“It’s my fault, Mom. Everything that happened when Jamie died? It was my fault.”
Mom shakes her head. “It’s just like you to take the fall when she left.”
“Is that what you think happened?” Harper asks.
“I don’t want to hear what you have to say. You abandoned my son.”
“Mom!” I shout. I can’t help it. “I left Harper. I didn’t think she could take everything that happened and I left. I didn’t tell her when Jamie died or when Dad did or when I adopted the girls. Everything that happened is my fault.”
“What?”
She looks like someone slapped her. “Why would you tell me she left?”
“Because it was easier. I didn’t want to face the fact that I couldn’t handle everything that happened and ran away scared.”
“I…I…”
Tears are streaming down my mom’s face. I should have expected it. My lie has had years to fester and cause her to hate Harper. I figured I would never see Harper again, so why worry about Mom’s opinion?
“You didn’t leave?” Mom asks Harper.
Harper shakes her head. “Marcus is the love of my life. Nothing could ever make me leave him.”
I turn to look at Harper, and a fierce wave of love washes over me. I don’t know how I ever left the first time. She is everything to me. The very beat of my heart. “And nothing could ever make me leave her again. Nothing.”
Harper walks over to me and takes my hand. “I’m sorry for everything that happened and what you’ve been through. But I’m not going anywhere. Nothing you or Marcus say is going to drive me away. I love him and those girls more than anything and will do whatever I can to prove that to you.”
I press a kiss to Harper’s palm, holding it over my heart.
“If you want to hate someone, Mom, hate me. I deserve it.”
Harper turns her attention from me to my mom. “Believe me, I hated him for what he did too. Hated him for a lot of years. But that’s in the past. We can’t change it and can only move forward. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
“I can’t believe you lied, Marcus.” Mom shakes her head at me.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I know I caused you a lot of pain by not telling you the truth.”
“But why? Why wouldn’t you tell me?”
I shrug a shoulder. “I hated myself for walking out. Losing Dad and Jamie? I’d rather you didn’t hate me for what I did too. Over the years, it just got easier to keep up the lie.”
Mom covers her mouth with her hand. “This is a lot for me to take in right now. I need some time to digest all of this.”
The fact that she’s contrite bodes well for us. I don’t dare let the seed of hope plant itself inside of me. I don’t want it to be stomped out before it has a chance to grow.
“Take your time,” Harper tells her. “I’m going to head out and let you two talk before you leave, okay?”
I nod. “I love you.” I give her a quick peck, then she’s out the door.
Mom walks over and pats my cheek. “I could wring your neck, son.”
I give her a sympathetic smile. “I know.”
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”
“I never meant to keep lying to you, but I never thought I’d get a second chance with Harper.”
“I should have known you two would have a second chance. You loved her like your father loved me.”
