“I hope so,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “But it won’t happen overnight. Trust is built, and I’m willing to put in the time. Just give me a chance.”
I wanted to scream, to push her away, but I also yearned for a mother who would fight for me.
“Fine,” I finally said, “but this is not going to be easy for either of us. I’m still angry, I still have a lot of baggage, and I can’t promise that I’ll trust you.”
“Then let’s take it one day at a time,” she replied, her eyes shining with sincerity. “I’ll be patient. I won’t force you to do anything you’re not ready for.”
“Just don’t expect me to play happy family,” I warned, my heart racing with the vulnerability I had just exposed.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she said, a soft smile breaking through her tears.
As the tension in the air shifted slightly, I felt a strange sense of relief wash over me.
The café bustled around us. I glanced out the window again, my mind wandering back to Amelia. I felt an urgency to reach out to her, to let her know I was still in her corner. I couldn’t allow my past to dictate my future with her.
“Listen, I need to go,” I said abruptly, standing up. “I have to talk to Amelia. She’s going through a lot, and I want to be there for her.”
Helen looked up at me, surprise coloring her features. “Of course, I understand. But can we meet again? I want to continue talking.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I replied, my mind already racing with thoughts of Amelia. I didn’t want to think about our conversation any longer. I had to get out of here, back to Amelia, and let her know I’m all in with going back home.
As I stepped out of the café, the cool air hit me like a splash of cold water.
I made my way back to my car, thoughts churning in my mind. The road back to my hometown felt like a reckoning. I couldn’t avoid my past any longer.
22
AMELIA
It wasmidday when Caiden texted me, asking where I was.
I replied and told him I am at Shane and Sabrina’s house, right where he left me. They were gone at work.
It wasn’t long before I heard the front door open, then shut. Footsteps approached the bedroom door, then a hesitant knock.
“Come in,” I mumbled, pulling the sheets further over me.
“Hey. Sorry to bother.” Caiden analyzed me as I laid there. Unwashed hair, curled into the sheets, a barren expression on my face.
“No worries. What is it?” Sighing, I sat up in bed, facing him.
He sat on the edge of the bed. “I thought about it, and I realized that you do need somebody with you, so I’ll come along when you go back to Pathosbury,” he hesitated before he spoke again. “I am here for you, believe it or not.”
I scoffed. “That’s ironic, coming from your mouth.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Nothing. Just that there was a time I couldn’t count on you for anything, except to torture me. Oh, how times have changed.” I know it was rude of me to throw that in his face, but I wasn’t exactly feeling like a pleasant person.
“Damn it, Amelia. I’m trying to be nice, but sometimes you make it so fucking hard.” His expression turned angry. It was terrifying sometimes to see how quickly he could switch.
“Maybe you should just forget about me, then. That’s what my mom did; she forgot about me and lost herself in drugs. Now she’s dead,” I snapped, the grief and rage invaded my head, making it impossible to think clearly, or act nicely.
He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped. He shut his eyes and began counting under his breath.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m grounding myself, so I don’t say something I’ll regret later.” His hands clenched at his sides as he counted and took deep breaths.
