Page 32 of You're My Person - For Always

She moved closer. "Are you sure?"

He'd spent the last two hours in the cabin with his mother, trying to calm her down. Finally, she'd fallen asleep after screaming at him to get Ridge and bring him to her. Nothing he said had convinced her that Ridge was in prison. In her mind, Ridge was running Gem Haven Motorcycle Club, and Zora believed he was out fooling around with other women.

While trying to convince him to get Ridge, she kept confusing him for Zane. She even called him Ridge a couple of times. It was clear that something wasn't right. Gone was the sensible woman he'd met at the cabin.

He hadn't even had time to wrap his head around the idea that Zora was his mom, and then all hell broke loose.

He pulled Kenna in front of him and draped his arms around her. She grounded him.

He needed to bury his past to move on with his future.

Big John rubbed his hand over his face and shook his head. "I always told Ridge it wasn't right to keep the truth from both of you."

"Was she living in the cabin the whole time?" Zane leaned against the back of the couch and crossed his arms.

Big John shook his head. "I promised Ridge I'd—"

"Your loyalty is to the acting president of Gem Haven." Kingsley lifted his chin toward Zane. "Our dad isn't capable of running the MC at the moment."

Big John inhaled deeply, his barrel chest growing bigger with each second they were made to wait. "I swear on the patch, I'm loyal to Gem Haven."

"Then start talking," said Zane.

"Ridge sent Zora away years ago when both of you were young." Big John's gaze locked on Zane. "To a home where they help those who are..." Big John tapped his temple. "Unstable, I guess you'd call it."

Kingsley started to get the picture. "If what happened today is an example of her being unstable, why would my dad let her live alone?"

"Because when she's on her medication, she does okay. She wants to live in the cabin. The solitude and peacefulness makes her happy. She enjoys growing her flowers. Usually, she even understands the importance of taking her medicine." Big John rubbed his neck. "Ridge has it set up that I take her flowers to town once a week in the summertime, and she gets money from the sales. He has an account for her, and from there, I deliver food and supplies to her once a month." He wiped the sweat off his forehead. "I also make sure I mail the letters she writes to Ridge and vice-versa, he sends me letters that I can give to her."

Zane grunted. "Apparently, she's not taking her medication."

"There are times—every few years, that something triggers Zora, and she believes her mind is clearer without the medication." Big John inhaled heavily.

"Like seeing her sons," mumbled Kingsley. "Damn."

"When she goes off the medicine, she comes and causes a scene, looking for Ridge. Normally, he'd be here to take her back and stay with her while she gets regulated. Since he's been in prison, she's only come up one other time, and Lori was ableto stop her from causing a scene before I took her back to the cabin." Big John looked at Kingsley. "I never meant to hurt you or Kingsley. Ridge...he wanted to protect Gem Haven."

"We'll take that up with our dad." Kingsley dipped his chin. "For now, carry on with taking care of Zora. She's comfortable with you. Make sure she has what she needs."

"I've got her back on the medicine and will go over there to make sure she continues taking it until I know she can take care of herself. Normally, it only takes a few days." Big John paused. "I'll also let Ridge know what happened here."

"Thanks." Zane nodded, following him into the foyer and closing the door behind the vice president.

"Jesus," muttered Kingsley, holding Kenna tighter.

Kenna turned in his arms and pressed her cheek against his chest. He palmed her head, holding her to him. There was no way to prepare himself for hearing his mom had a mental illness. He'd spent his whole life imagining her like one of the bitches that partied at the clubhouse—a carefree wanderer looking for something out of reach.

Unable to take care of her mental health and be a mother, Zora lived in a hunter's cabin by herself, dependent on his dad and now Big John.

Zane returned to the room. "She needs to go somewhere they can watch over her."

"Hang on." Kingsley frowned. "We don't know what's fully wrong with her. Until we know more, hauling her away could trigger her into another fucking freak out and have her believing Dad is still at the clubhouse. Lori mentioned Zora fears Dad is hiding from her. In her mind, he is."

"It's heartbreaking," whispered Kenna. "I can't imagine fearing you were lost to me."

Kingsley kissed the top of her head. "Ain't happening, brat."

River moved to Zane's side. "I could be wrong, but Zora appears bipolar. I was in a foster home once where the foster mother was bipolar. The dad gave all the kids a talk to educate us in case we noticed anything strange going on with her. We were supposed to tell him of any signs she'd gone off her medication. If that's what's wrong with Zora, then Big John is right. In a few days, she'll be herself, and maybe then you can talk to her and find out what's going on."

---