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I remember Natalie Tucker from my teenage years, but she appears a lot older now. Her face is carved with lines of stress and worry and burdens. Her eyes are a lot duller than I remember. She’s clearly been through hell since the last time I saw her, and this operation today isn’t going to help.
I really can’t help but think it is my family that has caused her this pain.
“August Penmayne?”
Her head rises from her pillow when she recognizes me.
“Yep,” Emma says to her mom. “Remember August?”
“Yes, I do. I remember the Penmaynes.”
“Well,” Emma replies, taking my hand. “We’re kind of together now.”
“Oh,” Natalie says. “Congratulations to you both.”
It’s such a throwaway line - she has a lot more to deal with than the idea of her daughter dating a Penmayne.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her. “Emma told me you had an operation today.”
She winces and gestures around at all the monitors.
“I’m in pain,” she says. “But I’m glad it’s all over. Should be a few days of recovery and then they’ll check up on me. It seemed to go well, though. Like I’ve said to Emma a million times now, I am okay.”
“Good to hear,” I reply.
“You two really are together?” she asks. “For real?”
Emma nods.
“Your daughter is the love of my life,” I say to her. “She’s amazing, isn’t she?”
“She’s the best.”
“Yeah,” I reply, turning to look at Emma. “How can Inotfall in love with her?”
“Stop it, August,” Emma replies, squeezing my hand. “You’re not too bad yourself.”
Her mom winces again, and I move to her. I lean down to her level by her bedside.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I ask her, glancing down at her bandaging.
“Yep, just hurts a bit. But it’s good to know I’m getting better.”
I take her hand.
“I just want to say sorry for how things have turned out,” I mutter.
“What do you mean?” Natalie asks.
“The way my family treated you all those years ago. How my mother treated you. It was wrong, and I’m sorry. It is one of the biggest regrets of my life.”
“It’s fine,” she replies. “It was a long time ago. Life has moved on.”
I glance back at Emma. She’s watching this intently. I look back at her mom.
“It really isn’t fine,” I say. “In fact, I’ve already taken steps to remedy what we did.”
“You have?” Emma asks from behind me. She doesn’t know what I’ve done.
