“This is one of those times in life where I don’t want to know. You’re sitting next to me. You’re safe. And from what I saw you’re in love and you’re loved in return. I’m focusing on that and nothing more.”
I blinked, then I blinked more. Who was this woman and where was my worrywart mother?
“Mom…” I trailed off because I didn’t know what I was supposed to say.
Pointing out she was the over-worrier in the family didn’t seem wise. But her calm demeanor was freaking me out.
“And speaking of being in love, I’ll talk to your father. He’s out of sorts and not thinking clearly. I know your father and once he sees you’re okay he’ll come to his senses and the two of you can talk and mend fences.”
“I need to apologize. I was out of line,” I admitted.
“You both were,” she agreed and my heart squeezed. “But the two you are the same. You love open and fierce. And sometimes that love blinds you both. Your dad will see. Trust me. He just needs a day or two.”
“See what?”
“That the man who woke up after almost dying spoke to you like you were the most precious thing in the world. The first thing he did was ask if you were all right. Not what happened. Not if he was going to be okay. Not how he got to the hospital. How long he was out. He wanted you close. And once you were he didn’t delay complimenting your bravery. That’s what your father saw. That’s what I saw. That’s what everyone in the room saw. And that is exactly the man your father wants for you. Give him time to get over that his only child was drugged, kidnapped, and witnessed something traumatic.”
I swallowed back the tears that threatened and waited for the emotion that clogged my throat to subside. This took a good length of time. And through it, my mom held my eyes. Warm and sweet. Loving and kind. That was my mom. Just because she had a knack for making nothing into something then worrying about it until she was in a tizzy didn’t mean she wasn’t understanding. She was also astute and was very much attuned to the feelings of those she loved—namely my dad and me. Often she caught on to what I needed before I did. Case in point—right then. She’d said everything I needed to hear to let the last vestiges of fear go.
Gabe wouldn’t push me away or be mad at me. Deep down I knew that but there had been that twinge of fear. That nagging thought that Gabe had gone his whole life avoiding a commitment, not wanting the responsibility of a relationship. And then I happened and commitment and responsibility turned into a pain in his ass—or a pain in his head as it were.
But I should’ve known better. I should’ve trusted him instead of spending two days in my head scared he’d toss me out. And that fear led me to latch on to him. No, that wasn’t the only reason I’d refused to leave his side. I’d made him a promise I’d see him through, and in my mind, that job wasn’t done. But I couldn’t deny that I took things to an extreme because I’d doubted him.
Damn.
Then I lashed out at my dad.
Double damn.
“I haven’t known him long—” I jerked in surprise when my mom burst out laughing. I waited patiently for her to stop but with no end in sight I asked, “What’s funny?”
“Sorry.” She waved her hands in front of her face and fanned herself. “I’ll let your dad explain what’s funny.”
“I’m not sure Dad’s in the mood to find anything funny. Why don’t you tell me?”
My mom smiled, a wide, happy smile that took me aback. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen my mother smile like that before.
“You should ask your dad when he asked me to marry him,” she bizarrely told me.
“I know the story, Mom. Your engagement picture is on the mantel. Dad asked you at your family reunion in Eagle River. It was fall, the leaves had turned, and he asked you in front of the whole family on the dock.”
“No, Evette. That was the time I said, yes,” she told me. “The first time was an hour into our first date. Then he asked again on our third. By the time I said yes, he’d asked thirty-two times