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That was another lifetime ago. Since then, we’d all lived a hundred different moments, each of them amazing, yet incredibly scary in their own ways. Even some of the happiest moments had been terrifying at times.
Harper hugged Lucy. “Sweetie, let’s not think like that. Having positive thoughts gives positive vibes. Keep visualizing that your mom is going to be okay, and she will be.”
“She was awful today,” Lucy said, burying her face in Harper’s chest. “I kept thinking that she was worse than when we went shopping for my wedding dress. She was becoming a monster. But it wasn’t her fault, was it? It was this tumor?”
Dallas rubbed her back. “Most likely, yes.”
“See?” Harper said softly. “There was a reason all along. Now we know what was making her act so unlike herself. After this surgery, she’s going to be back to her old self, and everything will be fine.”
“But she can’t unsay the terrible things she said to Violet. She hurt her so badly.”
Harper’s arms tightened around Lucy, and I watched as my wife’s face tightened with pain and anger. “All of that is true,” she said after a moment. “But the thing about Vi is that she has a huge heart. Once she knows all the facts, she’ll forgive Layla. That’s just how my daughter is. Your mom may have thought otherwise, but Violet has the capacity to be more forgiving than anyone else I’ve ever met.”
Swallowing with difficulty, I had to look away. She was right. Violet was the kindest and strongest person I’d ever met. Her struggle with her mental health had left me shaking. More nights than I could count, I’d woken in a cold sweat and gone to her room to make sure she was sleeping safely in her bed. Then she’d lost her husband while pregnant. Everyone said Luca was the reason she’d been able to move forward without turning to her dark thoughts again.
But I didn’t think it was all Luca.
Vi was braver than anyone gave her credit for.
Taking a step back, Harper mopped up Lucy’s damp face. “Take a deep breath, honey. We’re going in there and giving your mom all the love and support she needs to get through this. Whatever we have to do, it will get done if it means helping her overcome every obstacle.”
“Should we call Lyric and Luca?” Lucy wondered as she finished drying her face. “Let them know what is going on?”
“Let’s wait and talk to Jesse about that,” I suggested. “With all the stress he’s under right now, I don’t know if he wants those two underfoot during the procedure. And even if we did tell them now, there’s no way they would get here before her surgery.”
The women nodded in agreement, and I gave Lucy one last glance to make sure she was emotionally stable before knocking on the door.
A moment later, Nik pulled it open. His blue eyes looked stark in a face that was pale and drawn. “Hey,” he said quietly. “Come in. But don’t get too loud or…” He lowered his voice and looked at Lucy and Lana. “Emotional.”
We all nodded our understanding, and he stepped back, allowing us into the room. Walking in, it was hard to miss Layla lying in the bed. She looked small with all the wires hooked to her. There was a heart monitor but also some kind of cap that was on her head, monitoring her brain. The top of the bed was raised enough so she wasn’t lying flat, and she was turned on her side.
Jesse sat on the bed with her, rubbing her back and speaking softly to her. I could hear her crying, and I gritted my teeth. Only a matter of hours before, I’d wanted to strangle this woman, but now I felt only sympathy and fear. Layla was family. She was just as much a sister to me as Emmie and Lana were. I loved her. Even when she was pushing my buttons and driving me to the point of madness over the way she’d treated my child, a part of me had still cared about her.
Lana and Lucy rushed over to the side of the bed where Jesse was sitting. Bending, they both hugged her at the same time. “How are you feeling, Mom?”
“I have a headache, honey,” Layla said in a raspy voice. “You shouldn’t have come. Harris and the kids need you at home.”
“You need me too,” Lucy murmured.
“I don’t deserve to have you here,” her mom argued. “Especially after today. Luca…” Her breath shuddered out of her, and I watched as the numbers on her heart monitor increased before lowering again. “He hates me now.”
“Don’t worry about Luca. He’ll come around. Let’s focus on getting you better. After this is all over, you can make it up to him.”
Taking my hand, Harper urged me over to the window, where Nik and Emmie were standing. Dallas followed and hugged Emmie. “You good?”
“Tired, but otherwise fine,” Emmie said with a grim smile.
“Want me to speak to her nurses and doctor? They can catch me up on everything, and I can speak in English for those who don’t speak medicalese.”
“The doctor dumbed it down for us, but yes, I would really appreciate it if you spoke to the nurses. Find out the game plan for tomorrow, so I can be prepared for any possible hiccups.”
Nodding, Dallas gave her another hug and left us to speak to the nurses. Harper stepped forward and hugged both Nik and Emmie. “What can we do to help?”
“Just being here is enough,” Emmie assured her. “We haven’t told Drake yet. He’s at Arella’s for the weekend since he thought Lana was going to be gone until Monday. Arella will freak out and call Lyric if she finds out what’s going on. Jesse wanted to call the twins, but Layla had a meltdown, so he promised no one would tell them until after the surgery.”
“Once she woke up earlier, the doctor took the time to explain everything. About the mass, the surgery, and what most likely will follow.” Nik scrubbed his hands over his face, looking every year of his age at the moment.
I was starting to feel each of mine too.
