Page 23 of Anything For This Love

She gives me a sad smile. “It was… productive. There’s a lot I didn’t know about, and a lot I need to process. It’ll take a while for us to get back to normal, but we’ll get there eventually.”

Chapter Eight

Abby

Ethan’s surgery goes perfectly,according to his doctor. I divide my time between visiting him at the hospital and spending time with Jacob. The weekend passes by in a blur and before I know it, I’m bidding Jacob farewell and the doctors are making plans to discharge Ethan.

Chloe cries for Jacob when she wakes from her nap Sunday afternoon and finds him gone. My heart shatters into a million pieces at the sadness that fills my little girl’s eyes.

Ethan’s manager and bandmates have been popping in to visit him while in the hospital. Since he’ll be convalescing here, they’re moving temporarily into the house the label provided for them and have booked a recording studio nearby so they can still work. When Ethan is recovered enough to travel again, they’ll resume their recording sessions. I balk at the mention of him working while he heals from a broken leg, but he insists he needs to get back to work. They have an album due in a few months and he doesn't want them to get any further behind.

After my talk with Tiff, I finally understand her a little better. I was so hurt by what she’d done and how she kept so many secrets from me for so long, but once she explained everything, it all made sense.

Ethan, on the other hand, still won’t hardly talk to her. She comes to the hospital every day, showing him love and support, but he’s still angry over what happened between them. He’ll have to get over it soon, though, because she’s the only one who can stomach dealing with his surgical site and is able to stay with him twenty-four/seven. He’ll need help with every daily activity, including walking and bathing, since he can’t put any weight on his broken leg or get the incision wet. Seeing that he has no other option, he begrudgingly accepts her offer to help.

A week later, I’m carrying in groceries when I get the surprise of a lifetime. I’ve just been to visit Ethan and stopped at the supermarket for some essentials. My grandmother took Chloe to run some errands – which means they’re probably buying my Christmas present – so the house is empty. My arms are loaded with plastic bags when I step onto the front porch steps. A slim figure rises from the swing and halts me in my tracks.

“Hey, baby. Mama’s home.”

The bags slip from my hands, landing at my feet in a heap. The jar of pasta sauce I bought for dinner tonight shatters, splattering red across my shoes. I stand there, my mouth hanging open as my mother takes a tentative step towards me. It’s like seeing a ghost, an apparition of someone I once knew. Her face is gaunt and she’s even thinner than I remember. Her stringy hair hangs limp to her waist, still long but not nearly as shiny and vivacious as it once was. Her face is scarred and some of her teeth are missing. I swallow back my pity, reminding myself of all the terrible things she’s done.

“What are you doing here?”

“I heard about Ethan. I wanted to come home to see him and make sure he’s alright.”

“He’ll be a lot better off without having to lay eyes on you.”

She cackles, amused by my retort. “I see you’ve grown into that sassy mouth you inherited from your father.”

I bristle at her mention of my dad and narrow my eyes at her. “You need to leave. Nobody wants you here.”

“Oh, I beg to differ. You just wait until my mama sees me. She’ll be crying tears of joy, welcoming me back home with open arms.”

“You sure about that?” I take a step toward her, finally finding my voice and my backbone. I’m not afraid of her anymore. She’s already hurt me in every way imaginable. “Last I checked, you dumped both your children in her lap so you could run off into the sunset with your junkie boyfriend to live in heroine-induced bliss.” It’s a low blow, throwing her addiction in her face, but she had a choice. It was rehab – and ultimately her family – or the drugs. She chose wrong. Her bravado falters for a moment and an emotion I can’t quite place flashes in her eyes. “Afteryou stole from her,” I add. She’d taken over two hundred dollars from my grandmother’s purse before she took off. That money was supposed to go to her utilities. She couldn’t afford to lose that kind of money, but my mother hadn’t cared.

“That was a long time ago. She’s forgiven me. Mothers have a way of forgiving their children for their wrongdoing.” She shoots an accusatory glare my way. I ignore it and gather my bags from the ground, sidestepping the sauce.

“You’re not welcome here. If Enisi decides to let you in when she gets home, there’s nothing I can do about that, but I’m sure as hell not welcoming you inside this house.”

“It’s freezing out here. You can’t expect me to wait outside in the cold.”

“That’s what you were doing when I got here.” I shrug, clamping down the concern for her that tries to well in my chest. Not today. I’m not falling for it.

She huffs as I push past her and unlock the door. “I’ll just let myself in. I know where the spare key is.”

“No you don’t,” I declare, stepping inside and shutting the door in her face, locking it behind me. I moved that spare key a long time ago, anticipating a situation like this one. I don’t want her back in this house, but I have to face the possibility that my grandmother will allow her to stay. I go to my room and hide all my valuables. Anything that looks like it could be lifted easily and taken, I tuck away.

Tires crunch over the gravel of our driveway less than an hour later. I rush to the door, suddenly panicked. I don’t want my mother anywhere near my daughter, at least not without me present. She’s already stepping off the porch when I come outside. She briefly spares me a glance over her shoulder before approaching my grandmother’s car.

“Raven, is that you?” My grandmother’s watery voice calls as soon as she gets out of the car.

“It’s me, mama.”

My grandmother opens her arms wide and my mother steps into her embrace. Relief washes over my grandmother’s features as tears pool in her eyes. I guess my mother was right. Thosearehappy tears. I rush down the stairs and to the rear door of my grandmother’s modest sedan and unbuckle Chloe’s car seat, lifting her out and settling her on my hip. My mother notices us and pulls away, settling her gaze on my daughter.

When her eyes fill with affection and longing, the expression catches me off guard. She opens her mouth, but I glare at her in warning. She’d better tread lightly where my child is concerned. Unlike her, I actually inherited some maternal instincts and will do anything to protect my little girl. I don’t want Chloe getting attached to this woman even a bit. Whatever stunt she’s trying to pull won’t last long and she’ll be in the wind once again.

I retreat inside with Chloe, taking her straight to her room. Removing her coat and shoes, I settle her in front of her little white and pink toy box. The front door closes and voices float down the hallway. I wipe at my damp eyes, listening to the happy reunion and wondering how this will change our lives. I hadn’t expected to see my mother again. None of us have heard from her in ages, and all of a sudden here she is on our doorstep. And she knows about Ethan, which means someone here must still be in contact with her. Either that, or news of Ethan’s accident has made its rounds on social media. The band hasn’t made an official statement yet regarding the accident, but with their growing popularity, their fans are bound to notice eventually that Ethan’s not posting selfies or snippets of himself singing in the studio.

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