Mum nods again.
“When I saw the way you looked at Ant, the way he looked at you. Well, I was terrified it would end in tears. And Warren was determined to put a stop to it. But it should’ve been me putting a stop to Warren’s behaviour.”
Mum lapses into silence, and I take the moment to grab tissues from the bathroom for us to dry our tears and blow our noses.
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am for the way I’ve allowed Warren to treat you over the years, Lilavati. When I first married him, I was so sad. So lonely. He took advantage of that. But it was my job to protect you, and I didn’t.” Mum strokes my hair the way she used to, and I can feel the barriers between us beginning to break down.
“You realise you’ve been in an abusive marriage, don’t you, Mum?” I say, as kindly as I can. The truth of this is only now fully sinking in with me, thanks in large part to Ant. To experiencing how a man should treat a woman.
There was no physical violence, at least not that I saw. But there was plenty of emotional abuse. Probably coercive control. And had Mum stood up to Warren, who knows how things might have escalated?
“Yes. But no more. I’m done.” Mum squares her shoulders. “Now, perhaps we can get Ant to arrange a room for me? You wouldn’t have some spare pyjamas I could borrow, would you, darling?”
We both laugh at the banality of that after the conversation we’ve had.
I stand and hold my arms open. Mum rises and moves into my hug, and we stand like that, fused together, crying, for a long time.
“I love you, Mum,” I finally whisper.
“I love you too, Lilavati.”
It’s almost too big to take in. To believe. But after all these years, I finally have my mother back.
It’s been a big day.
Chapter Forty-One
Ant
Ifind Lilavati in the waters of Kapalua Bay the next morning, our last in Hawaii. For this trip at least. Her eyes are closed and she’s floating on her back, allowing the gentle surge of the waves to take her, face turned to the sun.
Lil cried herself to sleep last night after we got Marion settled in a room just down the hall from ours. She cried for her mother, her father, and herself. And I held her through the storm until she slept.
The least I could do this morning was send her down to the bay while I took care of the practicalities around what’s happened.
I organised with the concierge to have Marion’s belongings packed up and moved to her new room, even though it’s only for the one night, then took Marion to Grandie’s room so they could breakfast together on the lanai.
Warren attempted to find out what room Marion is in, but I put a quick stop to that with a little help from my friend, the concierge, and the security guys.
I swim up to Lilavati, flip onto my back and clear my throat. She turns her face and opens one eye to see me floating next to her, arms and legs outstretched.
“I’m going to miss this.” I lace my fingers with hers.
“Me too. Are Mum and Grandie alright?” Her voice is still hoarse from last night’s tears.
“Eating malasadas on Grandie’s lanai. Marion said to tell you, you were right. They’re delicious. Oh, and I’ve changed Marion and Grandie’s flights. They’re coming home with us.”
Lil snorts.
“Thank you. I guess now that Warren is out of the picture, we won’t be getting an upgrade.”
“Umm, I have something to confess. That upgrade on the way here? It wasn’t Warren.”
She flips upright and treads water while shooting me a glare.
“It was you?”
“Yep. And the car.”
