Epilogue
H arrison stood with Nyla outside of his sister’s apartment building, almost ready to do something he thought he’d never do. See his mother. When Piper called a few days ago, asking if he’d reconsider seeing their mother, Harrison had conceded. Shocking him and her. He’d been thinking about doing it for a while now, and he thought he was ready.
Now he wasn’t so sure.
His sister, the peacemaker, wanted them all to be a family again. Harrison couldn’t promise that, but he really wanted to close this chapter of his life. A chapter riddled with hurt and disappointment.
“You’re not changing your mind, are you?” Nyla asked, her fingers interlocked with his.
She looked sexy in a long, black coat and a short black-and-white checkered dress that stopped just above her knees. She had paired the outfit with a pair of thigh-high boots that had chunky heels and silver chains around the ankles.
Of course, she still wore rings on every finger and silver bangles on her wrists because she said her outfits are incomplete without them. Though she hadn’t totally moved away from her grunge look, she’d been dressing up more. She called her new style sophisticated grunge. He honestly didn’t care what she wore, she was still the most beautiful woman to him.
“Have you?” she prompted.
“No, but let’s go in there before I do change my mind.”
A short while later, he knocked on the door.
“It’s going to be okay,” Nyla whispered and gave his hand a slight squeeze.
He was sure he wouldn’t have been able to do this without having her by his side. She often told him that he was her rock, but he felt it was the other way around. The unwavering support she’d been giving him the last couple of months as he got acclimated to his new position at Telecom, had been everything he needed and more.
The apartment door opened suddenly, and Piper ran out and practically knocked Harrison over with her hug. He laughed, marveled at how good it felt to see her. It had been a couple of months since they’d been face-to-face, though they talked often.
His sister had always been a girlie girl, and her appearance reflected that. Her hair hung in loose waves around her shoulder, and her attire consisted of a light-pink blouse paired with off-white pants and pink flats.
“I thought for sure you’d cancel, but I’m so glad you didn’t,” she said and then turned her attention to Nyla. She greeted her the same way, with a hearty hug. “Hey, Nyla! I’m so glad we’re finally meeting. It’s nice to put a face with a voice, and girl, I’m loving the outfit. Nice .”
“Thank you,” Nyla said. “And it’s great to finally meet you too.”
“Okay. I’m sorry. I guess I should’ve at least let you guys inside before attacking,” Piper said on a laugh and ushered them into the spacious apartment.
Harrison had been there often, but his sister had made a few changes since the last time. Instead of white, the walls were painted a blue-gray, and she had also gotten new carpet that was a navy blue. Everything else, furniture, cabinets, and a few accessories were white. Anyone could tell she didn’t have kids or pets.
“You guys have a seat. Mom is in the bathroom. Can I get you something to drink?”
Before he and Nyla could respond, Harrison’s mother came into view.
His heart rate kicked up as they stared across the room at each other. She looked different from the last time he’d seen her. She used to have long, thick hair that went down her back, and for the most part, that was the same. Except now, there was more gray than black, and her hair hung in loose curls around her shoulders.
She’d lost weight. The sallowness of her face and the dark circles under her eyes looked like a person who was ill and didn’t sleep much. Two things that hadn’t changed—she still wore berry red lipstick, and her nails were polished in the same color.
“Hi, Mom,” he said, his voice shaking a little, but it didn’t crack.
“ Harrison .” That one word sounded like a whisper being carried away by a gust of wind.
Suddenly, tears streamed down her face, and she placed her hands over her mouth just as a sob broke free. His mother’s cries, filled with so much anguish, was like being stabbed in the chest with a machete repeatedly.
Damn. He hadn’t been prepared for this. But when Nyla squeezed his hand and discreetly gestured for him to go to his mother, Harrison did. His legs were heavy, like they were covered in cement, as he moved across the room. When he was close to his mother, he gathered her into his arms and hugged her.
Months ago, he wouldn’t have been able to do this. He wouldn’t have been able to just hold her as she cried harder and louder while her body shook uncontrollably. But he was doing it, and surprisingly enough, he had Virginia Priestly to thank for this ability.
Mrs. Priestly greeted him with warm, gentle, I-love-you-to-death type hugs every time she saw him, and she didn’t allow him to leave her presence without giving him another one. He felt each one to the depths of his soul. Every. Single. Time.
Now it was his turn to give one to his mother.
No, they could never have a normal relationship, but he could give her something that he never thought he’d ever be able to give her—forgiveness.
“I forgive you,” he said quietly next to her ear, and she cried harder. Her arms tightened around him, and she held on as if he was a lifeline that she had no intention of ever letting go.
Harrison didn’t know how long they stood like that, but by the time they released each other, it was as if a boulder had lifted from his shoulders. Finally. Even without a lot of words or a lengthy, heated conversation, he could close this chapter of his past.
Two hours after arriving, they left Piper’s apartment and Nyla was emotionally spent. She didn’t know what she expected from the visit, but all things considered, it went well.
As she and Harrison walked silently hand in hand down the two flights of stairs, she thought about the conversation that took place in the apartment. Nicole Grant, Harrison’s mother, was a lovely woman who was weighed down heavily with sorrow and guilt.
The reason she had been calling Harrison lately was because she’d had a health scare. After being rushed to the hospital weeks ago, thinking she’d had a heart attack, it turned out to be angina. Still, it gave her the push she needed to try to talk to Harrison. She wanted to ask his forgiveness before she took her last breath.
Though Harrison had forgiven her, without her having to say a word, Mrs. Grant still begged him for forgiveness. It took awhile for the conversation to take off, but she initiated it by apologizing to him over and over again. She told him that there was no excuse for her behavior back then. That there was nothing she could say now, not even I’m sorry , that could ever make up for the horrible decisions she’d made when he’d been accused of murder.
Nyla felt the woman’s pain and anguish deep in her soul. Every word and every tear held so much sorrow and guilt. Harrison told his mother that he wasn’t there to rehash what took place years ago. He was there for both of them to get closure and to heal from the experience.
Even though Nyla believed Harrison truly forgave his mother, she wondered if his mother would ever forgive herself. Nyla didn’t know what would become of their family’s relationship. Yet, she hoped this visit opened the door for future visits, and all of them would start the healing process and one day grow closer.
The moment they stepped outside into the spring air, Nyla sucked in a breath and released it slowly. It wasn’t very warm out, but at least the sun was shining, and the wind was mild.
As they walked down the block to where Harrison had parked, he didn’t speak until he reached the SUV. Instead of opening the passenger door, he backed Nyla up against the vehicle and stood in front of her.
“I’ll never be able to thank you enough for coming here with me today. I know for a fact that I couldn’t have done this without you and your mother.”
Nyla frowned. “ My mother?”
He nodded, and a slow smile spread across his face. “She taught me how to hug.”
Nyla laughed. She didn’t have to ask him what that meant, she knew. Her mother gave the best hugs. It was almost like her hugs had a silent conversation built into them that spoke of love, trust, and probably in Harrison’s case, forgiveness.
“I’m so proud of you,” Nyla said, sliding her hands up his chest until her arms circled his neck. “I knew you could do this.”
“I’m glad I came. It feels like a heavy weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Thanks for believing that I could do this. Your support meant everything.”
“I’ll always believe in you,” she said and kissed him slowly. When the kiss ended, Harrison was smiling. “What?” she asked.
“Nothing. I was thinking about how much I love you. I think I might’ve fallen in love with you that day at Telecom when you offered me tequila at nine o’clock in the morning.”
Nyla threw her head back and laughed. “I love you, too, even when you’re grumpy, and I have to offer you liquor to calm you down.”
Harrison chuckled and wrapped his strong arms around her. When he placed a lingering kiss on the side of her head, Nyla closed her eyes and basked in his love.
Sneak Peek – Zion’s story…
Zion Priestly entered his parents’ bed and breakfast and stopped short when he saw his mother holding an infant.
“Mom, please tell me you didn’t steal someone’s baby.”
He was only half joking. She’d been on a mission, insisting he and his sisters get married and give her grandbabies. It started when they all reached their mid-twenties, and no one seemed to be in a hurry to settle down and have kids.
Zion had recently turned thirty. He had barely blown out the candles on the birthday cake that she had baked before asking if he was dating anyone. That was code for—do you have a potential baby momma lined up yet?
Getting married and having children were the last things on his mind. As a Chicago police officer, his workdays were long and exhausting. Some days he barely had the energy to drag his tired body home after a shift. Going home and having to fulfill husband and daddy duties? No thank you.
“Well, since my own kids won’t give me more grandkids, I’m forced to borrow babies,” his mother said, pulling him out of his thoughts.
Zion chuckled. “You’re a trip,” he said and kissed his mother’s cheek. In doing so, he glanced at the gorgeous baby girl with big light-brown eyes, a tiny nose, and bow-shaped lips. She was dressed in all pink and had to be the prettiest baby he’d ever seen. “She’s a cutie-pie.”
Unable to help himself, he smiled at the little one and touched her tiny hand while quietly baby-talking to her. When the baby offered him a smile, his heart nearly stopped.
“See, you’re a natural,” his mother said. “All you have to do is find a wife and start having a few cutie-pies like this one. Don’t you want to hold her?”
He shook his head. “Mom, don’t start.”
Zion took a step back but couldn’t take his gaze from the baby. If he wasn’t in his police uniform, he’d consider holding her for a minute. He loved kids, especially when they belonged to someone else.
“Okay, Mrs. Priestly. Thank you so much for entertaining her while I fixed a bottle. I…”
The stunning woman stopped talking and gazed at Zion. When she did, shock roiled inside of him, and his pulse thumped double-time.
It’s her.
He’d recognize those gorgeous eyes anywhere. It was the woman he had met in Vegas during a conference almost a year ago. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her, and now she was standing only a couple of feet away.
Her mouth dropped open, and if it was possible, her eyes grew as large as dinner plates.
“ You ,” she whispered.
Coming Spring 2025
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