Chapter 25 - My mother says what she should have said years earlier
Eleanor invited me alone to lake house.
“I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“Samantha.”
I sat.
“She’s been dead four years.”
“I know.”
“I’m not the person who needs it most.”
“I know.”
She looked toward window.
“I never told Marietta to treat Aubrielle differently. But I gave her enough old bitterness to pretend I had.”
That was true.
“When Samantha got pregnant, I said you were ruining your future.”
“I remember.”
“I said her family wanted our money.”
“I remember.”
“I said if the relationship ended, I would make sure you were protected.”
“Yes.”
“Marietta heard all of it.”
Then:
“And when Aubrielle was born, I loved her and assumed everyone understood I had changed.”
People do that.
Change privately.
Expect others to update automatically.
Eleanor said:
“I should have corrected the record out loud.”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
No defense.
That conversation mattered.
May you like
Not legally.
Families need records too.
