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I lose the battle with my tear ducts, and my tears fall freely.
“It’s about damn time that she gets a little encouragement, Donna. You’ve spent the last six months beating her down for moving away and it’s the best thing she could’ve done. It was time for her to move on, and she did that. She’s built a great life here for her and Henry.”
My mom sputters as if she can’t believe my dad just said all that. I’m sort of on team sputter because I’ve never heard my dad say so much all at once. I’ve especially never heard him stand up against my mother so boldly.
“I can’t believe you support this whole thing.”
“You should support her too. I know it’s hard being away from Henry. The kid’s growing like a weed, and he changes every day, but they couldn’t stay with us forever,” my dad says.
My mom, the stubborn woman she is, just crosses her arms over her chest and draws a firm line in the sand. “It’s too soon for them to be on their own. Addy obviously isn’t ready. Look at her. She’s a mess.”
“I am a mess, mom, but I’m better every day. You can’t or won’t see it, but Henry and I are happy here. He’s thriving, and I’m healing,” I say, wiping the last of my tears away. “I don’t have any regrets about moving here.”
“Henry misses us,” she says when her previous argument doesn’t seem to be working.
“Of course he does. You’re his grandparents.”
“I don’t understand why you can’t live closer. You’ve proven your point by moving away. Don’t you think it’s time to come home?”
I close my eyes begging the powers that be for patience. “This whole conversation is why we can’t live closer. You don’t respect me as a mother and don’t think I’m capable of making it on my own. And Iamhome. I love it here. Henry loves it here.”
“Donna, it’s time you let them go,” my dad says. “Let go of the anger and resentment.”
“I don’t know how to let them go,” my mom says, then bursts into tears.
“Mom, I love you, but dad is right. You have to let us do it on our own.”
She closes the gap between us and pulls me in for an unexpected hug. “I’m so sorry, Addy. Can you ever forgive me for how I’ve behaved?”
“I forgive you, mom.”
“Why is gramma crying?” Henry asks, interrupting our moment.
“They are happy tears,” my mom says, wiping tears from her face.
The timer buzzes in the kitchen.
“Dinner’s done,” my dad says, clapping his hands together. “Let’s eat.”
CHAPTERNINETEEN
Axel
Today is Addy’s birthday,and I hate that I’m not there to celebrate with her. I know her parents are still in town, so showing up at her place would be a terrible idea. I do the next best thing and send her two dozen yellow roses. Yellow because it’s her favorite color. I spend the whole day wondering if she liked the flowers or if she threw them in the trash because she wants nothing to do with me.
I stop myself from calling her a dozen times. I hate every minute of being apart from her. I know I only had her for a short time, but I pictured so much more with her. I’ve never seen a future with a woman before Addy. Now that I’ve had a taste of what it can be like, I don’t want to give it up.
And then there’s Henry.
I have never considered myself particularly paternal. I’m more cool uncle material, but I can totally see a future with Henry in it as well. I want the whole package.
I want Addy, with or without her baggage. I’ll take her any way I can get her. I just have to somehow convince her to give us a chance.
CHAPTERTWENTY
Addy
Days later,my dad’s words are still circling in my head.
