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“I wonder if I’d left, gone to my family or a shelter for help, if I might have surprised myself and been able to care for you both. I was so afraid he’d take you from me like he threatened, and I’d never see you again.”
Rose’s chest went tight. She hadn’t thought about those threats he’d made to her mom in a long time. It had taken a great deal of tears and hard work to let that go so she could find a way to feel safe, even in her own skin. “I remember, too, how scared I was that he’d make you leave and we’d be stuck in this house all alone with him.” Even now, the thought of it brought on a wave of fear.
“And now we are all, each of us in our own way, alone with him in our heads.”
“Coming home has brought it all back for me, but when I’m back at my place and at my job and just living my life, he’s not there with me much anymore.” But sometimes that kind of trauma snuck up on you when you least expected it.
Her mom squeezed her hand again. “I’m so happy for you.And proud that you finished college and built a life of your own. And now you’re here, standing strong on your own two feet with a new man in your life and the possibility of a wonderful future with him, just like Maggie has found with Marc.”
Rose blushed. “I just met Gray, Mom. Don’t go planning a wedding yet. But he is really great. Kind. Understanding. He compliments me all the time. He’s nothing like Dad. And we enjoy each other’s company. Gray and I are... good. It’s so good. Everything I ever wanted.” She paused. “I just hope I don’t screw it up.” The fear and pain of almost losing him because of her thing with Marc had nearly broken her heart. But she’d taken the chance and had been honest with him. It wasn’t easy to give him the time he needed to sort out his feelings about it. He seemed to quickly let it go, but she expected they’d really move forward when they spent more time together and put distance between them and what happened with Marc, and focused on what they were building together.
The foundation of their relationship, though they’d just begun to build it, wasn’t as fragile as she thought. It was even more solid now that they’d worked through the issue.
“You won’t mess it up,” her mom assured her. “Sure, you’ll make mistakes, but you’ll do the right thing because you have a good heart.”
“I try, but sometimes I don’t get it right.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I kept something from Maggie and Gray. I should have told them both right away that I . . . knew Marc, but I didn’t. And when I did tell them, it was almost too late for them not tothink I held it back because there was something more between Marc and me.”
Her mom eyed her. “Is there something between you two?”
“No. Not anymore.” Rose sucked in a breath and confessed, “I slept with Marc, but—”
***
“But nothing,” Poppy yelled at Rose. She stood in the kitchen entry, stunned and furious at her sister. “You incredibly selfish bitch. How could you do that to your best friend?”
Rose pleaded with her eyes. “Poppy—”
“What is wrong with you? You abandon your family, you cheat on your new boyfriend, and you betray Maggie. You hurt everyone and don’t even think twice about it. I thought you came home to make amends. You’ve convinced Mom and me that we can let go of the past and move on. But she started before you got here with the kitchen, then it was her clothes, and now it’s everything. But it takes more than new paint and furniture and garbage runs to change what went on here. You’ve pushed us to change, but you haven’t, not really, if you came here to stand up with Maggie at her wedding, then you stab her in the back.” Poppy glared at her. “You’re just as bad as Dad.”
Rose gaped at her, pain in her eyes that Poppy didn’t want to acknowledge. “That’s not true.”
“Isn’t it?”
“No. If you’d let me explain...”
“I don’t want to hear it. You’ve changed. Mom’s changed. And I’m stuck in the muck.”
Rose shook her head. “That’s not true, either, Poppy. Look at you.” Rose’s gaze swept over her. “You’re beautiful.”
Poppy had forgotten why she’d come into the kitchen. She’d been so excited to show off her new pixie cut, the dark black hair softened to a deep brown with vibrant red highlights. She’d also bought a pretty red dress to wear to Maggie’s wedding. The new look made her feel confident, but still edgy.
Rose’s smile faded. “But Poppy, about Marc...”
“Fuck you, Rose. Fuck you for making us believe you cared.”
Anger flashed in Rose’s eyes. She stood and planted her hands on the table, leaning over it toward Poppy. “I do care. About you, Mom, Maggie, and Gray. I’d never do anything to hurt any of you.”
“You slept with Marc! You encouraged Mom and acted like you and I could be friends again. You want us to just forget what Dad did to us, but I can’t forget. He hurt us. He came after me because you were gone. And I didn’t know how to stop it. I blamed myself because he always twisted it around and made me think it was my fault... But you know, it wasn’t me.” All her wild emotions started bubbling up inside her, making it hard to think clearly through the rage she always felt for being so helpless when it came to her dad and the abuse he inflicted on her.
“It was him,” Rose assured her, sympathy in her steady gaze.
Poppy shook her head and tried to catch her breath. “Yeah. Well. Now he’s dead and I’m happy he’s gone. He deserved it. And I’m glad I did it! I hated him!” she screamed, clutching her hands together at her aching chest.
Rose stepped forward, nodding her agreement, understanding in her eyes. Then her gaze sharpened with curiosity. “What do you mean, you did it? What did you do, Poppy?”
