You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 863

It was almost noon by the time they left the mall. The trunk was packed with gifts, not just for Cooper and Melanie, but for everyone in the Padilla family.

As they neared the Padilla villa, Oliver’s phone rang. Something must have come up, judging by his expression.

He glanced over at Patricia. “I’ll drop you off at home first. I need to swing by the office this afternoon.”

“Will you be alright at home by yourself?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Good girl.”

Oliver walked her to the door, made sure someone brought in all the gifts, and left a string of instructions for Lydia before he finally seemed ready to leave.

He took a couple of steps, then came back. “Make sure Patricia takes a nap.”

“She’s sick, and since she can’t take medicine, she really just needs lots of water and rest. That’ll help her get better.”

Lydia felt a warm rush in her heart, seeing how much her son cared about his wife. She nodded. “Alright.”

When kids are happy together, the whole family feels more harmonious. Lydia was always glad to see it. As parents, it was normal to help out in little ways.

She was about to go inside, thinking Oliver was finally gone, when he suddenly appeared again. “If Patricia doesn’t feel like doing something, just let her be.”

Lydia was starting to get exasperated. “Okay, okay.”

“And also…”

Lydia cut him off, tired of the interruptions. “Oliver, maybe you should just take her with you instead?”

He fell silent.

After a moment, he finally said, “Thanks for your help. I’ll get going now.”

Lydia waited until she was absolutely sure his car had left before letting out a deep sigh of relief. When she turned, she found Patricia standing behind her, clutching a mug. With a helpless smile, Lydia asked, “Is he this much of a worrier at home too?”

For a moment, Lydia looked at Patricia with a strange mix of pity and understanding. Yes, it was definitely pity.

Patricia noticed and double-checked in her mind. For a mother-in-law to feel sorry for her daughter-in-law, it had to mean she knew her own son could be a bit much sometimes.

Lydia sighed. “I didn’t do a great job raising him. I always felt guilty about Oliver.”

Back when she was younger, she’d been so busy with work. She managed to keep the older two on track, but with Oliver, it was more like letting him grow up on his own.

By the time he was almost grown and his personality was set, it was already too late to change much.

“He’s a good man,” Patricia said, not just to make Lydia feel better, but because she really meant it.

“Everyone’s personality is different. Some people are strong, some are gentle, some are kind, some are stubborn. Every trait has its good and bad sides. But Oliver knows right from wrong, and he never hurts people. That’s what matters most.”

“His personality is just part of who he is.”

Lydia was quiet for a while. Then, suddenly, she smiled. “You’re absolutely right, Pattie.”