you know that, Papa. These are your core principles and you betrayed them.”
“Silver!” Mum scoffs. “I can’t believe you’re taking that snake’s side over your mother’s.”
“She’s right.” Papa’s lips thin in a tight smile. “I’m sorry I disappointed you, Princess.”
“Give me a fucking break.” Mum throws her hands in the air. “So now I’m the bad guy in all of this?”
“Language, Cynthia.” Papa’s voice lowers.
“You didn’t mind the language when you were fucking me earlier.”
“Mum!”
“Cynthia!” Papa says at the same time.
“Fine.” Mum jerks up. “I’m always wrong. I always say the wrong things. Apparently, I can’t make any personal relationship work and should focus on my job instead. If my own daughter and the man I thought was the love of my life don’t understand me, it’s useless to keep trying. Go back to your soft, sweet Helen.”
She’s about to storm out, but Papa and I stand up. He catches her by the wrist before she can go.
Tears glisten in her eyes and she tries to hide them. Feelings have always been Mum’s curse. I see it now. The fact she couldn’t keep up with her career and her married life at the same time was her doom. She never forgave herself for giving up on her marriage, and that’s why she developed depression after the divorce. But she had too much pride to ask Papa to try again. As did he. So they kept fighting every chance they got instead.
Papa’s face softens for the first time in…years. For the first time since Mum left the house. “Helen is indeed soft and sweet.”
“What are you waiting for then?” she snaps. “The door is right there.”
“But she’s not the woman who drives me crazy with every word out of her mouth. She’s not you, Cynthia.”
My heart nearly explodes as Mum’s expression becomes gentle, almost as if she’s ten years younger.
Papa caresses her hand. “I’ll end it properly with her tonight, and we can have a family breakfast tomorrow?”
Both Mum and I nod.
As much as I feel sorry for Helen, I believe in fairy tales. I believe in Mum and Papa. I always have. The only reason I gave up on them is due to thinking they were more at peace apart. Turns out, they were both miserable.
Mum and I walk Papa to the door. I hug him and tell him that I love him, that I’m proud of his decisions, even if this turmoil can damage his campaign.
He kisses me on the temple, then Mum on the lips. “I love you both.”
“And I love you, Bastian.” Mum closes her eyes, inhaling his scent. “I never stopped.”
Papa kisses her again and leaves. After Mum closes the door behind him, she squeals.
No kidding. Cynthia Davis squeals and wraps her arms around me. Her happiness is infectious and I hug her back as she whirls me around in place.
“I knew he’d eventually choose me.” She pulls away and flips her hair. “Helen, who?”
“Mum, you don’t have to be a bitch about it.”
“Oh, but I do. She knew about our feelings for each other and pretended to be Mary Sue. I hate her goody two-shoes type.” Mum’s expression falls. “Okay, I lied. I didn’t know he’d eventually choose me. I thought I’d lost him to her for good.”
“I’m afraid to ask, but since when did you two start your affair?”
“Since I came back from France.” She smiles, her cheeks reddening. “Your father was jealous about Lucien.”
After he found out about the cutting. But Mum doesn’t need to know I told him that.
In a way, I participated in this reunion.
I’m happy for my parents, but I feel so sorry for Helen. She doesn’t have feelings towards Papa, right?
“I love you so much, Babydoll.” Mum hugs me again, and this time it feels warmer. “I’m sorry we had to make you live through our fuck-up, but you know, sometimes it takes a loss to realise who you really want to be with.”
“A loss?”
“I lost your father, and that’s when I realised how much you both mean the world to me. Even more than my career, my principles. Everything.”
Mum hugs me to sleep that night — in my bed, not hers. I’ll never sleep in hers after the scene I’ve just witnessed.
Her words keep playing at the back of my mind. The part about needing to experience a loss to realise who you really want to be with.
The only person who keeps barging into my mind is Cole.
Since that day at the doctor’s office, something shifted and now