Page 73 of Something like Love

“What?” I gasp, covering my gaping mouth with a shaky hand.

She sadly nods. “When I told him I was leaving and he couldn’t stop me, I felt so elated for the first time in so long. But I only got as far as the hallway because he grabbed me and threw me against the wall in a drunken rage. I don’t remember the pain because all I could focus on was the red pool of blood staining my white tennis shoes.”

I blindly fall into the empty seat next to Cynthia before my unsteady legs collapse from under me.

She continues her story, appearing as if she can’t stop now that she’s unbottled the truth. “I drove myself to the hospital because your father was too drunk to drive. I ignored his tears and apologies the entire time because all I could focus on was you. I couldn’t lose you because you were all I had. After this, there was no way I was staying with Thomas.

“We arrived at the hospital, and I was on autopilot as I calmly walked into the ER, leaving a trail of blood behind me as I asked to see a doctor. Everything is a blur from that moment forward because I slipped in and out of consciousness, but that Friday night, I nearly lost you, Mia.”

She sniffles, meeting my wide eyes.

I wish I could speak, but I can’t, so I only nod, silently begging her to continue.

“They performed an emergency C-section to get you out because you were dying. The whole time, Thomas cursed you, saying it was your fault, as I too almost died from internal hemorrhaging.

“You were so little when they pulled you out, and you weren’t crying, so I thought you hadn’t made it. But the moment I heard your tiny cry, my body gave out in relief, and I passed out. I came to the day after, demanding to see you, but Thomas said you were in the NICU, and the doctors weren’t sure if you’d survive.

“I demanded to see you, and thankfully, Thomas complied. He lifted me into a wheelchair and took me to see you. The moment I saw you through that glass window changed my life. You were a part of me, Mia, and I promised never to allow anyone to hurt you again.”

“What happened? Because you lied,” I reply, my throat raw as I try to keep my tears at bay.

Cynthia sighs, rubbing her brow. “I know, and I’m so sorry. You stayed in the hospital for weeks, and I visited every day. The day I finally got to hold you was the best day of my life. You were so tiny, but you were perfect because you were mine, and that’s when I decided on your name. Mia. It seemed fitting.

“During this time, Thomas slowly accepted you, but it was too late. You had almost died because of him. But as each day passed, the old Thomas Lee returned, the man I loved and married, and my illusion of playing happy family became a reality.”

Cynthia watches me scoff, and she nods. “I know, Mia, but I was young and stupid, and I was also afraid. A single mom at age nineteen scared the living daylights out of me, and I wanted to provide my baby with what I never had. A mother and a father. Because, like you, in a way, I never knew my father. He left when I was too young to remember, and it was only me, my mom, and Phillip.”

I see the way her voice quakes when she mentions Phil. But he will have to wait because I need her to finish this story.

“So what happened?”

“When the doctors said it was okay for you to come home, I only agreed to go back on the proviso that your father attend counseling. He promised he never meant to push me. That it was an accident, and he would change, and he did.

“The next eighteen months were the happiest of my life as we became a family. But the day Phillip was released from prison was the day things changed.”

“Phil was in prison?”

“Yes. Phillip was always a troubled teen. I blame my father for his behavior. Anyway, he was incarcerated for possession of a large number of ecstasy tablets. Phillip stated they were for recreational use, but the judge didn’t buy it. He had over five hundred tablets on him when the police arrested him.”

My face pales as I begin to digest what Cynthia just said.

This means that Phil started out being a drug pusher, just like me. That motherfucker imposed the same life sentence on me. And even though he knew the risks, he didn’t care. He had no qualms about forcing his eight-year-old niece to follow in his footsteps.

Cynthia sees my pain and softly places her hand on my knee. But I pull out of her grip, not wanting any comfort.

She nods, understanding my actions. “Because it was his first offense, he went to jail for five years. The man who went into Statesville Penitentiary was not the same man who came out. Prison changed Phillip, and instead of teaching him a lesson, it only taught him to become a smarter criminal.

“I knew your father looked up to Phillip, he always had, but once he was released, Thomas worshipped him. It was like Phillip represented what he wanted—freedom.

“Not long after, they became very close, and Thomas started going out all night with Phillip and not returning until the early hours of the following morning. He slept all day and partied all night, and the man I loved was once again lost to me.

“A few months after your second birthday, I made the decision to leave your father. He missed your birthday when he promised he would attend. In secret, I made preparations to see an attorney, and that’s where I met Chandler. He was an intern at the law firm, but I lied and didn’t tell him why I was there.

“There was an instant attraction because Chandler was everything your father once was—kind, caring, and in love with me. After the hardships I had with Thomas, I was vulnerable, and in a moment of weakness, I sinned, breaking my marital vows.”

I can’t help myself as I turn my lip up at her in disgust.

“It was one time, Mia,” she says, seeing my disappointment. “But I paid the ultimate price for my infidelity, as I got pregnant with Polly. I had known Chandler for only a month and was pregnant with his child. I was so ashamed, and I also knew your father would know the child wasn’t his because we were no longer intimate.”

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