Three weeks chaos

*Three weeks," I sighed happily, placing my suitcase by the front door. "Three peaceful weeks. Just me, the sea, a book, and absolutely no drama."* *Famous last words. Obviously.* ,My oldest daughter, Ana, walked in wearing sunglasses like she was already on a red carpet.* "I'm leaving tomorrow with my boyfriend." "Have fun," *I smiled, because what else do you even say to that level of confidence?* *My middle daughter, Sarah, waved a permission slip like it was a winning lottery ticket.* "My school's going to Zlatibor for a week!" "Perfect. Truly. Peace is still technically possible." *My youngest, Milica, hugged our dog Max like he was her emotional support human.* "And Dad's taking me on vacation!" *Even the dog had a better social life than me.* "The neighbor's watching Max," I said proudly. "Everything is finally organized." *The universe laughed. Loudly.* *The very next morning...* "MOM!" *Sarah screamed.* "What now? Did the universe explode?" "My school trip got canceled!" *Before I could even process that blessing, she snatched the house phone.* "What are you doing?" "Calling Ana's boyfriend." "WHY is that your solution to anything?!" *Too late.* "Hi! Since my trip got canceled, I'll just come with you two!" *From upstairs...* "YOU DID WHAT?!" *Ana shouted like I had personally ruined her life.* *She stormed downstairs.* "Are you insane?!" "You'll barely notice me!" "I ABSOLUTELY WILL!" "I'll sleep on the floor!" "I DON'T WANT YOU THERE!" "I'm not asking!" "You literally are!" *The argument echoed through the house like a soap opera nobody asked for.* "Enough!" *I shouted.* *Silence.* *Finally.* "You'll come with me instead." *Sarah crossed her arms.* "I don't want to." "That’s adorable. You don't exactly have another choice." *The front door suddenly opened.* *Ana walked in crying.* "...He dumped me." "What?" "He already left on vacation... and broke up with me." "Oh sweetheart..." "I hate boys!" *Relatable.* *Before I could even attempt comfort...* *Knock. Knock.* *My ex-husband, Marko, stood there holding flowers and gifts like a man who clearly misunderstood boundaries.* "Oh no..." "I brought presents!" *he smiled.* "What do you want?" "Small problem." *I narrowed my eyes.* "I can't take Milica." "...What?" "Family business." "You've known about this trip for MONTHS!" "I know..." "So now all THREE daughters are coming with me?!" "...Probably." *I looked toward the ceiling.* "I'd like to file a complaint with life. And possibly the universe." *I called the hotel.* "Good afternoon." "Hi... I'd like to change my reservation." "No problem." "I actually need two beds instead of one." "Done." *Ten minutes later...* "...Hello again." "Yes?" "I also need one single apartment." "...Done." *Five minutes later.* "...It's me." A long silence. "What changed now?" "I need TWO rooms. Two beds in each." "...Anything else?" "...Yes." "..." "We're bringing a dog." *The receptionist sighed so loudly I considered apologizing to her lungs.* "I quit." "You what?" "Not you, ma'am. My job. I quit my job." *Halfway through packing...* "I've decided something." *The girls looked at me like I was about to announce therapy.* "We're canceling the hotel." "What?!" "We're camping." *Silence.* *Then all three of them screamed in unison:* "YOU HATE CAMPING!" "I know. I have self-awareness." "So WHY?!" "Because I can't call that hotel again without being legally banned." *Five hours later...* *Our tent collapsed.* *Twice.* *Max escaped like he was auditioning for freedom.* *Milica chased him barefoot, screaming like it was Olympic sport.* *Ana complained there was no Wi-Fi, as if nature personally offended her.* *Sarah accidentally sat in someone's barbecue.* "This vacation is cursed," *I muttered dramatically.* *Honestly, I was starting to think I was the problem.* *Morning finally arrived.* "Let's enjoy the beach." *Five peaceful minutes later...* "AAAAAH!" "Mom?!" "A JELLYFISH STUNG ME!" *I ran toward the showers like my life depended on it.* *The line stretched forever.* "How long?" "About two hours." "...You're joking." "No." *I stood there dripping seawater, questioning every decision I had ever made.* "I paid money for this. I deserve emotional compensation." *That evening a letter arrived.* *From Marko.* "I'm in the hospital." *Without thinking, I flew home.* *Maybe...* *Maybe he finally realized something important.* *Maybe he'd changed.* *Maybe—* "I wanted to tell you personally." *I smiled hopefully, against my better judgment.* "I'm getting married." "..." "She's younger." "..." "Very younger." "..." "You'll like her." "I already don't." I stood up slowly. "You called me HERE for THIS?" "I thought it was respectful." "I'm about to become extremely disrespectful." *I slammed the door so hard I think the building reconsidered its structure.* *Sitting in the hospital waiting room...* *A gentle voice interrupted my thoughts.* "Are you alright?" *I looked up.* *Michael Jackson.* *Yes. That Michael Jackson. Calm, kind eyes, soft presence like he didn’t belong in my chaotic universe.* "No." *He handed me a bottle of water.* "Worst day?" "Worst vacation. Worst life choices. Possibly worst decade." "Wanna talk?" *For some reason...* *I did. Of course I did. Because my life loves irony.* *Over the next few days...* *Dinner.* *Coffee.* *Another dinner.* *A walk.* *Then dinner at my house.* "I made lasagna." "It smells..." *Smoke filled the kitchen.* "Oh no." "I burned it!" *He laughed so hard he nearly cried.* "We're ordering pizza." "I've never been more embarrassed." "I've never had more fun." *Which was suspicious, honestly.* *Later that night...* *He kissed me.* *Softly.* "You taste like burnt lasagna." "I hate you." "No, you don't." *And unfortunately... he was right.* *Back at the seaside...* *Breakfast was peaceful.* *Until...* "Mom." "Yes?" "I met someone." "The waiter?" "No." "The lifeguard?" "No." "The performer." ... "...Which performer?" "The one. Michael Jackson." *I nearly dropped my coffee.* *Anna guestured for me to turn around so I could see him. It took 3 seconds for me to realize it was him* "He smiled at me." "That's... concerningly charming." *Across the room...* *Michael Jackson was there, pretending not to look at me, but absolutely smiling like he knew exactly what he was doing.* *Every night we'd sneak away.* *Walking barefoot along the shore.* *Talking until sunrise.* "I shushed away something when we started seeing each other but you should know" "That you have three daughter? I heard your ex husband complaining how many kids he has" *I laughed.* *Then kissed me again* *The next day..* *A rich man, Viktor Hale, invited us onto his yacht.* "I've been married five times." *He arrived like a storm in a designer suit, laughing too loudly, eyes too wide, energy completely unhinged.* "I've been married five times!" "...Five?" "But this time it's different. I can feel it. I need marriage. I was born for it. I should be married at all times." "No." "YES! And every time I improved! I am basically a marriage professional!" "...That’s not a profession." "It is in my heart!" *He paced the deck like a man negotiating with invisible spirits.* "But this time is different. I can feel it. I need marriage. I was born for it. I should be married at all times. If I am not married, I become... unstable!" "You already seem unstable." *He ignored that completely.* "Look at me! I am husband material!" "You are yacht material. That’s different." *He suddenly grabbed my hands.* "Marry me!" "Absolutely not." *He gasped like I had stabbed him emotionally.* "You haven't heard my proposal!" "I don't need to. I can already feel the legal paperwork approaching." *He knelt anyway.* "Marry me." *I looked at my daughters.* *Then the sea.* *Then him.* "I don’t need to. I can already feel the legal paperwork screaming." *He dropped to his knees anyway.* "PLEASE! I will be the best husband! I will buy you things! I will stand dramatically in doorways! I will argue with furniture if necessary!" "That’s not romantic, that’s a warning." *My daughters were watching like this was a live comedy show.* *Even Max barked once, like he was voting no.* *I stepped back.* "No thanks." *Viktor froze.* *Then slowly stood up.* *His smile twitched.* "...You will regret this." "Probably not." *He suddenly started laughing. Loud. Too loud. Like a man arguing with reality itself.* "NO ONE REJECTS VIKTOR HALE!" "Apparently I just did." *He pointed at the sea.* "THE OCEAN IS ON MY SIDE!" "It is literally not." *I turned to leave.* *He shouted after me:* "I WILL FIND LOVE! EVEN IF I HAVE TO INVENT IT!" "...Good luck with that. Kids! We are leaving!" *Splash* *Then after me three more* *Splash* *Splash* *Splash* *We made it on the seashore even God knows what time it was as I said* Kids! We made it! *Anna stands up* "why didn't you want to marry this guy? He was rich." *I look at her like she said the dumbest thing in the world*"He's unstable for himself not for money. I wanna marry Micheal Jackson" *Milica stands beside me* "he has a fiance." *Sighs* "I'm that fiance" *All three of them are like:* "WHAT!?" *The three of them wouldn't stop talking about the future,but when I got back to the hotel room I found a letter. "You're marrying someone else I see. I understand. Good luck with that." I sighed. Why?"* *The next morning we got back to our city and it was chaos,I went back to work as usual when friends at lunch asked me* "so? Did you find a new husband or something?" *How could I forget? I completely FROGOT Abt Micheal! I just stood up and grabbed a phone where I could get him. A woman answerd* "he's rehearsing rn. You can leave a message so he can call later" I just hung up* *Later I wandered through the streets wondering if I ever see him again. I sat on the bench like it was the last decision in the world* *When..* *A hand touched my shoulder like it did for the first time.* "you alright miss?" *There he was. Smiling and grinning at same time* *Maybe the vacation wasn't so bad after all...*