Page 121 of Floored By Love

“Your father and I...haven’t seen eye to eye lately.”

I wasn’t going to waste time. “Are you getting a divorce?”

“No, mijo...but-”

“But what, Mom? Why are you here?”

“I came here to see you, to watch you. I arrived yesterday. And I’m glad I did. You were wonderful today.”

“So, what about Cam?”

“What about Cam?”

“You’re just fine with us now? Aren’t I ruining my entire career?!”

“It didn’t just happen overnight. I...always had second thoughts about Brisbane. Well not, Brisbane, but soon after, especially when I saw how miserable you were.”

Cam gave my hand another squeeze.

“I tried to reason with your father, but he wouldn’t listen. For years, it’s been like that, with everything. And then the business grew more, and you started doing well again. It became easy to slide into our old pattern. We were a few days away from flying to London, when I saw the fire on the news and footage of you leaving the hospital.” She gave Heather a sympathetic look. “Part of me wondered. It was only a few hours before your father told me about your text. I was secretly proud of you for standing up to him.”

I stood perfectly still. I didn’t know what to say.

“I tried to convince your father to come here, but he wouldn’t. After my last attempt, early yesterday, I knew if I wanted to see you compete in the Olympics, I had to fly over immediately. So, I arrived late last night.”

“You were in the arena just now?”

“Yes, but I didn’t want to distract you. That’s why I didn’t sit with your teammates.”

Huh. “Did either of you know she was flying in?”

Heather shook her head.

“Nope. She found us out here, waiting for you. You found us a few minutes later,” Cam answered.

“Would you like to join us for lunch?” Heather asked my mom.

I was still speechless, and thankful for her offer. My mom had never sounded more like a mother my entire life, and hearing her now ignited something in me I didn’t think I had.

Hope.

Lunch was...normal.

Either my father was a social suffocator, or my mother was trying harder than she ever had before in her life. There was also the possibility that she always had this in her but no opportunities to show it.

Maybe I was so jaded before, or hadn’t paid enough attention?

Whatever it was, it was nice. Heather and my mother - Viv, as she told Heather to call her - got along well.

“Mom, can you not talk about me leaving my dirty clothes all over the apartment in front of my boyfriend?” My mom’s eyes widened. “He won’t want me to live with him.”

“Is that what you’re planning on doing? Moving back to Florida?”

I didn’t think my mom sounded accusatory, just curious. But it still took a little effort on my part to not sound annoyed or defensive when I responded. “Yeah, I was. Shane and Noah live nearby, so I can keep training at Cam’s gym, and there’s an opening at Heather’s flower shop, so I’d have a part-time job too.”

“That sounds lovely. I know how you missed Florida, especially the nudist resorts.”

The water that was in my mouth ended up on the floor. I coughed as Cam patted my back. I could see the amusement creeping across his face.