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“Remember what I was trying to tell you this morning,” August continues to his mother. “I know you don’t want to admit it, but don’t you remember who you were when you met Father?
“I do know, August.”
“You were a secretary,” the doctor continues. “People looked down on you then for not being from a wealthy family, but still the love between Father and you was stronger than all the words and the insults and the judgments from others. You were a secretary who fell in love with a rich media mogul, and love won. So you know exactly what it’s like to be a woman fighting for your place in the world, even if it’s a totally different world for you to be a part of.”
Alda smiles, then. It’s one of the rare number of times I’ve ever seen her smile.
“I know, August,” she says. “I really know.”
“You do?”
“I’ve been thinking all day about what you were trying to tell me this morning.”
“You have?”
“I might be a snob, but I’ve only ever wanted what was the best for my son,” the Penmayne matriarch says. “And I can clearly see that you love Emma and that, maybe for once in my life, I was wrong. Even I can admit that. I was wrong to rip you two apart like I did. And I apologize. To both of you. You’ve chosen Emma, and I should respect that choice. And Emma is pretty damn talented at dancing.”
She really didn’t just say that, did she?
August wraps his arms around his mother and hugs her tight.
He then turns to me. He marches across the hospital room and takes me in his manly arms and kisses me.
And I can’t help but kiss him back.
From his bed, Ethan loudly applauds.
“This is the best day ever,” he says.
And I can’t help but laugh for the first time in a long time.
Alda is not going to stand in our way.
And August loves me.
And he stood up for me. Against his family.
He really, truly loves me.
74
AUGUST
“Are you sure you’re okay with me seeing her?” I ask Emma as we approach the door.
The girl I love looks up at me.
“Of course,” she replies.
“But my family have treated her so...badly.”
“I want you to see her with me, August.”
“Okay, then. Let’s do it.”
Emma pushes the door and invites me to step into the hospital room.
Her mom lies in bed, seemingly asleep. Her eyes flicker open when we enter and she slowly turns her head to face us.
