Page 31 of Broken

“Petal, honey, I didn’t come at a bad time, didI?” her mother asked.

Petal glanced toward Myth and she was a littlespeechless. Her mother had never visited her.

“Uh, no, Myth was just leaving. Myth, this is mymom, Mom, this is Myth.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Petal’s Mom,” Myth said.

“Please call me Petal,” her mother said.

“Petal?”

Yep, her father was called George, which was alsoher brother’s name, and of course, her name was Petal, after her mother.

She smiled at Myth. The two shook hands, and Mythput a comforting hand on her shoulder and then stepped out of the way.

Petal watched him go and turned toward her mother.

It took her a second to realize she needed toinvite her in. “Come in,” she said.

Her mother had chuckled. “Is that your boyfriend?”

“Myth? No, he’s not my boyfriend. He’s my friend.”She closed the door and turned toward her mother.

This was odd. Her mother was dressed in a pair ofjeans and a large oversized coat, which she took off. Petal didn’t know what tosay. She was used to seeing her mother in pajamas.

“Is everything okay? Do you need help?” Petalasked.

“Actually, I came to give this to you.” Her motherpulled out an envelope. “This is the first payment, and we’ll have more soon.”

Petal frowned as she took the envelope from hermother and then pulled out a check. “What’s this?”

“Your father and I did some calculating, and wecame up with a sum, added interest, and we’re going to be paying you back. Yourfather finally got that promotion, and I went to the doctor’s and have beengetting help—a lot of help—and for the first time in over twenty years, I finallyfeel like myself.”

“Mom, you don’t have to do this.” She reached outto hand the check back, but her mother put her hand over it. “Yes, I do. I haveplenty to repay you and George for. We have already reached out to yourbrother, and on his next vacation, he’s coming home. I want you to come aroundfor dinner as well, and I want to say thank you for being an amazing daughter,and I’m so sorry I was a shitty mother.”

“Mom, come on, you don’t have to worry about anyof this.”

She felt the burn at the back of her throat.

“I was never supposed to be this way,” her mothersaid. “All I ever wanted was to be a good wife and a fantastic mother. My ownmother said it was going to be hard, that I underestimated what it took toraise a family, and you know what, she was right. I failed you, I failedGeorge, I failed my sons and daughters, but no more.”

“Where’s David?”

“With your father, along with the others. You donot have to worry. I put too much on you at a young age. I’m going to make thatright.” Her mom reached out and stroked her cheek. “You have turned into a finewoman, and I know it had nothing to do with me, but all to do with Gabrielle.She raised you where I failed.”

“Mom, stop.”

“I know this, and I accept it. I hate it. I hatethat I failed you, and when you were in the hospital I would have been nothingmore than a burden to you while you were recovering—”

“What?” Petal asked, confused.

“When you were in the hospital, after you hadgotten shot. You father and I went, and it was a reality check. Your friend, Idon’t remember his name, something to do with mud.”

“Dirty,” Petal said.

“Yeah, he was there and he told us we should beashamed. That you needed to rest and not be the parent. He opened our eyes, andhe has done that twice now.”

“He has, has he?”

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