homely

The week after Grace Matthews’s hospital discharge was anything but ordinary for Arjun Patel. Though she had left the hospital, Grace made it clear that Arjun wasn’t escaping her orbit. On her explicit request, he was assigned to conduct weekly home visits to oversee her recovery.

Arjun hadn’t protested—how could he? Grace had practically adopted him during her hospital stay, and her stubborn warmth was impossible to resist. Besides, the idea of getting to know the Matthews family better intrigued him.

On the first day of his home visits, Arjun arrived promptly at the Matthews estate. The sprawling mansion with its perfectly trimmed hedges and sweeping driveway felt intimidating, but he took a deep breath and rang the bell. The door swung open, and Lucas Matthews, Elias’s younger brother, stood there with a cheeky grin.

“You must be the famous Arjun,” Lucas said, leaning casually against the doorframe.

“And you must be Lucas,” Arjun replied, trying not to laugh at the overly dramatic pose.

“That’s me,” Lucas said, stepping aside to let him in. “I’ve heard all about you from Mom. You’re practically a celebrity here.”

Arjun laughed nervously as Lucas led him inside. “I don’t think I deserve that title.”

“Oh, you will,” Lucas said with a smirk. “Especially when you try my cooking.”

Arjun wasn’t sure if that was a promise or a threat, but he followed Lucas into the sunlit living room, where Grace was lounging with Sophia by her side.

“Arjun!” Grace exclaimed, beaming at him. “There you are, my favorite nurse. Come, sit!”

Arjun greeted her warmly, setting down his bag and beginning his routine checks. Grace chatted away as usual, Sophia chiming in with playful remarks.

“Don’t let her fool you,” Sophia said at one point. “She’s using her recovery as an excuse to boss us all around.”

“Of course I am,” Grace said with a mischievous smile. “It’s one of the few joys of being unwell.”

Lucas, lounging on the armrest of a nearby chair, suddenly jumped into the conversation. “So, Arjun, how come someone as nice as you isn’t dating anyone?”

Arjun nearly dropped the blood pressure cuff. “What?”

“I’m just saying,” Lucas continued, grinning. “You’re cool, you’re funny, and you probably have a killer pickup line or two. Why are you single?”

“Lucas!” Grace scolded, though she was laughing.

Arjun shook his head, trying to compose himself. “I don’t think my love life is relevant to your mother’s recovery.”

“Well, it could be,” Lucas teased. “Tell you what—I’ll introduce you to some girls. You’re in good hands with me.”

“Absolutely not,” Grace interjected, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. “Arjun doesn’t need your help, Lucas.”

“Oh, come on, Mom,” Lucas said, throwing his hands up in mock offense. “I’m just trying to help the guy out!”

Sophia leaned over to whisper to Arjun, “Lucas thinks he’s a matchmaker. Just nod and smile—it’s safer that way.”

Despite Lucas’s antics, Arjun found himself enjoying the Matthews household’s lively dynamic. Grace’s wit, Sophia’s humor, and Lucas’s boundless energy made his visits anything but dull.

Elias, on the other hand, was an enigma. He wasn’t always around during Arjun’s visits, but when he was, he remained polite and reserved, observing everything with an air of quiet authority.

At first, Elias’s demeanor didn’t bother Arjun. In fact, he found Elias’s composed presence somewhat comforting amidst the Matthews’ chaos. But as the weeks went by, Arjun began to notice subtle changes in Elias’s behavior.

For one, Elias seemed to linger more during Arjun’s visits. He would stroll into the room under the guise of checking on Grace but stay longer than necessary, his sharp eyes flicking between Arjun and whoever he was speaking to.

Then there was the matter of Lucas.

Lucas and Arjun had quickly bonded over their shared sense of humor, often teasing each other like old friends. This newfound friendship seemed to irk Elias in ways he couldn’t quite conceal.

One afternoon, Arjun and Lucas were in the kitchen, laughing over a particularly ridiculous story from Arjun’s college days.

“And then the professor walked in,” Arjun said, barely able to contain his laughter, “and I was standing there with a mop, pretending to clean the skeleton!”

Lucas doubled over, clutching his stomach. “Oh my God, that’s brilliant! You should write a book.”

“What’s so funny?” Elias’s voice cut through the laughter.

Both men turned to see him leaning against the doorway, arms crossed. His tone was casual, but there was a distinct edge to his expression.

“Arjun was just telling me about his college days,” Lucas explained, still chuckling.

“Ah,” Elias said, his gaze settling on Arjun. “I hope you’re not distracting him from his work, Lucas.”

“Distracting? Me?” Lucas feigned innocence. “Never.”

Elias’s lips twitched, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he walked over to the counter, poured himself a glass of water, and left without another word.

As the weeks passed, Elias’s presence became a source of both intrigue and mild frustration for Arjun. While Elias never outright interfered, his subtle attempts to keep tabs on Arjun’s interactions with the family didn’t go unnoticed.

One particularly chaotic evening saw the culmination of this tension.

Arjun had just finished taking Grace’s vitals when Lucas burst into the room with a tray of experimental “desserts.”

“These,” Lucas announced proudly, “are my latest creations. Try them!”

Arjun eyed the tray warily. The desserts were an unnatural shade of green, and their lumpy texture didn’t inspire confidence.

“Go on,” Lucas urged.

Arjun hesitated, then took a small bite. “Well... it’s... unique.”

Sophia burst out laughing. “Unique is a polite way of saying terrible.”

“Hey!” Lucas protested, though he was laughing too.

Just as Arjun was about to offer more constructive feedback, Elias walked in. The sight of Lucas practically force-feeding Arjun seemed to tip him over the edge.

“Lucas,” Elias said sharply, “do you really think this is appropriate?”

Lucas groaned. “Oh, come on, Elias, lighten up. It’s just a joke!”

Elias’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, Arjun thought he might actually reprimand Lucas. But then Grace, ever the peacemaker, stepped in.

“Elias,” she said, her tone laced with amusement, “you’re being ridiculous. Lucas and Arjun are just having fun.”

Elias sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Fine. Just... don’t let the mess get out of hand.”

As he turned to leave, his eyes briefly met Arjun’s. For a split second, the usual tension melted away, replaced by something softer—something almost vulnerable.

The moment passed as quickly as it came, leaving Arjun feeling oddly flustered.

By the end of the month, Arjun had become a beloved fixture in the Matthews household. Grace adored him, Lucas considered him a best friend, and even Elias seemed to have warmed up to his presence—though he still had his moments of quiet brooding.

One evening, as Arjun prepared to leave, Grace pulled him aside.

“You’ve been a godsend, Arjun,” she said, squeezing his hand. “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

“It’s been a pleasure,” Arjun replied sincerely.

As he walked out to the car, he couldn’t help but glance back at the house, his thoughts lingering on the strange, wonderful chaos of the Matthews family—and the enigmatic figure of Elias, who remained as much of a mystery as ever.