Payback

“Mama, it's me,” I say, holding my hands up in front of me.

“Cami,” she says as she looks at me, and suddenly throws the knife into the grass, slinging her arms around me. She sobs into my shoulder and I hold her tightly.

“Mama, I'm so sorry I left,” I say, fighting the tears in my eyes.

“No, don't be sorry, everything your father and I put you through…” she says, her eyes looking me over. “When he died, I was almost, for lack of a better word, relieved. When I didn't see you at his funeral, I figured that you would never be able to forgive us. We were wrong, I know that now.”

“It's the past. I’ve forgiven you, but I can't forget everything. And Mama, I didn’t even know he had passed until I got here. Uncle Henry told me.”

She nods, clinging to me. The fragility of the once strong, vivid woman in front of me breaks my heart. “I haven't had even a sip of alcohol since you left,” she says, taking my face in her hands.

I give her a weak smile, trying not to let the pools of tears that now fill my eyes fall.

“Won't you come in? I'll make you something to eat,” she says, turning to go inside.

“I can't. I have to get back to Ella, my daughter, but I had to see you.”

“You have a daughter?” She asks, her eyes brimming with tears.

“Yes. A little girl, she’s three.”

“Three? Wow, so that’s Ty’s girl then?”

I hang my head. “No Mom, she’s Jett’s.” It’s the first time I’ve ever said it out loud.

“Jett’s? Oh my, I haven’t heard that name in years.”

Before the bar, neither had I.

“And he knows then?”

“Sure, sure he does.” I lie. One thing at a time, I tell myself. I’m not ready for that talk just yet. I need to get Ella and I away from that lying cheating bastard Ty. Make us comfortable again. Then I can handle telling Jett the truth. Giving him a chance.

She nods. “Will you bring her to see me someday? I’d love to meet her.”

“I sure will,” I reply, fighting the tears.

Walking away from my mother, seeing her standing there with tears in her eyes, is oddly comforting. Turning the car around, I look back one last time, promising myself I'll come back to see her soon.

After I pull into the driveway, Ella comes running out to me, immediately noticing my puffy eyes. “Mama, are you ok, why you crying?”

“I'm fine sweetie; I just stopped by and saw your Grandma.”

She smiles. “Can I go see her one day?”

“Sure can, but I have some great news! I have an interview in the morning.”

“What's that? What's an innerview?” she asks, her eyes wide.

“It's when they sit you down and ask you a lot of questions.”

“Oh, so it’s like a test, like Miss Mary gave me at preschool?”

“Yes, baby. That sounds about right. Now, let’s get inside so we can tell them the good news.” She grabs my hand, practically dragging me inside.

“So how did it go,” Aunt Suz asks when she sees us.

“Mama got an innerview at the hospital,” Ella blurts out before I can say anything.