front of my face.
My mom.
“This is why you can’t go running in an area you aren’t familiar with. Come on, we’re going to pack and then we’re leaving.” My mom tugs on my arm, but I pry it out of her grasp.
“Just let her be, Susan,” Ethel says.
My mom stops and turns toward the Greenes. “Do you people have anything other to do than to bother us? She’s not your family anymore.”
“Susan,” Ethel says in that tone like everyone is family in Sunrise Bay.
“No, Ethel. The last person I need a lecture from is you.”
Dori steps closer to my mom. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Let her be, she’s always been a stubborn one.” Ethel crosses her arms.
“Please, you people act like you’re all holier-than-thou, when in reality, your entire family started out taking what’s other’s.”
“Mom,” I say.
Ethel shakes her head and smiles at me. “Let her speak her piece. It’s been a long time coming, right, Susan? So let’s get it all out in the open. Maybe it will spur some memories for Lucy.”
Mom huffs and sighs as though she’s about to throw a tantrum. “I am not going to sit here and rehash history when it doesn’t even matter. I’m taking Lucy home.”
“This is her home,” Adam says, stepping away from his family.
Even knowing something must’ve happened to make me leave him, I can’t help the way my heart flutters at his declaration.
“Not anymore,” Mom says. “You aren’t part of her life.”
“She views me as her husband still, and I’d like to help her find her memories.” He briefly looks at me but turns away as our eyes meet.
“What?” My mom appears surprised.
“Listen to the boy,” Ethel says.
I catch a proud smile on Hank’s face.
“Your mom doesn’t like my family, Luce… y. Years ago, my grandma”—he motions to Ethel—“found herself torn between two brothers and she chose my grandfather. Some people feel as though my grandma did something bad by following her heart. Then when my dad married his cousin’s ex-wife, Marla, some people saw the entire thing happening all over again since Marla used to be married to my grandfather’s brother’s son. Your mom is one of those people.”
Jeez, I feel as though someone needs to draw me a detailed family tree.
A flash of a memory comes to mind. My mom standing over me at the kitchen table, telling me I couldn’t go to prom. That the Greene family I was spending time with didn’t care about people’s feelings. They were selfish and one day Adam would break my heart.
My head slowly raises, and my breath weighs heavy in my chest at the realization why my mom did everything she could to keep me from coming to Sunrise Bay.
“You,” I say, not even really sure if I’m referring to Adam or my mom.
Adam glances back at Hank and he nods, hiding a small smile.
My mom points at herself. “What? Did you remember something?”
I swallow past the dry lump in my throat. “You hate him,” I say more to myself than her. “That’s why.”
She puts her hand on my arm, but I shrug off her touch.
“You were purposely trying to keep me from remembering Adam.” I step back.
“No. That’s not it.” She looks over her shoulder. “This is ridiculous. Your family thinks they own this town because there’s so many of you.” She turns back my way.
This entire time, I trusted her. I trusted that she wanted what I wanted. To remember who I was and to get back to being that person. But then all the doctor’s visits flash in my head. The ones where she said it would be okay, that we’d try to get my memories back, but if I couldn’t, I could still live a fulfilling life, meet someone.
“You were trying to hide me,” I say. My heart races and I bend forward to catch my breath.
“Lucy,” my mom says.
I shake my head. “Don’t talk to me.” I stand up straight and walk by her toward Adam. He steps back at my approach. My stomach knots, hating where we’re at. “Tell me more.”
He shrugs. “There isn’t much else to say. She was never okay with us, and because of that, your family wasn’t at our wedding.”
“I wasn’t…” My hand hovers over my stomach. “Pregnant?”
“No.” His gaze falls to my mom over my shoulder, speaking directly to her. “We married out of love…” His gaze shifts back to me. “At least I thought we did.”
“And they couldn’t accept that?”
He shakes his head.
“Stop listening to them.” My