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Okay, that did surprise him. It had to have taken a huge effort on her part to swallow her pride like that. “Good. No reason for Allie to have to go on with that weighing on her. Clean slate and all.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s all you’re going to say about this? Well, tough, Travis. I’m not about to let this go. You’re the only family I have, and I care for you. I want to see you happy.”
“Then drop it.”
“I know that you and Meredith grew close, and I know what we said. How she can’t change. But is it so inconceivable that maybe she has? That people can change?”
“You know better than I do that people don’t change.”
Claire put her teacup down and leaned forward, trying to make eye contact. “I don’t think you can draw the same comparison between Meredith and Dad. Or Mom. Dad talked the talk, but I think we both can agree that he never really wanted to change. He was saying what he needed to appease Mom. Keep her happy. And God help me, I loved Mom, but I wish she had been stronger. Had resisted. But she loved him too much.”
“Which is precisely why getting mixed up with someone like that is a mistake. You become blind and eventually they’ll return to their ways, hurting people, but you won’t care because all you want…is them,” he finished lamely.
“I’ll be the first to admit that Mom and Dad’s relationship was toxic. His death killed her heart, her soul, and she never was the same, never able to find any joy. But we aren’t our parents, Travis. You’re not Mom and Meredith isn’t Dad. Dad only thought about himself, and I think we can both agree that with recent events, Meredith has proven she loves her daughter so much she was willing to risk her life to save her. Her life. Everything. That’s a brave woman. And maybe someone not as selfish as we both thought.”
The words were hard to hear, but they touched something inside him. Meredith definitely had her faults, Lord knew. She was strong willed, and when she had her back in a corner, she came out fighting. Her first instinct was to strike. To push away those who might have loved her.
Hell, could he blame her? Her mom taking off when she was a kid, without a word—that had to mess someone up. Husbands number one and three—and even two, though his leaving was only by death—hadn’t helped. The people Meredith cared about had a tendency to run out on her.
The truth slammed him in the chest.
He hadn’t done much better.
He’d run out on her, too. Hadn’t let her explain what had happened that night with Annabeth and the mayor. He’d just judged her and decided that she was the same old Meredith.
But he could see a little of why she might have behaved like she did. Hadn’t she mentioned walking in on her first husband in a similar compromising position? And Annabeth’s cruel words…hell. He didn’t know. It had been a lot to process.
Sure, maybe her reaction was over-the-top.
People didn’t change overnight, but little by little, they could change habits. And his sister was right. She wasn’t a selfish bastard only thinking of herself. Like his old man. She was a strong and protective mother willing to fight to the end to save her daughter. She was warm and fiery and spirited, and he—
Hell. He was pretty certain he loved her.
But the way he’d turned away from her, left her when she was vulnerable. Not helped when he could barely meet her gaze yesterday as they flew home. He’d asked her to trust him, and then he’d blown it.
Well, sitting around here wasn’t going to help the situation. He needed to see Mer. Make her realize that he was here. And not going anywhere.
His sister had picked up her cup again and was watching him over the rim with the slightest twinkle of satisfaction in those blue eyes. “Going somewhere?”
“I need to see a woman about an apology.”
“About damn time. Being a big sister can really be a lot of work sometimes.”
…
Meredith couldn’t believe she’d let Allie witness this moment, but the woman was being amazingly sympathetic, patting her back as she went on and on. The sound of the shower turning off upstairs finally brought her to her senses.
She couldn’t let Darcy see her fall apart like this.
Wiping her eyes, she grabbed a few mugs from the cupboard. “I know you like those fancy sweeteners in your coffee, but all I’ve got is half-and-half.”
Allie flinched. “Not anymore. Half-and-half is just fine.” They took their mugs to the table and took a seat. “Meredith, what you’re feeling is perfectly natural, you don’t have to be embarrassed. You’ve been under a lot of stress these past few days. If it had been Violet?” She shook her head forcefully. “I would have completely fallen apart. The first day. And to have everything come to an end with almost disastrous consequences…all I can say is the stress of it all and relief had to eventually take its toll. I’m only glad I could be here. You know, when I write about it on the school’s blog.”
Meredith stared at her in horror until she saw Allie’s bottom lip quiver and she finally burst into laughter. “I’m just kidding—jeez, I wouldn’t do that. Not anymore,” she said and laughed again. This time Meredith managed a smile, and then a chuckle.
“Saint Allie has a sense of humor. Who knew?” she said and brought her cup to her mouth.
“Wait. What? Saint Allie? You don’t really call me that, do you?”
