AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I closed my eyes. “I know.”
“My only regret is that I didn’t step in sooner. That I never stopped your father from—”
“It’s not your fault.”
“No, it’s not. But, I have a responsibility in all this. I knew what was taking place, and I never did anything to stop it. Or report it. That’s on me, Clint. Part of where you’re standing right now is on—is—uh—”
The second she drew in a shuddering breath, I wrapped my arms around her. I pulled my stepmother closely into me and felt her arms drape around me. Her warmth brought tears to my eyes. Memories of my mother came flooding back to the forefront of my mind. Memories of my mother caring for me. Rocking with me. Loving me and cherishing me and singing to me as she held me close.
I buried my face in Cecilia’s hair, trying to cling to this feeling. To the idea that someone even remotely akin to a parent could actually give a shit about me.
I sighed. “Please don’t cry.”
She nodded quickly and sniffled.
“Well, um, dinner’s in the oven. And you smell like you need a shower.”
She pulled away from me as I chuckled softly.
“I suppose I don’t smell the greatest.”
She wrinkled her nose. “You really don’t. Go get cleaned up, and when you’re done, dinner will be ready.”
I reached out and wiped a stray tear off her cheek. I saw the pain and the guilt flooding Cecilia’s eyes. I’d never seen her like this. So downtrodden and… and sad. Just plain sadness. It hurt me, truly. Because through all this, I’d come to see how incredible of a woman she really was. Strong. Steadfast. Dedicated, and actually intelligent. Broken, like me. In a lot of ways due to her family. Like me.
I stroked her cheek. “I’m proud to call you my stepmother.”
She snickered. “And I hope, one day, I earn the honor of calling you my stepson.”
She quickly turned on her bare feet and padded back into the kitchen, leaving
me there to hurt even more. The fact that she didn’t feel she could call me her stepson hurt. Especially after everything that had happened. Everything she’d helped me through. But I knew she said that because she felt guilty. Not because I’d done anything wrong.
So I dragged myself upstairs and got myself cleaned up for dinner.
I stepped into the shower with aches and pains in places on my body I didn’t know existed. When I came out of the shower, wonderful smells filled my nostrils. I smelled basil and honey. Starches and gravy. I smelled butter and blueberries and sugar in the air. It pulled me downstairs. I went down for dinner in nothing but a pair of sweatpants and an old, ragged black shirt.
And I found dinner sprawled out on the kitchen table. With two place settings.
“We’re eating at the table?”
Cecilia set our drinks down. “Why not?”
I paused. “I don't know. I’m just not—used to having family dinner. I guess.”
She snickered. “Well, I’m not your father. I like eating with family. So get used to it is all I can tell you.”
And when she winked at me, it made me smile. Truly smile, for the first time since yesterday evening.
“I can do that,” I said.
6
Raelynn
I didn’t want to go, but I gave my word. During my last period, Michael and Allison both pressured me to join them for dinner tonight. Sushi, apparently. I didn’t feel like going out, though. I didn’t feel like joining them for anything. I wanted to run myself a bath, get into the pathetic tub and cry my eyes out while indulging in a bag full of cookies. But they were my friends and I knew they were trying their best to cheer me up.
So I promised them I’d be there.
