Meet Me Where the Oak Tree Grows novel Chapter 54

"That year, Dad had just come back from the army. He was twenty-three, five years older than Mom. Despite the age gap, Mom loved books, and Dad had been around the block. They hit it off, chatting away on the bus like old friends. Even when Mom confessed she had tricked him, he just laughed it off, calling her clever. One was bold, the other kind-hearted; one ready to follow, the other ready to take her in.

"They worked in a factory together, ran a small stall, and even collected recyclables. Slowly but surely, they fell for each other and decided to get hitched, but they lacked the right paperwork. Mom suggested they just shack up, but Dad wasn't having any of it. He took his savings and went to her hometown, sorting out her papers and cutting ties with her past.

"They tied the knot officially with a simple ceremony. Afterward, Dad drove a taxi for a while, and Mom got a gig teaching at a small rural school. Life was tough, but it had its sweet moments.

"When I came along, Dad was a cop, and Mom juggled looking after me with running small businesses. We weren't living in luxury, but we had a steady income. Funny story—during my birth, it was a tough labor. Dad, a big, tough guy, burst into the delivery room when he heard Mom's cries, yelling at the doctors to save her. He said they didn’t need the baby.

"The doctor reassured him, saying the baby was doing fine and couldn't just be left behind.

Jonah's tone was light and funny, and I laughed through my tears.