church every Sunday and expected the rules to be followed.
His dad had believed in God, country, and discipline. His children had been raised with a firm, but loving hand, and though they might not have appreciated it as they were growing up, they sure as hell did later on in life. It had made them who they were.
His mother had emigrated from Germany, and from the moment his parents had met, it was love at first sight. While his dad was the authoritarian, his mother was the homemaker . . . and the comedian. She’d make them laugh when they wanted to yell or cry. She’d held them when it felt as if the world was ending. He’d truly had the best of both worlds, and he missed them every single day.
Carl shook himself from his thoughts and focused again on Avery, wondering if she’d had a good childhood. What had shaped her into this controlling, super-composed woman he’d been watching for the past few weeks? What had made her seem so unflappable, and what above anything else, had made her defend the guilty?
“I won’t get out of here until three so we might have to wait until Sunday to talk about it,” her mother said.
“I know, Mom. The weekends are busy. How’s Uncle Tom doing?”
“He’s feeling a little better but hasn’t been able to work for nearly a month now.”
“I bet it’s killing him, leaving the running of his bar to his baby sister and what he calls his hoodlum staff,” she said with a genuine smile that completely transformed her face.
“Haha, it’s almost as if you know him,” her mother said.
“Well, he was the only father figure I had, so I know him a bit,” Avery said.
“I know, baby girl. You’ve had a rough life. But look how well you’re doing now,” her mother said, apology in her tone.
“I didn’t have it any rougher than a lot of kids, Mom. You did the best you could. I wish you’d come live with me, I have more than enough room for you. We could even get a different place that you could make feel like your own.”
“I’ve told you a thousand times, a mother shouldn’t be imposing on her grown child. I take care of myself just fine, and it’s your turn to shine. I want you settling down and maybe even giving me grandbabies before I take my eternal rest,” the woman said. Carl smiled, because this was a damn fine guilt trip. How many times had he heard that same speech during his life? Too many to count.
“I know I haven’t been keen on getting into relationships. Of course, I saw the worst of the worst in my lifetime, but that’s not the reason I don’t get involved. I need to buckle down now more than ever before if I’m going to start my own law firm in the next few years,” Avery said.
Ignoring the big career news, and instead focusing on the lack of interest in a relationship, her mother told her, “Don’t ruin your life because of mistakes I made, Avery. I screwed up so many times. You don’t have to do the same. You’re beautiful, talented, and independent. You’ll attract like-minded men if you’d simply open your heart to it. I wasn’t anything. I didn’t finish high school, and I was gullible. I regret that now. Yes, a career matters. But that won’t hold you on a cold, lonely night. You can look at certificates on your wall, but those honors can’t comfort you when nothing goes right. A family will give you peace, and trauma, but it will always be there for you, and ensure you have help to get through the hardest times in life.”
“I get what you’re saying, but you have to stop blaming yourself, Mom, for everything that happened in your lifetime and mine. You did the best you could under extreme circumstances. I don’t want to hear you blaming yourself for things that were beyond your control.”
“I try real hard not to, but when I see you miserable, I can’t help myself,” her mother said.
“Well then, I guess I’m just going to have to show you how truly happy I am,” Avery said, reaching across the table and squeezing her mother’s hand.
“I love you, darling,” her mom said as she stood, regaining her composure after allowing herself to wallow for a minute. Avery stood as well and gave her mom a hug before the woman walked back to the