in time to hear the commotion. “Mom, we meant no harm,” he began. “It was my idea too. We thought you and Peter might be good for each other, but neither of you would have made the first move. The record player was just a nudge.”

Fuming, I glared at Peter. “I expected this from her, but not from you.” Peter stepped forward, his voice steady. “At first, it was about the record player. But Margaret, you’ve changed me. You made me feel alive again. I fell for you—not because of some bargain but because of who you are.”

His words softened the edges of my anger, but I wasn’t ready to forgive so easily. “Why should I believe you?” I asked. “Because I love you,” he said simply. “All of you—bossy, meticulous, and caring.”

The sincerity in his voice broke through my defenses. I nodded slowly. “Alright,” I said, “but the record player stays with us. We’ll need it for our music.” Peter laughed, and relief washed over his face.

From that day on, Peter and I were inseparable. Thanksgiving became our favorite holiday, celebrated each year with music and memories, as our love grew stronger with every tune.