“But you raised Zinnia. Damien’s in jail now. You fought for your mom’s freedom, for justice the best way that you could have. You’re a badass.”
I shake my head, tears filling my eyes. “It doesn’t feel that way.”
“I know. But you’re doing it. You’re braver than you know.”
I nod, wiping my tears. Jax kisses them away.
We drive to the prison. Me, Jax, and Zinnia. Zephyr and Callum stayed back to give us space.
The facility is gray and depressing. The guilt in my conscience surfaces, and I almost panic. Instead, I hold my breath and blink through the heavy emotions in my chest.
We check in, sign forms, and wait.
Zinnia’s bouncing in her seat. “When will she be here?”
I swallow the lump in my throat, unable to answer. I don’t have a voice right now. My nerves have completely taken over.
“I can’t wait to see her,” Zinnia says.
And a pang of guilt hits me again. Zinnia barely knows her. She’s barely talked to her because of Damien. Zinnia was so little when our mom was sent to prison. I can’t even fathom why she’d be excited. Damien spoke poorly of my mom, even convincing me she was horrible. I have a stabbing feeling in my gut that maybe Damien told true stories. Zinnia doesn’t seem fazed, but naivety will do that.
Twenty minutes later, a guard leads my mom through a door.
She’s thinner than I remember. Older. Her hair has more gray. But her eyes are the same.
She sees us and stops. A hand over her mouth.
Zinnia runs to her. “Mom!”
My mom drops to her knees and catches Zinnia. She holds her so tight I’m worried she’ll break her.
“My baby. My baby girl.”
They’re both crying.
I stand there frozen. I can’t move. I can’t breathe.
I never imagined the day my mom would be released from prison. I didn’t know that this was possible. A piece of me thought that the bad guys always won, that Damien had won. I squeeze Jax’s hand to make sure this is real. When he squeezes back, I know in my heart that my stalker hockey boy is the only reason this is happening. My dad would have never pulled his gun out if it wasn’t for Jax beating him.
I look up at Jax with tears in my eyes, wondering how I got so lucky to survive any of it, and then I look back at my mom. She’s older, sure, but I’m so fucking relieved that not another day went by where she had to pay for someone’s lies.Mylies.
It’s like a weight has been lifted off my chest.
My mom looks up and her eyes meet mine. Her tears flow down her face. “Lily, baby.”
I shiver, releasing Jax’s sweaty hand. Or is that my sweat? I walk over slowly like I’m in a dream. Surely, this is a dream.
“Mom?” I blink, and suddenly I can’t see a thing. Water fills my vision, and I fall apart in her arms.
She holds me and Zinnia both. All three of us crying in the middle of this institutional hallway.
“I’m so sorry,” I sob into her shoulder. I never thought I’d ever feel a hug from her again. All this time I thought I was depressed, but this was all that I was missing. I was missing my mother’s hug. I sob, ugly crying. Snot rolling down my face, drool falling from my mouth as I cry, “I’m so sorry.”
She hugs me back tightly. “Lily––”
“I put you here. I lied. I’m so sorry, Mom—” I start shaking, unable to compose myself.
She grabs my face. “You survived when he shot you, Lily. Your father didn’t. That’s all that matters. All that matters is that you’re alive and he’s in fucking prison, you understand me? You survived and you saved Zinnia and you’re here. You are the reason I’m not in prison anymore. Justice will be served.”
