Page 215 of Taken Away

"Or maybe you both did."

That landed.

"You stayed away."

Anne straightened.

"Because Mabel made sure I wasn't welcome."

"You still stayed away."

The words hung in the room.

"You missed birthdays."

"Graduations."

"My promotions."

"My life."

Anne opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

"And now," Aubrey continued, "I make one decision you don't agree with..."

"...and suddenly you're here trying to tell me how to run my life."

"I'm trying to protect you."

"No."

Aubrey took a slow step forward.

"You're trying to win."

Anne's eyes narrowed.

"You think this is about the winery?"

"I think this is about Mabel."

Silence.

“I think you’ve been fighting her for so long,” Aubrey said, “you don’t know how to stop.”

Neither woman moved.

Then Aubrey spoke again.

"You stayed away for thirty years. You don't get to walk back into my life now and start calling the shots."

Anne's jaw tightened.

"This isn't your life.”

"It isn't your decision."