Page 70 of Fall Into Me

“She does,” I murmured, dropping a kiss onto the top of her head.

The next morning, I parked right outside my childhood home. I could never understand why she didn’t just leave. Sell it, and find something else. Move on. But then I thought that maybe it gave her a sense of strength, taking back her life in the house that almost took it from her.

To me, it remained like a ghost, tethered to the spot in which it stood, unable to move on from the horrors it witnessed.

“Want me to wait here?” Cali asked, hand squeezing mine where I held it in her lap.

“No, I want her to meet you.” I didn’t let go of her hand when we walked up the path to the house, my grip on her fingers tightening with the anxiety that built with every step I took. I wasn’t overly surprised that my mom opened the door before I even had the chance to knock.

She looked good. Healthy. Happy.

I think that should have eased something inside me, but it didn’t. I didn’t know anything about her life. I didn’t do a whole lot of reaching out, and neither did she, but when she looked at me, the traces of happiness I did see flickered.

“Fane.” Her voice was soft and sweet, and even though I looked just like her—same dark brown hair, same violet eyes—I knew I was a reminder of everything that had been her hellish reality for seventeen years.

“Hey, Mom.” I stopped just short of the front door, my heart in my throat. Clearing it didn’t help. It just emphasized the strain of being there. “Happy birthday.” I handed her the flowers we’d picked up on the way here.

“Thank you, sweetie.” She took them and held them close to her chest like a shield. A much needed defense. I don’t think it escaped Cali that she wasn’t inviting us in.

“Mom, this is Cali.” I gestured, watching her eyes move from me to her. Watching them soften ever so slightly.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Cali. I’m Georgia.” She stuck her hand out, but Cali being Cali, she just went for it. Arms stretched out, she pulled my mom into one of her milk and honey scented hugs. She was rigid at first, but slowly she softened into Cali’s hold. Arms coming up and around her.

“I can’t tell you how nice it is to meet you,” Cali said, her voice thick with the emotion she always wore on her sleeve.

“I didn’t know Fane had a girlfriend.” Her eyes flicked to mine, and I saw the guilt there at how nonexistent our relationship was.

“Not much of a talker, this guy.” Cali pointed her thumb at me before rolling her eyes. “Dancing though, he excels at.”

My mom barked a laugh before a hand flew up to cover her mouth, her eyes widening like she couldn’t believe she’d just done that. “Really?”

“Scouts honor, Georgia.” Cali’s smile was stunning.

We stood there for probably twenty minutes talking.

Well, I didn’t say a word. I only watched the easy conversation they had fallen into, the way Cali could do with anyone. When it was all said and done, my mother clutched the flowers a little closer to her chest, her eyes flicking to me for a second before they settled on Cali.

“I…I hope he treats you well, Cali.”

Her words hit harder than I expected, confirmation that she worried I was just like him. That I could ever be anything like him. My jaw tightened, but before I could say anything, I felt Cali’s arms wrap around my waist. Her gaze found mine, steady and sure.

“Your son is the best man I’ve ever met,” she whispered, giving her answer to me instead of my mom, like she knew I needed it more. “Of the two of us, I’m the lucky one, and I’ll never let him forget it.”

Her eyes swam with tears before she reached up on her toes to press a kiss to my jaw before turning back to my mom. “It was nice to meet you.” With that, she turned and headed back for the car, giving me the moment she knew I needed.

“Fane—”

“I get it,” I said, cutting her off gently. “You don’t really know me.” My smile was sad, but genuine.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her grip tightening on the flowers until they began to bend. It was clear to me she was apologising for more than the exchange she just had with Cali.

A frown settled into the divet of my brow, my eyes locked to the toes of my boots while snippets of our life together flickered through my mind. It took a minute, but eventually I looked back at my mother and I nodded, “Me too.”

“So—

“I’m not going to come back after this.” There was no better way to do it than just rip off the band-aid. She didn’t say anything, and I knew I didn’t imagine the way her shoulders lowered a little, like she was relieved too.

“I’ll always love you, but…” I turned around, catching Cali’s eyes through the window of the car. “But I don’t think either of us can do more than what we’ve already done.”

---