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I burst out laughing. “Mom, you’re fine. Trust me. How about we get some food in you?”
“That sounds good,” she says, eyeing me. “Are you going to put some clothes on or…”
I head over to the bathroom and towel off before peeling off my bikini and putting on a sundress. For a moment, I actually think about not wearing anything underneath, but I opt for a thong. I double-check in the mirror. No lines at all. Good. Can I get away without a bra? Yes, I decide. The dress is dark blue, so you can't see my nipples, and the built-in bra actually isn't all that bad.
We head to the main dining area. Mom places a towel on the table to claim it for us, and we get in the line for the buffet. So many choices! Our line is moving so slowly. My mom's chatting with me, so she clearly doesn't mind.
And then I feel it.
The heat of a familiar gaze.
I glance over. Sure enough, Hot Guy is staring at me.
I lift my chin to acknowledge him, and he winks back at me. I hope I’m not blushing because that would completely ruin the unaffected flirty persona I’ve adopted around him.
“Are you listening?” my mom asks.
“Honestly? No. I’m sorry.”
“I guess I should be happy you’re honest.”
“What did you say?”
“There’s karaoke tonight. Are you going to come?”
“Maybe I’ll listen. I don’t think I’ll sing.”
“Any more swimming for you tonight?”
“I don’t know,” I say. “I might just want to wing it tonight.”
“There is nothing wrong with that.” She turns around to face me and places a hand on my shoulder. “Coming here with you means so very much to me.”
Her eyes are welling with tears. I’m not embarrassed about that at all. If people want to judge, they can go on ahead and do so. She’s been through so much.
I hug her tightly. “Mom, this vacation is for us,” I say firmly. “You and me.”
She cups my chin. “You’re the perfect daughter.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” I joke.
“What you’ve done for me…” She shakes her head. “I feel like you’re the mom, and I’m the daughter.”
“Sometimes, we all need someone to lean on,” I say simply. “That’s what family is for.”
She grins at me, but she’s looking misty-eyed again. “You should hate me,” she whispers. “If I got out when I first realized he wasn’t who I thought he was…”
“Mom, he’s manipulative,” I say.
“Yes, but the signs were there, and I ignored them. What’s happened… I could’ve spared you and Kyle, but I wasn’t strong enough to leave, and now I do? When you’re both in college? You really should hate me.”
“Never,” I assure her.
But I won't lie. My stomach does twist a little. Kyle might've been my mom's favorite, but there were times when my father and Kyle butt heads. Kyle wouldn't ever really talk to me about our father. It makes me wonder if shit's gone down that I don't know about.
If Father ever laid a hand on Kyle…
The cycle of abuse might’ve continued. His father abused my father, and Father might’ve abused Kyle. If my mom knows something I don’t…
