Page 3 of Always Right

“I know you’re hurt. He messed up by accusing you of stealing from him and he knows that and—"

“That doesn’t matter now, though, does it?” I interrupted, ignoring the tremble in my voice. “The damage is done. None of the apologies will take away what happened, I’ve learned that the hard way.”

Evie stood up, placing a kiss on her son’s head before walking up to me. She was tired—I could see it in her eyes now, as she approached me, placing her hands on my shoulders. She was a strong woman, but her heart was soft, tender.

Everything I never wanted mine to be.

Being soft left room for ache, for betrayal, that’s the one lesson my mom hadn’t been wrong about.

I didn’t want her to speak, not anymore because I knew her words full of truth would hurt.

“You’re a mom now, Hannah, and it’s the most beautiful thing in the world, but it’s also the hardest. As moms we sacrifice our pride, we carry the load and push through the pain and bitterness to give our kids a better life. You know what is best for you, but it’s not only you anymore, is it?”

I looked away from her, fighting the fucking tears.

“I know it’s hard, but you know what you need to do. You don’t have to do it today or tomorrow, but you need to tell him that he’s a dad. You need to tell him the truth. I won’t, no one else will, but we also won’t hide it from him if he finds out.”

She placed a kiss on my cheek, picking her baby up and walking away with no other word.

A storm brewed ahead, and I wasn’t sure if my walls would be strong enough to hold up.

***

Life changed.

In every aspect, in every sense, my life was completely different. There was nothing about it that remained the same—I didn’t even live with Evie anymore. I stared at the boxes stacked against the wall hoping they’d somehow come to life and organize themselves, but no such luck. I didn’t seem to have it lately. It was a small house. Enough distance from the city that I didn’t have to hear the traffic all night, but close enough to where I didn’t have to rush to work every day.

It wasn’t everything I wanted...but it was enough.

For now.

I kept stumbling over that thought, because everything was temporary, right?

I’d figure out whatever the hell I was doing soon enough. I had to. Not just for my family’s sake, but for mine as well. I’d lost myself in the anger and resentment so much that I didn’t even recognize myself anymore. I didn’t know who I was, or who I wanted to be.

All I knew was that I wanted to be good mother...good enough to not fuck up an innocent’s life like my mother had done to me.

My eyes fluttered closed and I laid back on the sofa, letting the static sound of the baby monitor surround me, maybe lull me to sleep. Instead, all I heard was his voice. His words.

Our truth.

You’re mine.

And it wasn’t just my imagination, it was a memory.

The way he made me his, taking everything from me and giving me just as much in return. The way he kissed away the past, making me feel alive, making me feel protected. Wanted.

His.

The memory of his eyes piercing through my soul as he would push into me, the feeling on his lips on me, breathing me in, tasting me as if he couldn’t get enough of me. My body came to life at the thought, and I opened my eyes, instead focusing my attention on the ceiling.

How could I erase his touch from my body?

How could I erase his burning trail of kisses and the fire they’d left behind?

How the hell was I supposed to pretend it never happened when the evidence of our past slept in the room next to me?

Because every broken piece of me fit perfectly with a broken piece of his. Biting down on my lip, I sat down once again, burying my face in my hands with the wish we could fast forward through this part and get to the happiness because it was difficult to see it now. The light at the end of the tunnel was nowhere to be found.

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