Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
“You know what they say, those who struggle the most with the boundaries you set were probably the ones benefiting the most from you when you didn’t have them.”
I smirked as I kissed her forehead. “Oh, yes, Hails. Talk therapist to me. It turns me on.”
“You’re ridiculous, but I adore you, so it’s fine.”
She asked if I was staying the night, but I had some work to do back at the inn, so after I dropped her off, I headed back to the Starlight only to find my father standing inside the lobby, waiting for me.
My gut tightened as annoyance found me. “Dad. What are you doing here?”
“I’ve been trying to call you.”
“Yeah. I told you. I needed space and time. I’m not ready to talk.”
“I know, but…it’s just. Your mother and I got into a fight tonight. We were arguing about Jake and how I’ve helped him financially all these years. I know it’s a tricky subject, but me helping him comes from a place of love. Your mother doesn’t see it that way.”
“Can you blame her? At some point, it feels like you’re feeding his bad habits.”
“I know…it’s just…he’s done a lot for me. For us.”
“A person doing a good thing once doesn’t give him the right to forever abuse you.”
He grimaced. “I know. I know.” He slid his hands into his pockets. “That wasn’t the only thing we were arguing about.”
“What else?”
“Your mother mentioned that she gave you a letter from your biological mother.”
I tensed up. “Yeah, she did.”
“What did it say?” he asked, concern dripping in his tone. “What did she have to tell you?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t read it yet.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded. “Don’t read it, Aiden.”
“What?”
“Don’t read that letter. Nothing good can come from it. It would only end up hurting you and causing more trauma or hurting your mother and making her feel like she’s less of your mom. No good can come from reading those words. Do you understand me?”
I didn’t reply. I didn’t know what to say. “I need to get some work done,” I told him.
“Yeah…okay. Right. I’m actually staying in a room here tonight. Your mother didn’t want me at home. If you want to talk more, I’m in room fifteen. You have a good night. I’ll talk to you later.”
He headed to his room, leaving me standing there with an odd amount of doubt. Even though I had work to do, I knew I wouldn’t be able to focus if I didn’t first make sure Mom was okay, so I headed over to check in on her. The argument must’ve been worse than Dad made it seem if Mom had him staying at the inn for the evening.
When I showed up, Mom opened the door. She smiled, but I could tell she was hurting. We walked inside and I pulled her into a hug, and she sighed. “Did he tell you about the argument?”
“He did. About Jake.”
“It wasn’t only about Jake…” She sighed and shut her eyes. “Aiden…I told him I wanted a divorce.”
“What?”
“I told him I wanted out of the marriage. The truth is, we haven’t been happy in a long time. I thought that if I ended things, I would be breaking up this family that I’ve prayed for the longest time. But I just can’t keep pretending that I’m happy with him. He’s not the man I thought I married, which is fine. But I just…” She closed her eyes. “I can’t keep lowering my standards in hopes that he will rise to higher ones at some point. I feel like an awful mother for breaking up our family.”
“No,” I scolded her as I led us to the living room to sit on the couch. “You have been nothing but the greatest mother in this world. I don’t want you to ever doubt that. You staying in an unhappy marriage is the last thing I’d ever want you to do. Your happiness has to come first, Mom.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Thank you. I needed to hear that. I just worried that you’d think differently of me.”
“Never.” I squeezed her hand. “Which is why I know Dad was right about the letter.”
“What do you mean?”
“He told me not to read it. That it would harm you too much and make you doubt our relationship. So I’m not going to read it. I don’t need to know who my birth mother is…you’re the only one who truly matters.”
“Aiden.” She took my hands into hers and locked her eyes with mine. “Don’t you dare avoid reading that letter. I need you to go home and read it. I would never feel any kind of way about you knowing what that note says. I know my place in your life. I know our love. I know our strength. So don’t you listen to your father. Promise me the moment you leave here, you’ll open that letter.”