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I can’t cry because I’m driving. But heat rushes to my cheeks and my throat gets tight. “I think it because it’s true. You never made time for us because you had better things to do.”
“Better things to do?Honey, that’s so far from the truth, I don’t even know where to start.”
Now tears actually prickle my eyes. I can’t cry and drive at the same time.
My hands shake. I grip the wheel tight and search for an exit. When I spot an off-ramp, I take it and then steer us into the deserted parking lot of an abandoned restaurant. Tears well up.
“Then… why didn’t you raise us?” I ask her.
She bends across the console, and a wave of her perfume hits me. She wraps her thin arm around me. “Baby, I was achildwhen I had you. Do you realize that? Ten years younger than you are now, and not evenhalfas smart. Goodness, how you grew up with that good head on your shoulders… Thanks to Jack’s parents, of course.”
I sniff and feel wet tears streaming down my cheeks. She fishes a pack of tissues from her purse and pulls one out. Instead of handing it to me, she blots at her own cheeks. Oh my gosh—she’s crying, too! She pats her eyes next, then sees me watching and gasps.
“Look at me, doing it again. I’m sorry—I’ve lived by myself for so long now. Here.”
She hands me a tissue, and I swipe it over one eye, then the other.
“Honey let’s get one thing straight,” she says. “Me, and my mistakes? They were bad. I messed up plenty, not being there for you and your brother. But it wasneverbecause I had better things to do. It was because I was lost and afraid.”
“Ha, yeah, lost. Been there,” I say through more tears.
She squeezes me again. “We all have. It’s called life. The good news is, even if I wasn’t around to raise you up, you can still learn from me. From my mistakes, mostly.” I pat my eyes again.
She’s right.
I can.
With new hope blossoming in my chest, I meet her eye. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Mom?” She arches a brow. “You’ve been calling me Beryl now for a long time, honey.”
“I know, but I think it’s time to close that chapter… and start a new one.”
“Good,” she says with a wobbly smile.
“I’d like that, too. A new chapter. Now, how about if you get us to that wedding?” I nod, take one big breath to clear my head, and then put the car back into drive.
Chapter 26
Olivia
I’ve gotten excited over work-related stuff plenty of times.
I’ve jumped around. Squealed. Clapped. Even sipped champagne.
Have I ever been this excited to say ‘no’ to a job, though?
Nope.
Never.
Relief washes through me as I compose a quick email to the producers ofDream Vacation, telling them I can’t accept the position.
Then I pop my Mazda door open and take off across the parking lot in a trot, with my garment bag flapping over one shoulder. I catch up with my mother at the double doors and follow her into the hushed lobby.
We both dart into the women’s restroom and change into our dresses as quickly as we can. I take five minutes by the sink, touching up my makeup. It’s a good thing Maggie and Trent are both low-key about looks because today I’m far from picture-perfect. I wish I had time to spend on my face and hair, but this will have to do.
Today’s about celebrating their love for each other, not my lip-liner.
