AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yup! I’m done,” I replied, and we headed to Mara’s.
I arrived at Mara’s a couple of minutes after Bex and Olivia to find Bex and Mara wrapped around each other, snickering.
“Oh, my Lord, what are you two on about now?” I rolled my eyes and laughed.
“Oh, nothing…” Bex began, “just the fact that Mara published her book!”
“What?” I ran over to Mara, hugging her while we jumped up and down together.
I pulled back and looked down at her pink, beaming, face. “You did it?”
“Yup, I did it,” she confirmed.
I wrapped my arms around her again. “You’re amazing. I want to be you when I grow up.”
She scoffed, but it was true. “Really, Merry, you are an inspiration. Strongest woman I know.”
She was quiet for a moment, then said, “I hope you guys know that I could not have done it without you.”
“Oh, no,” Bex interrupted, “you would have. It just would have taken you longer.”
I agreed but she shook her head.
“No, not just the writing, all of it, my mental health, my still-in-progress but progressing recovery, getting my life back together, even better than before...as well as the book. I could not have done it without you guys.”
We surrounded her with our arms and our love. These two women held me more than they knew. Our mutual admiration society was a large piece of the bedrock I stood on, and I was so grateful to have it.
“Um, excuse me, but am I getting a snack?”
We broke apart, laughing, and I answered Olivia, “I’ll get right on that, birdy.”
After Olivia settled, we sat down at the table.
“Not to be a bummer, but how are things going with Mom?” I asked.
“Ah, well, you were right, Willa.” Mara replied.
My heart sank and my stomach burned. How she could still be so self-centered after what Mara went through was unfathomable.
“What happened, chickie?” Bex asked, her eyebrows raised, “Does this woman not learn?”
“We had positive texting, then we had two positive visits, then I saw her a few days ago and she went off on one of her rants, with Olivia there to witness it, unfortunately,” Mara replied easily and shrugged.
“You okay?” I asked gently, which took some effort, struggling as I was to disguise my anger.
“You know what? I am,” she nodded, meeting my eyes, “I really am. Zale and I wanted the relationship for Olivia, but it’s hard not to compare, seeing what she gets from you and Bex, how she’s treated by Rhys and Barrett, those are the kinds of relationships she needs. Did you know even Barrett visits her when she’s at the shelter?”
That was the third time his name had come up today. I wondered if they were catching on.
Mara continued, “She gets caring and compassion from all of you. With Bea, she’s little more than a prop, and I worry about how Bea will treat her when she’s no longer useful. Bea is who and what she is, and I find that her opinion of me does not matter anymore.”
“Really?” I asked. I desperately wanted to believe that was true.
“Really,” she replied firmly, “I’m not saying I’m not sad about it, I’m not saying I don’t wish things could be different, but they are how they are, there are a million reasons why they are how they are, and I can’t do anything to change any of it. Not if I want to maintain my boundaries, which I do. It’s her responsibility to look after herself, no matter how many times she tries to make it mine. I believe that now. I’m not even that mad anymore.”
She had better mom-repellant than I did at that moment.
“Did she go after you, Willa?”
