ChapterTwenty-Nine
When Bianca woke up in the hospital, the bright lights made it impossible to tell what time it was. Later that night? The next day? For all she knew, it could have been the next year.
It didn’t matter. She was alive. She was safe. And with any luck, so were the people she cared about.
“Bianca.” Sam’s voice soared above the beeping machines and the voices out in the hallway. “How are you feeling? Are you all right?”
As she blinked the room into focus, Bianca found Sam beside her. In her fitted T-shirt, with her hair mussed, she looked like she had come from the local mechanic’s shop.
But it didn’t matter what Sam looked like. All that matters is that she’s here.
Bianca lowered her hand from her head and took Sam’s. “I’m fine, I think. God…” She closed her eyes again. “I can’t believe I fainted in your arms again.”
“That’s what you’re worried about?” Sam smiled. “Besides, if you hadn’t passed out in my arms the first time, I never would have taken this job.”
Bianca could barely manage to return her smile. “What happened to Ellen?”
The mood sobered. “The police came shortly after you passed out. She’s in their custody. Don’t worry. She won’t bother you again.”
“That poor woman…”
Bianca didn’t know what compelled her to feel that way. Ellen deserved everything that was coming to her, including jail time. Still, Bianca pitied her.
“By the way,” she said. “What was that about you being in love with me? You didn’t say that just to trick Ellen, right?”
“I thought that would be the first thing you’d ask me when you came to.” Sam reached a free hand down to cradle Bianca’s cheek. The unexpectedly tender gesture almost made her pass out all over again. “I love you. It’s the truth. I just wish I’d said it before all of that happened.”
Bianca placed her hand on Sam’s. “I…”
The door slid open. Her mother burst through, making a beeline for Bianca and grabbing her other hand. “Baby! You’re okay!” She bent over and covered Bianca’s forehead and face with motherly kisses. “I was so worried about you! I’m so sorry. I’m sorry about everything! I can’t believe I let all of this happen. I should have been honest with all of you from the beginning. About Ellen, about—”
“Mom,” Bianca interrupted. “It’s okay. I get it. Actually, I understand a lot more now.”
Vivianne’s grip on her daughter’s hand weakened. “You do?”
“You’ve done what you thought was best all these years. It’s in your nature to worry about your girls. And I get it. I’m your baby. I was a surprise that you took as a sign you could have one more try at this whole ‘raising a kid’ thing. You’ve only wanted what you thought was best for us. Like you told Ellen, you wanted us to be happy. And I get why you’d want to keep something you assumed to be in your past behind you. But…”
Her mother visibly steeled herself.
“You should have told us. You should have told me, especially when Ellen started showing interest in me. I would have never agreed to meet her if I’d known the truth. I’ll always trust you over some stranger. You’re my mom. You’re the only one I’ve got.”
“Oh sweetie,” her mother said. “You’re not my only daughter, but you’re my only Bianca. Nothing could ever replace you.”
She leaned down and hugged Bianca tightly. Bianca allowed her mother to hold her for a few seconds before pulling away.
“Mom, you need to tell Scarlett and Parker everything, too. They deserve to know why you’ve acted the way you have for longer than I’ve been alive.” Bianca didn’t say it, but Scarlett needed to understand why she’d been driven into the closet, and Parker deserved an apology for all the pain her mother’s words and actions had caused her over the years.
“You’re right,” she said. “I don’t know how I raised such a wise daughter, but I have. I can hardly believe it.” Now that they were safe, Vivianne allowed the tears to flow. She didn’t even grab her handkerchief to keep herself proper. “I’ll never be able to say enough sorries for what I’ve put you and your sisters through, but I suppose I can start today. I’ll be spending the rest of my life apologizing for all the stress I’ve caused those I love. I still wish I could go back in time and apologize to Ellen for everything that happened. Even if I made the same decisions, I should have told her and apologized.”
Sam stepped back. “I’ll give you guys a moment.”
“No.” Vivianne reached across Bianca’s hospital bed to signal Sam to wait. “I want to apologize to you too, Ms.… I mean, Sam.” She blushed when she called Sam by her first name. “First, for how I treated you through all of this. Second, for any undue stress I have caused both you and Bianca. I never expected you two to fall in love. I daresay that if I’d found out under normal circumstances, I would have lost my mind. I understand why you kept it from me.”
“I get it. I am older than her, after all.”
“Yes, well, in my day, it wasn’t unusual for young ladies like Bianca to marry men your age, Sam. I don’t know why I should turn my nose up at an older woman. Especially when you’ve proven your love for her. You were willing to get shot for her, after all.”
Sam nodded. “So were you. Bianca is lucky to have us both.”