“Glyndon—”
“No, let me finish. It took me a lot of courage to decide to tell you this, so just hear me out. I knew early on that I was no match for Lan and Bran, and that crushed me, Mum. I couldn’t talk to you about it, because I knew you’d placate me. You have to because you're my mother. I think you felt it, too, because you told Dad to build me a separate studio and encouraged me to pick up my brush again. And I love you for trying, but it didn’t really work. That inferiority complex drove me to a dangerous edge and I seriously contemplated committing suicide just to end it. I went to a cliff, twice, but I didn’t want to do it, Mum, and that’s why I can talk about it now. I don’t want to be that version of myself anymore. I realize that even if I’m less talented than Lan and Bran, I still matter to you, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma, and everyone. And that’s what keeps me going every day. So thank you, Mum, thank you for telling me I’m different, for taking me to therapy, for waiting for me to come around and talk to you on my own. I needed that.”
Tears gather in my eyes and I quickly wipe them with the back of my hands I can’t have her see me cry. Not when she finally opened up to me.
It’s been years.
I didn’t wait a week or two, a month or a few, but entire years. I used every trick under the sun to have her open up to me, but she only withdrew further into herself.
We used to be best friends, but she decided that she’d grown up and didn’t need my shoulder to cry on.
She decided to go solo, battle with her pain alone, and cut me off. It’s not because she didn’t trust me, but more because she didn’t want to bother me.
My little baby has always been an angel who refused to cause anyone discomfort. Even if that hurt her in retrospect.
Until now.
“I’m the one who’s supposed to thank you, Glyn. Thank you for trusting me with all of that. I wish you were here so I could hug you.”
“Next time, okay?”
“Okay. And bring Killian home so we can meet him.”
I have a feeling he’s the reason behind her change. She’s finally removing the self-implanted shackles one by one after meeting him, and I want to thank him for it.
For bringing my youngest back.
“Prepare Dad mentally first.”
“Don’t worry about your dad, I’ll take care of him. He’ll be strict at the beginning, but I’ll make him come around.”
“Because he loves you?”
“I guess.”
“How did Dad fall in love with you, Mum?”
“I don’t know and I don’t think he has the answer to that either. Love can’t be forced or explained, it just happens, Glyn.”
She appears thoughtful, then nods and ends the call after she updates me on school life and assures me that they’re going back by the end of the weekend.
My chest deflates with a breath and I can finally smile after that nightmare.
Because screw that voice, I’ll never choose between my children.
Besides, I have a husband who’s built like a Viking. The two of us can save the three of them—no questions asked.
With a smile, I go back to our bed and slip into Levi’s arms.
Our kids are all grown up and are taking different paths in life, but this man will always be my forever.
34
GLYNDON
My heart feels lighter after the heart-to-heart with Mum.
It’s been long overdue and I finally got the chance to express everything that lurked inside me. I’m just lucky to have a patient, understanding mother like her.
When I woke up half an hour ago with a sore pussy and arse and found a text message from her, I couldn’t resist calling.
I did put on my shorts and shirt first, though. Talking about Killian is one thing, but letting Mum see the savage marks he left on my body is entirely different.
Thank God, I kept my clothes after I bought the dress—that the brute tore.
After the call, my throat has turned dry, so I tiptoe out of the room and sneak down the stairs.
My steps come to a stop at the threshold of the kitchen and I grip my phone tighter when I realize someone is there.
Shit.
“Oh, Glyn. Come in.” Reina tells me with a smile.
She’s wearing a gorgeous blue satin robe that matches the color of her eyes. “Did you need something?”
I clear my throat to fight the scratchiness. “Just some honey and lemon if you have them.”
“How about I make you herbal tea with honey? It’ll soothe your throat in no time.”
“That would be great, thanks.”
She fixes me a cup of tea that’s similar to hers and places some honey in it.
We sit across from each other and I take the first sip, then wince.
“It’s hot, be careful.” She slides a glass of water in my direction and I take it.
“Thanks. Do you always wake up in the middle of the night to drink herbal tea?”
“Only when I’m too excited to sleep.” She beams. “It’s so rare to have both Gaz and Kill visiting at the same time.”
Her expression becomes distant and a sad smile lifts her lips. “No one told me they’d grow up this fast and leave me. I wish they would go back to being my little boys.”
I sip from the cup and thankfully, it’s not that hot. “Mum says that, too, about us.”
“All moms do.”
We remain silent for a bit as I contemplate the best way to broach the subject that’s been bugging me since I first heard about it.
Apparently, today is courage day, because I murmur, “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“It’s about the incident that happened when Killian was seven.”
Her grip tightens around the cup. “He told you about that?”
“Yes, and he also said that you’ve been afraid of him since. Is that true?”
She pauses, then takes a long sip of her tea. “He thinks that?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s not true. I would never be scared of my own son. I’m just…scared of what he could do.” Her gaze gets lost in the distance as her finger traces the rim of her cup. “At that moment, I realized that he’s different, that he has no limits and no one can force them on him. Let’s just say, I have bad memories about people like that. But that doesn’t mean I’m afraid of him.”
Hope blossoms in my chest. If it’s all a misunderstanding, then maybe Killian can move on from that part of his childhood.
Yes, it won’t heal him, since he’s not actually sick, but it’ll at least offer him closure. These are his parents, after all, and no matter how much he wants to pretend it doesn’t affect him, I know it does, at least a little.
“I didn’t know Kill thought that. I’ll talk to him.”
“Please don’t say I told you about it.”
“Don’t worry. We girls have to stick up for each other, remember?” She smiles and places her hand on mine. “Thank you, Glyn.”
“For what?”