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“A kid in high school fell out of a tree and hit his head. He was never the same. His family moved to Atlanta to get him more help.”
“It’s the same with my mother. She’s stuck somewhere in her childhood. The doctors say it has to do with the part of her brain that was injured. It’s like she’s forgotten everything that happened in her life after middle school.”
“Lucas, I’m so sorry.” I understood why he carried around such guilt all these years. It would kill me knowing I’d caused something similar with my mother.
“My mother spends most of her days in her glass sunroom, drawing sketches of the flowers filling the space. She knows my name is Lucas and that I used to live there too, but doesn’t remember me as her son.” His voice broke as he finished his sentence, and so did my heart. I reached across the center console and touched his upper arm, rubbing it gently. He glanced at me with sad eyes, taking my hand in his.
“She hasn’t met anyone new in years. I think she’ll be okay with it, but I wanted to warn you just in case. She won’t get violent or anything, it just might make her shy.”
“Does she ever leave the house?” I couldn’t imagine her staying inside for twenty years. It seemed cruel.
“No. Even her doctors come to the house. I have no idea what he’s paid them for their silence, but they should’ve reported the way he’s treated her years ago. My mother is a prisoner. Sometimes I wonder if my father never wanted her to recover. It’s a horrible thing to even say out loud, but I can’t imagine why he kept her home all these years.”
“Surely he wouldn’t want that, Lucas. It would take an evil person to be like that.” Lucas huffed at my remark. I couldn’t comprehend being treated like this by someone who was supposed to love me.
“My mother’s family founded the company and she had the largest share. Now, since he’s her husband, he does. It gives him the majority control. Power and money bring out the worst in humans. But soon, I’m going to do everything in my power to make my mother’s life more than just the walls of her home.”
Lucas held my hand, gently rubbing his thumb over my skin. He was comforting me when all I wanted to do was hug him and make everything all right. I didn’t know where to begin, but I wanted to help this man and his family heal. I’d chosen my major in college for this very reason. If I couldn’t help the man I was crazy for, then all I learned was for nothing.
When we crossed over the New York state line into Connecticut, there was nothing but thick trees for miles, like we were driving through Sherwood Forest. I couldn’t see any homes or buildings.
“Our exit is coming up,” Lucas said, but I still didn’t see anything behind the trees. I never thought I’d call a highway beautiful, but the view driving down this one was green and lush.
Lucas eased his tank-sized car off the parkway. After a couple of turns, we were passing by beautiful, gigantic homes.
“Oh my God. Is this where you grew up?” I glanced from the monster homes to him. “This is beyond rich. This is filthy, dirty money.”
“I think you nailed it.” He laughed, turning into what looked like a smaller version of the White House, but not by much.
The yard looked like it had been cut with a pair of scissors. It felt like we were about to walk on to a set of a movie. I couldn’t comprehend this type of wealth. And to think I’d thought his penthouse extravagant.
Lucas parked his car near the front door. A woman around my mother’s age with gray hair and a smile brimming with joy came bounding out of the house.
“Lucas, I had no idea you were coming today to see your mother. She’s going to be thrilled.” When I caught the woman’s eye, she gasped. “Well, who do we have here?”
“Hi, my name is Maggie.” I walked toward the woman, extending my hand, but she gathered me in a big bear hug. She felt soft and comforting, just like my own mother. In the background, I heard Esmé fussing in the car.
“I’m Charlotte, dear,” she said, peeking over my shoulder. “And what is that I hear? A baby?”
“Yes. It’s my daughter, Esmé,” Lucas said with the pride of a father. I think my ovaries blew up.
“Lucas Shaw, you old devil.” Charlotte shook her head, grinning at Lucas. “Well, I did see something in The Post. But there’s always gossip about the Shaws. I guess this time it was true. Let me see the baby.”
“Charlotte takes care of my mother,” Lucas whispered as we followed Charlotte to the car. I removed Esmé from her car seat as Lucas grabbed our things from the back of the car.
