“Can you text her to come over? I’d like to apologize and explain all of this to her.” She hands me my phone.
I send Sophie a text. She’s a little hesitant when she comes over and enters the living room. Mom gestures for her to join us on the couch. Then she apologizes and tells Sophie what she told me. Not in detail because that’s personal family stuff, but she tells Sophie that she was wrong to try to separate us and she’s giving us her blessing. Not that we really need it, but it’s nice to have.
As I watch her talk, I can’t help but smile. Mom looks like a completely different person. I think talking about Dad helped get all that guilt and sadness off her heart. For years she was emotionless and all she cared about was her work. That was her way of getting over Dad. But she sees now that she has many things in her life to be happy about. She has me and Sophie and the school. When kids see her as more than just a strict principal, they’ll be happier. And I think Mom understands that.
Chapter Forty-One
Sophie
“I never thought I could be so happy,” Damian says as he spins me around in my room.
We didn’t have a chance to talk much last night after he and his mom called me over to explain everything. His mom admitted that she made a mistake by keeping us apart, and she gave us her blessing that we could be together.
Not that we really needed her blessing. We would have fought to be together no matter what. But the fact that we do have her blessing and we don’t have to sneak around anymore takes such a big weight off our shoulders. We’re finally free to be how we’re meant to be—together.
“How are things between you and your mom?” I ask as we lower ourselves on my bed. Raven disappeared from the room the second Damian walked in to give us privacy.
“Things are going well. My mom wants to make up for all that she’s done. There’s so much pain, but we’ll get there.”
“The fact that she’s willing to make things right between you counts for a lot,” I tell him. “I’m sure you’ll have a much better relationship now that she understands where you’re coming from.”
“I can’t believe she tried to deny us what she was denied with my dad,” he says with a shake of his head. “How could she have thought keeping us apart would be less painful? How was that trying to protect me?”
“Parents try to do what they think is best, but they make mistakes, too. It couldn’t have been easy for your mom to go through what she went through with your dad. She honestly thought she was saving you future heartache.”
Damian shakes his head. “I wish she would have fought for my dad. Things could have been different. We…” His voice chokes up. “We could have been the happy and loving family I always dreamed of.”
I scoot over and envelop him in my arms. “We don’t know why things happen the way they do. Maybe this was just the way things had to be. We can’t change the past, Damian. We can only change the present and the future. And now that your mom is willing to have a relationship with you, you have the chance to start over and build something beautiful.”
He nods as he buries his face between my neck and shoulder. “Thanks so much for your encouraging words. I don’t know what I would do without you in my life.”
“I can’t imagine you not being in my life, either.”
“And now I have your friends back in my life, too,” he says with a relieved sigh. “I can’t believe how my life is like now. Just a few days ago, I thought I would be miserable until I finally turned eighteen. But I don’t have to wait a year and a half to be happy. I can be happy right now, with you and my new friends.”
“And my parents?” I ask, lifting my phone. “I wanted to introduce you to them earlier, but we weren’t exactly allowed to be together…”
“I would love to meet your parents,” he tells me with a smile. “I can’t wait to meet the amazing people who raised an amazing daughter.”
“Ooh, you should use that on my mom. She’ll love it.”
“It’s not just a line, Sophie. I really mean it.”
“I know. I’m just messing with you. Let’s see if they’re available.”
I call my mom’s phone and she picks up immediately. “Sophie! It’s been so long. Jorge!” she calls. “Sophie’s on the phone.” When she looks back at the screen, her eyes narrow at Damian. “Who is this handsome young man?”
“Young man?” Dad’s voice calls in the distance. When he’s closer, he mutters, “What young man?”
“Hi, Mom and Dad,” I say with a wave when both my parents’ faces are on the screen. “This is my boyfriend, Damian.”
“Did she just say boyfriend?” Dad gasps.
“Deep breaths, Jorge,” Mom says with a laugh.
“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Reed,” Damian says. “It’s so great to meet you.”
“Damian is Principal Harrington’s son,” I tell them. “He’s a new student at Harrington Bay Academy and I’m his tutor.”
