Sandy watched him leave, love in her eyes. I could tell how much she loved her sons. They were lucky to have her. She turned back to me, her eyes searching mine.
“I’m so sorry for what happened at the golf tournament. I had completely overstepped. It was entirely rude of me to assume you were pregnant, let alone flat out ask you. Who does that? I felt so ashamed afterwards,” she said.
“It’s okay,” I said, gently squeezing her hand. I could see how much it had been eating away at her all this time. I wished we had talked sooner because living with that kind of guilt was awful.
“It’s not okay.” She shook her head. “I pressured you into telling Chandler when I had absolutely no right to. You should have been able to tell him in your own way and in your own time. It was a really awful thing for me to force you into. How was I to know if you were even going to keep the baby? It was just so out of line of me…”
“Sandy,” I started, but she held her hand up and closed her eyes, another tear streaming down her cheek.
She was quiet for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts. She looked over at Chandler at the bar before turning back to me.
“I love my son very much. Chandler is my first baby. We’ve been through a lot together. We’ve honestly been through hell and back. Because of that, I think I’m just overprotective. My first husband… he really screwed us up. I don’t know if Chandler likes to admit it. Hell, I don’t even like to give that man power over us, but he hurt us deeply. I had tried my hardest to stay strong for Chandler, even though it felt like I was deteriorating inside.”
I felt the backs of my eyes burn with tears as I could see the emotion on her face and hear it in her voice. What they went through was something I wouldn’t wish on anyone. She was stronger than I would ever be for holding it together for her son. I didn’t blame her for being overprotective after the pain that man had inflicted on them. I despised him, and I had never even met him. Nor would I ever. I didn’t want him near Chandler or any of these people for as long as they lived. He could stay in Poughkeepsie or wherever the hell he was.
“Even though I did the best I could, I know that Chandler lost the ability to trust people. He was old enough to know right from wrong, and his father had wronged us terribly. I almost wish he had been younger, so he couldn’t understand. It was why he had such a hard time with Greg stepping into the picture. I love Greg. I know how wonderful he is. He helped put me back together. But I never wanted to push it between them, knowing my son had his own things he was working through. But it wasn’t justGreg. Chandler has never really trusted anyone. I mean,you’rethe first woman he’s brought to meet the family.”
My heart felt like it was cracking and mending at the same time. We had never really discussed past relationships, not that either of us had much to share. We figured it was more important to focus on the future rather than the past. But still, hearing this from his mother made me realize just how significant tonight was.
“I can’t justify what I did. But I just couldn’t handle the idea of him being lied to by the woman he loves…” she said with a shake of her head.
“Y-you knew? He loved me?” I asked, wondering how she saw the impossible through the way we hated each other at that golf tournament. We had only been around each other for a few moments in front of her and Greg, and the entire time we were cold and snappy and harsh. But she must have picked up on something. Call it mother’s intuition. She saw something we hadn’t even realized back then.
“Of course, dear. A mother knows when her son is in love.” She smiled knowingly.
“Hmmm.” I nodded, wishing we would have pulled our heads out of our asses sooner to just be together. We could have gotten to the good part much sooner.
“Gabriella, please accept my most sincere apology for how I acted…”
I stood up and rounded the table, leaning down and giving her a big hug. “Sandy, of course. All is forgiven. I promise. I probably would have done the same thing if I were in your position. A mother’s love is fierce. I already feel it and baby girl isn’t even here yet.”
I sat down next to her, to not suffocate her with my baby bump, before continuing. “I can’t imagine what you went through as a mother going through that kind of betrayal and heartbreak. Chandler was so damn lucky to have you as his mother. The strength you have is amazing, and I strive to be the mother you are.”
Sandy choked on a sob as she looked at me gratefully.
“I mean it. I am so happy to be here, to be a part of your extended family. My daughter has an amazing grandmother to look up to.” I reached over and wiped a tear from her cheek. She pulled me in for another hug, and this time she was suffocating me. I held her tightly as she cried. “Without you, who knows if any of this would have happened,” I whispered thoughtfully.
She pulled away and looked at me intently. “You would have found a way,” she said.
“I don’t know. I’m stubborn. Chandler is stubborn.”
“No, really?” she asked, feigning surprise.
I stifled a giggle.
“You pushing me to do the right thing is probably what brought us together. I don’t know if I ever would have worked up the nerve if it weren’t for you…”
“However it happened, I’m just glad it did,” said Sandy, reaching to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. It was such a nurturing, motherly thing to do, and I leaned into her touch. I felt so comfortable with her. I would be lucky to call her a mother one day, a thought that hadn’t popped into my head until just now.
Being here with Chandler and his family, knowing my family loved him and he had begun meeting my friends, I realized how much we were integrating our lives. I was officially moving in with him tomorrow when all the movers brought my things to his place. We had moved at lightning speed to get here, but it felt so right. I would marry him tomorrow if he wanted to.
Chandler, Greg, and Nathan walked up to the table with wary smiles, probably taking in our teary faces.
“Are we interrupting?” asked Chandler, clearing his throat, looking nervous.
“Not at all,” said Sandy. “Sit, come sit. Everyone.” She waved for the men in her life to sit at the table with us. I wiped at the tears on my face and smiled as Chandler took the seat beside me. He looked at me sadly, but I smiled warmly, trying to reassure him that I was fine.
“You okay?” he leaned in and whispered.
