CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
BIANCA
Someone’s shaking me gently and I blink rapidly, coming back to reality. The sun streams through the curtains, and I sigh at what happened last night. My eyes dart around the space, remembering that I’m in Mom’s room. Liam looms beside me, mumbling my name, and I hum, pretending I’m listening.
“Bianca.” That catches my attention. He’s been calling me “Freckles” this whole time, never my name until now. I must’ve spaced out again.
He brings a hand to caress my cheek and I smooth out the crease that forms between his eyebrows. “You’re gonna get wrinkles.”
He gives me a look. “What can I do for you, Freckles?” I open my mouth when he stops me. “We can talk if you want to . . . or not. I can sit here with you—not that I don’t want to be here.”
I let out a small laugh and he smiles sadly at me. “I think you might be the world’s worst rambler.”
He hooks a finger under my chin, a delicious tingle shooting down my spine.
“Well, I need to beat you at something,” he retorts and rubs his nose against mine.
I glance over, seeing Mom fast asleep. It’s been a hard night, and we were told that it would be best if we stayed here and rested.
Of course, the Parkers decided they would stay with us, and I slept next to Mom, holding her till she fell asleep.
“I’m sorry about last night,” Liam starts, his eyebrows furrowing in sadness.
My eyes narrow a bit. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It was his fault, not yours, okay?” He looks away as if he doesn’t believe me, but seems to accept it somewhat as he reaches to hug me once more.
“Thirteen years ago, when you were in your accident, I wish I’d known you then so I could’ve comforted you.” I pull back at that.
My heart drops for my soft man.
“Well, you’re here now,” I say. I look toward Mom, then back at him.
“You weren’t there that night, but you’ve been there for me since then.
Last night you defended me, you comforted me, you love me more than I deserve.
” He moves to say something, but I stop him.
“Just you being beside me is all I’ll ever need.
Get me?” I grab his face so he knows I’m serious.
He nods at that, and I kiss him on the nose, snuggling into him right after.
Ana and William walk in, and I shoot up to hug them both. William holds a tray with an assortment of teas, and I smile, knowing it was all Ana’s doing.
“We brought something to drink,” she says, briefly looking at me.
She heads over to my mom, softly waking her.
“How are you, Kate?” Her voice lowers to a whisper while Mom sits up, wincing.
She sighs while we all look at her. Fresh tears spring to my eyes as I see the purple hue on her cheek and a look of defeat swimming in her eyes.
Ana throws her arms around her and Mom whispers a frail, “Hi, everyone.” Her head swivels toward me and her eyebrows furrow in concern. “No crying. I’m okay, I promise.”
I shake my head as my mind takes me back to last night where she was at the mercy of her fiancé, a man who was supposed to love and protect her from violence, not be the one to introduce her to it.
My heart cries for Mom because no matter what she says, she’s not okay.
Liam hugs me to his side. I lay my head against his arm after I see him grip Mom’s hand gently.
“Mom, I’m so sorry. I feel like it’s my fault—”
She waves me off. “Bianca, never ever think this was your fault. Doesn’t matter what happened, a man should never put a hand on a woman or vice versa.
As much as I want to lie and say it came out of nowhere, we’ve been fighting for weeks ever since—” She looks toward Ana and William, and their eyes widen in realization, and that confirms what I suspected.
Of course, having them in our lives bothered Josh.
Tears fill her eyes again and I rub my thumb under them when Ana speaks up.
“But that doesn’t give him any reason to”—Ana’s voice cracks slightly—“hit you.” The room grows quiet and she clears her throat.
“I knew I hated that guy for a reason.” At that, Mom is the first one to burst out laughing, and we follow her lead.
Leave it to Ana to break the ice.
“I second that,” William speaks up, and Liam loudly agrees too. He sneaks his arms around my waist. Mom’s eyes seem to dart to the action and a small gasp erupts, and I look up to see Ana with a smirk on her face, shock apparent on William’s.
She fans her face as if she can’t believe what she’s seeing. “So, you’re dating? Finally?” she asks, and I look at Liam for help, but he only shrugs, making a scowl come over my face.
Traitor.
“Yes,” I whisper.
“You guys are so cute,” everyone says harmoniously, and Liam and I groan together, causing them to let out more small chuckles.
Mom then reaches out and I grip her hand while her eyes go to Liam. “Thank you for defending her, Liam, and me too.” He nods and his arms tighten a bit, almost as if his mind is going back to that moment.
“Of course, Ms. Kate.” My heart lurches, and there comes a gentle but promising kiss on my temple.
After a bit, William and Ana head home to freshen up while Liam goes out to grab us some food.
It’s Mom and me as my head rests on her shoulder, comforting her as best as I can.
We’re talking about anything and everything when I catch a tear slipping down her face.
She looks up at me with red-rimmed eyes and my heart breaks for her.
Her eyes are downcast toward her now bare ring finger and she sighs.
“How could I ever even think about marrying . . .” She stops herself, rubbing said finger. She shakes her head almost as if fighting with her conflicting emotions.
Conflicting emotions about who she thought Josh was, and who he turned out to be.
“I know, Mom. I mean, I knew he wasn’t amazing, but to do something like that .
. .” She nods, and I stop as the solemn look on her face grows more and more.
She looks at me as I grip her hand. “It wasn’t your fault, Mom, and I’m so happy you stood up for yourself.
” Her shoulders droop, but I continue. “Honestly, I hated that we were drifting apart. You’re all I really have left, and Josh was getting in the way of that.
For a minute, I thought he had convinced you to forget about me.
” I chuckle sadly as she shakes her head.
“No, honey. I’m sorry you felt that way, and I’m sorry for not being the mother I’ve always been with you. I’m sorry I brought . . .” She doesn’t continue as she presses a closed fist to her mouth, then she takes a minute to let out a shallow breath.
“We’re gonna get through this, like we always have,” I say, and a small smile graces her face.
“Just you and me,” she finishes. I hear some cars pull up to the house. We both look out the window and watch as the Parker clan brings bags of food and other things.
“Not anymore,” I mumble as footsteps draw closer.
Ana rushes to Mom while William gives me the biggest bear hug, his twentieth in the past twenty-four hours—but I don’t complain.
Liam comes in a second later with some muffins and smoothies, and I can’t help the small grin that blooms on my face.
William pulls back as he looks behind him, clapping Liam on the shoulder when he gets close enough.
A small laugh escapes me while Liam proceeds to wrap his arms around me, muffins and all.
He gives me the much-needed sustenance as he wraps his arm around my waist, and I smile up as he bends to give me a peck. “How are you feeling, Freckles?”
“I should be asking you that. You haven’t gotten any rest.” He gives me a look, and I sigh, being truthful.
“I’m processing. I’m happy Mom’s okay, but I’m in shock at everything that’s happened.
So, processing is the best way to describe everything I’m feeling.
” He nods and gives me another kiss on my forehead before I whisper, “You know, I realize I haven’t thanked you for being there yesterday. ”
Arching an eyebrow, he chuckles sadly. “You don’t have to thank me.
I’ll always be there to defend you.” His hands gently cup my face and another small smile graces his lips.
“You, my darling Freckles, are the love of my life. They’re gonna have to take me kicking and screaming away from you.
I’ll always be wherever you are, no matter what.
” I lean forward, hoping he never ever feels like I don’t love him.
“Guess you’re stuck with me, boyfriend,” I say, a smirk spawning on his face at that last word, and I giggle.
“I’m pretty good with that, girlfriend,” he says, and a dorky smile comes onto my face.
We join the circle of adults, and my mind goes back to the whole whirlwind that’s been my life.
Josh called my cell phone from the county jail, but I refused to pick up.
I told Mom about it, especially concerning the email she got from his lawyer.
There’s a trial date coming up, but she’s refusing to go.
We provided all the evidence to the police necessary to put him away.
She broke the engagement and filed a restraining order against him, in case there was a chance he would make bail.
The thing is, Josh made us sell the house back in Philly, pocketed all the money, and paid for everything here.
So, now, we basically have nothing, and that’s what I think she’s most afraid of.
Starting over from zero again.
“You have no idea how sorry I am.” At that, my ears perk up, and Mom starts to sniffle.
“I thought . . . I didn’t know Josh would ever .
. .” An agonized sound comes from her, and my heart aches as tears slide down my face.
William and Ana try to comfort her, but she doesn’t let them.
So we all stand there as she finally lets herself fall apart.
“I had gone into his office and I heard him talking to someone over the phone. He saw me, and for the first time, he yelled at me. Told me to get out. I stood there, and he came close, trying to make me leave. For once, I fought back, and we started arguing.” Her voice wobbles and I close my eyes at hearing Mom in pain once again.
“Then, like always, he started talking about you guys. How you were a bad influence on me, and how Liam was to Bianca. Saying I needed to tell you guys to stay away from us. I told him no, and he got so angry, and then he said I either cut you guys off or he would.”
I open my eyes to see Ana and William embracing her. Walking over, we all hug as emotions are at an all-time high, but after a bit, Liam speaks up.
“Ms. Kate?” We pull back and Liam grabs my hand and hers. “Please come live with us until you figure everything out.”
Her bottom lip wobbles slightly and he squeezes my hand in reassurance as I wipe tears from my face.
“You shouldn’t stay in this house any longer,” Ana says.
“We have more than enough room for you both. Kate, you’re more than welcome to stay as long as you need, even after Bianca and Liam head up to college in the fall,” William finishes, and we wait a beat before Mom nods shallowly, and then nods more vigorously as she covers her mouth with her hands. Liam hugs her.
“You’re truly something else, little man.”
He chuckles as he pulls back, smiling at her. “That’s all you, Ms. Kate.”
She grabs my hand, glancing between us. “You got yourself a good one, Bianca.” A slight blush comes across the tips of his ears.
“I really do, Mom.”
He looks down at that and Mom shakes his hand to make him look up at her. “You love and cherish her, you get me?” He smiles and looks into my eyes, making me see every swirl of green in their depths.
“Always, Ms. Kate,” he promises, and I can’t help but smile. For once, I’m not scared for the future because I know . . .
I know he’ll always be by my side. Bianca and Liam —forever and ever.