Jess had planned a peaceful evening, moving on from her painful divorce—until her ex-mother-in-law, Eleanor, showed up, forgetting the marriage had ended due to her dementia. But when Eleanor suddenly fell ill, Jess uncovered a shocking secret.
Saturday’s soft sunlight promised the peace Jess had longed for, after a chaotic week filled with memories of her marriage to Daniel. She had dinner plans with Mark, whose laughter brought warmth to her cold heart. But her evening was interrupted when Eleanor, with her silver hair and apple pie, appeared at the door, asking for Daniel.
Eleanor’s dementia made it hard for Jess to correct her, but her kindness prevented her from shattering Eleanor’s delusions. Jess let her in, enduring the same pie recipe chatter she’d heard countless times before. But when Eleanor mentioned Daniel might join them for dessert, Jess’s pain resurfaced.
After a tense call with Daniel, who shrugged off his mother’s wandering, Jess gently suggested a taxi for Eleanor, but the old woman suddenly fell ill. In her panic, Jess discovered a note from Eleanor’s doctor revealing that she had no signs of dementia—she’d been faking it.
Eleanor admitted her lie: after Jess and Daniel’s divorce, he stopped caring, and she didn’t want to face the truth. She’d lied to stay close to Jess, who had always been kind to her.
Before Jess could process the revelation, Mark arrived for dinner. Jess explained, and Mark, understanding, left. Jess invited Eleanor to stay, canceling her plans to spend the evening together. Over tea, Eleanor expressed her loneliness, and Jess reassured her that she was still loved. They agreed to bake pies together again.
That night, Jess found healing in a quiet, unexpected connection. It was a night of understanding, forgiveness, and the warmth of shared love.