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“Bailey, you need to forgive him. Nobody is perfect. Anyone can make a mistake, and everyone deserves a second chance.”
“She doesn’t need to do anything!” Amelia shouts, and I send her a grateful look for her support.
“This is low, even for you. Gettingmymom to help you fight your battles.”
“Bailey, I raised you better than that. You will not make him feel uncomfortable or as if he doesn’t belong.”
She was best friends with Anne, Quinn’s mom, and she stepped in as a mother figure to him and Nathan when Anne passed and Quinn’s dad lost the plot. I know she feels responsible for Quinn. I understand that, and I’ve always commended her for it. But not like this. Being her child should always trump any obligation she might feel. And maybe, if this happened to Amelia or Cody, it would have. But not me.
“You're wrong. You didn’t do much raising. Grandma and Grandpa practically raised me. You were too busy with your other children to bother much with me.”
I can’t stop the bitterness from spilling out.
Her head rears back as if I slapped her, and I’m not normally a mean person, but seeing her reaction gives me a little bit of satisfaction.
“That’s not true.”
“It kind of is,” Amelia says with an apologetic look at me. It’s unnecessary. I’ve never held her responsible for our mother’s actions, and despite the jealousy I felt towards her growing up, she’s always been a good sister to me.
She looks at Dad for help, but he’s not going to help. I love Dad, but his quest to always be the peacemaker, always trying to smooth things over with everyone, meant he never took sides. Meant he never put his foot down and stood up for what he believed in. I blame him just as much for how things were.
“Quinn hurt me more than anyone’s ever hurt me, and still, you pick him over me,” I whisper. “You don’t want him to feel uncomfortable, but it’s okay for me to feel uncomfortable?”
At least she has the sense to look guilty. “That’s not what I meant.”
“No. That’s exactly what you meant. But it’s okay. I know what my place is in this family. Tell me, Mom. Are you planning on being a grandmother to his baby?”
I wait for her to answer, but she doesn’t. She doesn’t need to. I can see the confirmation in her eyes. I don’t know why I even hoped that, just this once, she would take my side on something. That, for once, she would put me first.
“I guess then there’s nothing left to say.” It’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop as I turn around and make my way to the door.
“Once again, you win,” I say, pausing when I get to the door, where Quinn’s still standing. Over the years, he’s given me so much, but in the end, he’s taken everything.
“I haven’t won anything,” he says, his voice hoarse. He looks like shit, but I just don’t care. “I’ll stay away. I won’t intrude on your family again.”
Behind me, Mom makes a distressed noise. His offer is a little too late, though.
“Nah, it’s okay. You can have them.” The words freaking hurt, but they need to be said. After tonight, I have no wish to come here again.
I close the door firmly behind me and close my eyes, taking a deep breath. My heart aches when two small sets of arms encircle me.
“Love you, Aunty Ley Ley,” Darby whispers, her cheek pressed against my hip. I guess they were snooping and heard things little kids are never supposed to hear.
“Love you, too,” I mumble past the lump in my throat. And it’s true. I love them more than anything.
The door opens, and Amelia walks out, Gabriel on her heels.
“I’ll walk you to your car.” She hooks my arm with hers and smiles down at Darby and Ethan. “Go with Daddy. I need to talk to your aunt for a bit.”
“You’re leaving?”
She rolls her eyes. “As if we’re staying after that. And with him there.”
Seems like the battle lines have been drawn, and she’s making sure I know which side of the line she’s on.
“You don’t have to do that.” The thought of her having dinner with Mom and Quinn would hurt, but her relationship with Mom is different from mine, and I would never expect her to choose.
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know she was planning to do that. I found out when I saw Quinn’s place at the table set and questioned her. I would have said something if I knew.”
