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“Cyn,” her mother snapped.
She abruptly turned and glared at her mom. “What?”
“I’m sorry.”
Cyn took a step back like she’d been struck with those words her mother had never said to her, even when her mom had made her and Angela’s lives really hard.
“I put it all on you to talk to and watch over Angela, to fix this and make it right, to take that bastard down for what he did to Angela. I made it your responsibility to find them, while I sat back and did nothing but wait, hoping somehow that you’d pull off the miracle I wanted. Because you make things happen. You see what you want and you go after it and you get it. And you make it look so damn easy.”
Stunned beyond words, it was all she could do to believe her mother was not only saying these things but meant them.
“You want a job that will support you and allow you to help your family, well, you put everything you are into school, working hard, building your own business. Your sister is stubborn and stuck in a bad relationship, you never give up on her. You fight for her. You make her believe there’s better out there for her. You show herthat you’ll never back down, you’ll never stop wanting the best for her, that you’ll give it to her if she can’t do it herself. You’ve done that for me even when I’ve gotten so caught up in my wants and needs and ignored the two of you. Lana loses her mama, you’re on the phone, making sure she has the best mama a girl could ever want if she can’t be with hers.” Her mom glanced at Hunt, then back to her. “You want a good man, you have one.”
Cyn hit the jackpot with Hunt for sure.
“I don’t know how you turned out to be this smart, beautiful, kind woman who is so strong. It didn’t come from me. Maybe it came from always taking care of your sister. You were better at that than I was, too. I wish I had more time with Angela and could see what I see now and make up for all I did wrong with her.
“I want you to know that I want things to be different between us. I want you to know I’m here for you, and I want to be a really good grandma to this little angel Angela left us.” Her mom’s eyes implored her to believe that she’d do better with Lana than she had with her and Angela.
“I want you to know how proud I am of you, Cyn, for everything you’ve accomplished, for the woman you’ve become and for standing up for Angela and stepping up to take care of Lana. With you as her mom, she’s going to be an amazing woman, too.”
Cyn stared at her mom, tears streaking down her cheeks unchecked. Her mom held Lana on her chest, a protective hand on her back, her cheek pressed to Lana’s silky blond hair. Her mother had never looked so content or sorrowful. She hoped this newfound sense of family and thinking of others stuck with her mom.
Loss changed people.
It had changed her. It appeared to have changed her mom.
Parents shouldn’t outlive their kids.
Lana should still have her mom.
It hurt Cyn’s heart to think that Lana would never know Angela and the love her sister had for her child.
Cyn would try to give her all that, but it would never be the same. But Cyn would do her best and hope that Lana never doubted a day in her life that she was loved and cherished and wanted.
Hunt rose, came to her and cupped her face, brushing away her tears with his thumbs. He pressed his forehead to hers and looked into her watery eyes. “I know you’re overwhelmed right now. You are everything your mother said and more. So much more, Cyn. You will get through this. One day soon, everything will be back to normal again and it will be you and me and Lana together, happy and safe.”
“Angela’s dead. She’s not coming back.” Saying it out loud made it all too real.
“I know, sweetheart. And I’m so sorry she’s gone. I’m sorry we didn’t get to her in time. I’m sorry you’ve had to live with not knowing and now you have to live without her. Grieve for what you’ve lost, but never forget what you still have. Lana. Me. And the life we can make together.”
She put her hands over his on her face. “I know. I want it. I’m just...” She didn’t know how to finish that sentence because it was all too much right now.
“I know, Cyn. Just focus on one thing at a time. I’m here to help. You’re not alone in this.”
Lana began to fuss and cry.
Cyn sighed. “It’s time for her bottle.”
Hunt didn’t look away. “I’ll make it. Sit with your mom. Spend time with the baby. Let the rest go for right now.”
She nodded. “I’ll try.”
He kissed her softly, lingering with his lips pressed to hers, his eyes opened and looking right at her until one kiss turned into two, then three, and she closed her eyes and sank into him and he wrapped her in a hug, held her tight and whispered in her ear. “I’ve got you. You’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you or Lana. I promise.”
She loved him for making the promise, even though she didn’t expect him to keep it, because Rad had proven to be difficult to catch and a lot deadlier than they’d expected.
The smart move would be to run.
