It was no secret that their mother hadn’t wanted children but felt obligated as a wife. She’d wished for sons, but was cursed with twin girls in the middle. In all of her screaming and tears, she actually used the word cursed and something in Julie clicked.
No matter how broken her life seemed or how scared she was, her circumstances were not cursed. Her hand pressed protectively to her stomach, as if to protect her child.
It was the first time she felt trust in herself again. It didn’t matter how awful her baby’s father might have been, she trusted herself to be a caring and loving mother. She knew, without a doubt, that she would accept her baby no matter what and always be there for him or her, the way a good mother should.
When her father finally dragged their mom away, her hysterics spiraling into prayers and tears, Julie realized something she never wanted to see. Her mother and Lance were alike in a lot of ways, only Lance justified his behavior through social status, where her mother rooted her self-righteousness in religion. In the end, they were both hiding a lifetime of insecurities behind a mask made of their own self-absorption so others wouldn’t hold them accountable for lacking such natural traits as empathy and acceptance.
“Are you okay?” Pat asked Jo once their parents were gone.
Jo had always been the resilient one, but there was no hiding how much her mother’s scorn and rejection had wounded her.
“I’ll live.” When her words came out raw, she cleared her throat. “I always expected it would go something like that.”
Julie looked at her, wishing she could somehow take away her pain. “I love you, Jo. I just want you to be happy. Mom’s wrong. And I think her beliefs are wrong, if that means anything at all to you.”
“It does.” She smiled, but there was pain masked in her eyes. Pacing away, she let out a hard breath. “I’m gonna head back to the city tonight.”
“Stay,” Pat insisted. “You can crash at my parents’.”
“No. I think I’d be a bit of a third wheel there. It’s cool. I miss my own bed anyway.”
They tried to persuade her to stay, but it was no use. Sometimes people just needed time to process agony in private, so they could put it away and make room to be happy again. It wasn’t something anyone could rush.
Julie gave her a hug, not wanting to let her go yet. “Promise you’ll text when you get there. And let’s not go so long without seeing each other again. I can come to the city if that’s easier.”
Jo nodded. “So, you’re staying in Jasper Falls?”
Julie shrugged and blushed. “They’re getting a hot doctor here.”
“Gross.” But Jo laughed. Holding her arms out to Pat, she made her goodbyes, and they watched her drive away.
Pat’s hand curved around Julie’s naturally, as though he’d been holding it forever, and she leaned into his strength. “Do you want to go back inside?”
“No, but I have to.”
She checked her phone. “There’s only about an hour left. Go enjoy the rest of your brother’s wedding. I’ll follow in a second.”
“You’re coming back in?”
She nodded. “I missed you too much to let another second pass me by.”
He bent his head and kissed her. “I love you.”
“And I feel it. Do you feel me loving you back?”
“I’ve always felt it, Jules. That’s why I’ve never been able to resist you. You’re the easiest person in the world to love.”
He kissed her again, and she begrudgingly nudged him toward the party. “Go, or you’ll miss the end of the receptions. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Fine, but as soon as this is over, it’s on. I’m telling everyone the truth first thing in the morning. No more lies. No more hiding.”
“Um, duh. But I can’t wait until morning. I was planning on sneaking in your window tonight.”
“I’ll leave it open. But as of tomorrow morning, we’re using the front door. I’ve always said one day you’d be mine. That day’s tomorrow.”
“And after that?”
He smiled. “After that, we start the rest of our life together.”
With one last promising glance over his shoulder, he disappeared into the bar.
Julie reached into her purse and fished out her engagement ring. The glittering diamond reminded her of an anchor more than any sort of uplifting gem. Without hesitation, she dropped it in the parking lot and walked inside, taking her first steps toward a brighter future.
Epilogue
“You’re all set, Mr. McGinty. Here’s your lab script, and Dr. Clooney will see you in two months.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
Julie smiled as little old Mr. McGinty fixed his hat and pushed out the door. She shut off her computer and stacked the files from the day. On her way through the waiting room, she locked the front door and lowered the curtain.