that was when I realized I hadn’t seen my mother in more than two years. Almost three.
I started to cry, unexpectedly.
Mom made a mom-noise, a whimper and a sigh, pulled me close and brought us into the condo. “Oh, oh, oh, come here, baby girl.”
Just like that, I was in my mom’s arms, smelling her scent, feeling her familiar arms and the enveloping comfort of her embrace.
“I guess…” I said, and then hiccupped, the sounds muffled in her shoulder. “I guess I didn’t realize how much I missed you until I got here.”
She kissed my temple, and just held me. I heard her sniffle. “Torie makes four. Just need one more, and my family is all here.” She kissed the top of my head. “You’re here, now, Tor. I’ve got you.”
The weight of being on my own suddenly felt like it had been too much, it had been much harder than I’d realized. A weight I hadn’t known I was carrying until I was back in Mom’s arms, feeling her, smelling her, hearing her. I knew, right then, that I wasn’t going anywhere. I’d made it to Ketchikan, and I wasn’t leaving.
But there was a man behind me, standing patiently, who’d gotten me here. With whom I had an unwritten story.
I pulled away from Mom. Cupped her cheek. “I’m so glad to be here. You have no idea.”
She sniffled, wiped a tear away from underneath her eyelid, with her middle finger, glancing up at the ceiling and blinking. “I do, Tor, I really, really do. Of all my daughters, I’ve worried about you the most. And now you’re here.”
I turned and gestured to Rhys. “Mom, this is Rhys Frost. We drove here together.” I found myself holding his hand, drawing him forward, not letting go. “Rhys, this is my mom, Olivia Goode.”
She shook his hand. “You can call me Liv.”
Rhys gave her that grin of his, bright, eager, warm, welcoming, charming. “It sure is a pleasure to meet you, Liv.”
She was assessing him, both as a woman and as my mother. Letting him have the full force of the Mom-looking-INTO-you stare, that left you feeling like she’d seen just about everything there was to see and was weighing it all.
“Thank you for helping my daughter get here, Rhys. We’ve all been worried about her, knowing she was too stubborn and independent to let us help her.”
Rhys just held the smile, not at all discomfited by her assessment, confident in who he was. “She’s a remarkable human being, Mrs. Goode, which, from where I’m standing, means you must be a hell of a woman yourself.”
Mom grinned at me. “He’s a charmer, Torie.”
“Don’t I know it,” I said.
And that, for some reason, was when I realized I’d entirely stopped checking in with Leighton and Jillie. They were going to be so mad.
Later. All of it, later.
Mom laughed. “So you two crazy kids drove all the way here from New Haven?”
I nodded. “Almost nonstop, too. Once we started, we just…kept going, trading off when one of us got tired. We only stopped the first night, in…Ohio, I think it was?”
Rhys nodded. “Just outside Cleveland.”
Mom shook her head. “That’s crazy. But you’re here, you’re safe, and there’s plenty of time before the wedding to find you a dress.” She looked me up and down. “And, no offense, but a bra.”
I rolled my eyes at her. “Oh, don’t start that up, Mom. I brought one. I just don’t like to wear them. But I will for Lexie’s wedding.” I frowned. “Not thrilled at the idea of a dress, though.”
Mom laughed, glanced at Rhys. “Not sure if you’ve picked up on this, but my dear Victoria is not exactly the type to wear dresses.”
I shook my head. “I’ve worn a dress exactly twice in my life. And I’ve hated it both times.”
“I’ve picked up on it, yes.” Rhys grinned. “What were the two times?”
I winced. “Um. Grandma and Grandpa, Mom’s parents, died within days of each other, when I was…nine? I wore a dress to their joint funeral. And then to…um. To Dad’s funeral.”
Rhys closed his eyes briefly. “Shit, I should’ve known. I’m sorry.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s okay.” I brightened, with a bit of effort. “I’m glad to be wearing a dress for a happy occasion.”
“Amen to that,” Mom said, then clapped her hands. “So, kids. Where are you two staying?”