“Max, I loved being your mom.”
“Could have fooled me,” he said, the bitter words escaping before he could censor his reply.
His mother rose and walked over, then knelt down beside him, the pain in her eyes a tangible thing. “I hated working the restaurant. I never wanted you to know that. I never wanted your dad to know that. I wanted the career I went to school for, but I loved my family. I wanted the restaurant to succeed so your dad would be happy. So we’d have money so you’d have the things you needed and you wouldn’t want for anything.”
Max gripped his hands together in his lap, knowing Lucy was there, by his side. “We didn’t need money, Mom. We needed each other,” he said gruffly, uncomfortable because they’d never had these kinds of serious conversations. At least not back then, when it would have helped. When it would have mattered.
She dipped her head once, acknowledging his point before meeting his gaze. “You always were such a little adult, a self-sufficient child.” She smiled, shaking her head. “I mean, at ten years old, you could cook better than I could.”
He shook his head, unable not to laugh. “I inherited that talent from dad.”
His father, who had been watching in silence, smiled at that comment. But Max had the distinct impression they’d already discussed how this talk would go, that his mother would lead. And given that she’d been the one to make the major changes in their family’s past, maybe it was the right thing to do.
“When the restaurant took off and our lives changed, I grasped on to the opportunity to live my dream, to help kids in need.”
“I never begrudged you that. Hell, I never begrudged them the chance to start over. I just didn’t think I’d be the one left out in my own house. In my own family.” Max was mortified to find his voice cracking on the piece of truth that always had the power to break his heart.
“I know. I handled things all wrong. I got all wrapped up in what they needed, in my do-good career I’d put on hold. I didn’t even realize I messed up my family until the kids were gone, you were gone… and nobody came back anymore.”
“Because you didn’t create a family, Mom. You gave them a house, you gave them the things they needed. You told me I already had those things so I didn’t need more. But I think you forgot the most important thing in the mix. Love.”
“I know that now and I’m sorry. When I thought I was going to lose your father, it was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other. Once I realized he was going to be okay and I really looked at my life… I wasn’t proud of what I saw. I’ve missed you. So much.”
He felt Lucy beside him, her strength giving him more, allowing him to deal with this piece of his past. He really had thought it was all behind him, but she was right. How did you ever leave your parents without closure? And now that he was here, seeing how his father was ill, his mother seemingly sorry, he had to ask himself… did he really want to go on without them in his life? Did he want to live with regrets?
“Can you forgive me?” his mother asked.
He rose to his feet, helping her do the same. “You’re my mother. I’m not going to hold a grudge for the rest of my life.” It wouldn’t help him now. “I don’t know what kind of relationship we’ll have, but we can try.”
She released the tears she’d been holding in and wrapped her arms around him tightly. “Thank you.”
He patted her awkwardly on the back, knowing this was just a tiny step. There would be other awkward get-togethers in the future before the rift ever really mended.
She pulled away, and he walked over to his father, who had stood up to join them. “I wasn’t much better, son. Not paying attention to what was going on at home, focusing on work to the exclusion of my family.”
There wasn’t much to say to that, so he merely hugged the older man, noticing how frail he felt to the touch. He was happy he’d made this trip, glad he’d listened to Lucy.
He turned to find her, to tell her, to thank her, but she’d disappeared.
* * *
Lucy slipped out of the room and left the house, making her way to the backyard next door, where she’d grown up. She sat in the ultra modern jungle gym the new owners must have erected, and swung back in a swing. A layer of sadness filtered over the pleasure she’d found in watching Max reach a tentative sense of peace with his parents, something she’d never had the chance to do. It made her miss her family even more.
When she’d offered to come here with Max, she hadn’t given a thought to how she’d feel returning to the neighborhood. Now she knew. Her heart hurt.
She’d come to terms with losing her parents years ago, but being here reminded her of what she’d had and lost. Of what she could have with Max… and the fear of being destroyed should something go wrong.
“Excuse me…” A woman approached her, walking toward her warily. “Umm, can I help you?” She stopped a few feet away, obviously afraid Lucy was an unhinged female in her yard.
She rose to her feet. “I’m sorry. I’m Lucy Dare, and I’m visiting the Savage family next door.”
“And you just thought you’d play in our backyard?” the blonde asked, confused.
“I used to live here,” Lucy explained. “I grew up in your house. I’m sorry I scared you.”
The woman’s shoulders dropped in relief. “I’m Carrie Sanders. We bought this house two years ago.”
“It’s changed hands a few times then,” Lucy mused.