Lana moved aside and closed the door behind her as she made her way into the living room. She knew a conversation about her permanent move to Hamby was coming and had to face the music. Veronica dropped her purse on the couch and looked around the room solemnly before her eyes fell on Lana’s face.
“I see you’re getting packed,” she stated, and sat down slowly.
Lana flopped down beside her.
“Yup,” she replied, “I love him and he loves me and we want to finally move past what happened.”
“Georgia?” Veronica asked, surprised. “So you’re not going to join the program?”
“What program?” Lana replied.
She was confused for a second, but as she looked at her mom’s face and thought about the letter in the kitchen, she got it. The letter made it all come together. Lana got up and walked to the desk. She snatched up the letter and tore it open. Her eyes darted to Veronica as she skimmed the first sentence of the letter, her annoyance creasing her brow as her mother’s hands fidgeted in her lap, puppy dog eyes in tow.
“Congratulations. You’ve been accepted to join this season’s Nurses Without Borders Program...” Lana said out loud, dropping her hands to her sides. “Seriously, mom?”
Veronica stood and walked to her.
“I’ve been coming over to clean while you’ve been away, and I noticed you printed the application but never sent it. So I put it in an envelope for you,” Veronica explained.
Lana paced back and forth, unsure of how to compute the audacity of the act.
“After the...incident, when your father and I came home, I sent it off. I figured you may want a change of pace after everything that had happened.”
Lana took a seat on the couch and looked down at the acceptance letter, shaking her head. Hearing her mom’s reasoning, her anger subsided a bit, and she understood the motive, but her life was hers to live, and her choices were hers to make.
“I appreciate that, Mom, I do, but I can’t go,” Lana replied.
Veronica sat next to her and cupped Lana’s cheeks in both hands.
“Look at me, Lana,” she said, “Are you sure about all this? Really sure?”
Lana looked into her mother’s concerned eyes, and the fact that she was still being questioned no matter what she said or did made her wonder if she was making a mistake. Or that everyone else could see something she didn’t. It wouldn’t be the first time, considering what happened with Sam, but it was damn frustrating.
“Dig deep into your soul and think long and hard, baby. If you can say without a doubt that you are sure about Kayden, sure about that Kim girl being out of both of your lives, and are one hundred percent safe—then I will support you.”
Lana could feel the room closing in around her and her mother as the rush of emotions hit her. Veronica continued.
“And even if all that is true, what harm would taking a few months off do, if he really loves you?”
Lana couldn’t help the tears that sprang to her eyes because she could only attest to half of what her mother said. Kayden had no doubts about it, but when it came to Kim and Maureen, she was scared out of her mind. She knew what they were capable of, and boundaries weren’t something either let get in their way.
“I’m sure, Mom,” Lana half lied.
She was a grown woman who had to make her own decisions, good or bad, and all she needed was support from her family to face an uncertain future. Veronica smiled, and as they looked at one another, the silent communication between them verified that her mother knew she wasn’t entirely sure about anything, but would let it go.
“Then, I support you and whatever you need, you know I’m always here.”
“I know, Mom.” Lana paused before continuing. “Was it your idea to invite Sam to dinner?”
“It was, and it really wasn’t that we want to see you back together with him; we just thought he had some good points about everything that had happened.”
“I appreciate the gesture, just not the delivery. He and I aren’t connected anymore, and that was his decision, made in the worst possible way. One I’m glad that he made, though. I’m happy now and have someone who loves me to my core, and I wouldn’t give that up for anything—especially not Sam.”
“Message received,” Veronica replied with a smile.
KAYDEN SATIN Dr. Mendel’s office as his mother helped him put his shirt back on. The series of tests performed on him showed that the nerves in his hand hadn’t healed completely. Surgery would help him regain at most ninety percent mobility.The news didn’t settle well with Kayden, but it was better than having acompletelyuseless hand. Maureen, of course, argued with the doctor about the percentage of success, and he made haste to leave the exam room as fast as possible.
“Thank you,” Kayden said, as Maureen helped him to button up his shirt.
