REprisal - Kathy Coopmans Page 0,72

committed,” he says with authority.

“It’s a hell of a deal and one I agree you should take,” says my lawyer.

“So, let me get this straight. You want me to help you find her? How in the hell am I supposed to do that when one, I have no clue where she is, and two, I have no idea how I could possibly help you?”

“That’s for me to worry about. If you agree, we will set this plan in motion and do whatever is necessary to get her back to Atlanta.”

“I’ll agree to do whatever it is you want me to. You name it and I’ll do it, but the first thing you need to do is make sure Clove and her family are safe. You let her slip through your fingers once; she’ll do it again. On top of the fact that she’s fucking crazy, she has nothing to lose. That bitch doesn’t care about anything else but making her daughter pay for her not getting what she wanted.”

The D.A. and his entourage gather their things and head for the door.

“You're making the right decision,” my lawyer says.

I don’t even know what the fuck his name is, and I don’t give a shit, either. My only concern right now is finding the bitch who put me in the hospital and destroyed my life as well as my family.

“My family,” I laugh at myself.

They aren’t my family. None of them are. I have no family. No life. Nothing. I could lay here and blame my father for the shit I have done, but the bottom line is I had a choice, and I chose wrong.

After they all leave, I drift in and out of sleep restlessly, my thoughts on where in the hell Tina could be. I haven’t an indication at all. When I finally open my eyes, my vision is blurry at first. I tilt my head to the side, my eyes becoming clearer as I stare at the fair-haired woman sitting in a chair in the corner, with her hands in her lap and tears in her eyes.

“Mom?” I rasp out.

She stands with grace and comes to hover over me at the end of the bed.

“Hello, Trent.”

What do you say to the woman who gave you life? A complete stranger who stands at the end of the bed, unrecognizable to her son.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“I… I’m not really sure, to be quite honest,” she admits, stumbling over her words. “I tried to sleep last night and couldn’t, so I booked the first flight I could find. I guess I just needed to see you.”

I can barely stand to look at her. Not because I don’t want to. She’s beautiful, more so than any of the pictures I have seen of her or the times I saw her from afar with Clove when I was stalking her every move. It’s because she has guilt written all over her face.

“Well, here I am. In the flesh,” I say facetiously, my tone an attempt to protect me from the emotions that threaten.

She just looks at me, her face solemn. For some reason, that look has me feeling embarrassed, a letdown to my own mother for the things I have done. Finally she sighs and begins talking.

“I’ve made so many mistakes in my life, Trent. The biggest one was not looking for you harder. I have no excuse for that. It’s something I have lived with ever since the day your father took you from me. I could stand here and tell you I was young and naïve, but that would be lying to you. The fact is that I chose one of my sons over the other.”

Her shoulders slump as she continues.

“I cannot help you for the all the wrong you have done. But I can show you that it’s not too late for me to be your mother. I never once stopped loving you, Trent, but I failed you as a parent. I was a coward, and I’m asking for your forgiveness. Please forgive me for not being the mother that you deserved. You’re part of me, Trent, one of the best parts. Let me be your mother. I will welcome you with open arms if you’ll open yours and welcome me. I love you, son.”

I’ve never been a man to cry. My father believed that a man never shows his weakness, and crying was weak. I sure knew better than to cry in front of him while