"I should have done it years ago." Yvonne's voice wavered. "Should have protected you."
"Mom—"
"Let me finish." Tears gathered in her eyes. "I was weak. I was scared. And I let him hurt you. I stood by and watched and did nothing, and I will never forgive myself for that."
She was crying openly now, mascara starting to run. "I don't expect forgiveness. I just wanted you to know I'm trying to be better."
Shane closed the distance between them and pulled her into a hug. She went stiff with surprise, then collapsed against him, crying softly into his shoulder.
"I forgive you," Shane said quietly. "I forgave you a long time ago."
"You shouldn't. I don't deserve?—"
"You're my mom. You made mistakes. So did I. We're both trying to be better." He pulled back enough to smile at her. "And despite all my brothers chickening out and going inside when they saw you, we all have your back if you need us."
Yvonne let out a wet, broken laugh. "They ran pretty fast, didn’t they?"
"Yeah, they did."
"Shane?"
He turned to find April standing in the doorway, her expression uncertain. Shane held out his hand, and she came to him immediately, sliding under his arm.
"April." Yvonne's voice broke again. "I'm so sorry. For everything Daniel said, everything he did?—"
"You're not responsible for his choices," April said firmly.
"But I stood by?—"
"And now you're not. That takes courage to stand up for yourself. To leave a violent man. I know that better than anyone."
Yvonne looked at them both, then for a long moment at the flowers she was still holding, gathering herself. "These are for the party. For Sonny and Miriam. To thank them for... for being kind to Shane when I couldn't be."
April took the flowers with a gentle smile. "They'll love them. Come inside. Have something to eat. Join the celebration."
"I don't want to intrude?—"
"You're not intruding," April said, as her gaze slid to Shane. "You're family."
My God. This woman. This strong, kind, amazing woman.
Yvonne's eyes filled with fresh tears. "You two... you're good together."
Shane looked down at April, at the woman who'd held his heart since they were seventeen. "Yeah. We are."
"Be happy. Both of you." Yvonne wiped her face. "God knows you've earned it."
She stayed for another hour, sitting with Sonny and Miriam and apologizing for things that weren't her fault. But they were gracious, the way the Taylors always were, and by the time Yvonne left, she was genuinely smiling.
Shane watched her car disappear into the night, and April leaned against him.
"That was hard for her," April said.
"Yeah."
"But good. It was good."
"Yeah," Shane said again. "It was."
