Oh yes, she was her sisters’ protector, Minerva had been their leader, and Abigail their motherly figurehead.
All because this woman had walked away.
Anger was far easier to deal with than every other emotion bubbling to the surface, and she clung to it fiercely as she tipped her chin up in challenge. “What do you want?”
Her mother’s smile faded—a smile so sweet and so very reminiscent of Abigail and Hattie, it threw her for a moment. “Sally, look at you. Such a beautiful young lady.” She turned to Rebecca and her lips pressed together, her nostrils quivering as she held back emotions. “And you. Darling little Becca, so very—”
“No one calls me that.” Rebecca’s harsh tone had their mother’s eyes widening and Sally holding onto their sister tighter.
Rebecca wasn’t prone to anger. Not in the slightest. Her sister’s uncharacteristic response made her uncertain of her own feelings. Perhaps because the sight of their mother brought with it such a mix it was impossible to focus on just one.
“You’re right,” their mother said. She was dressed in a simple morning gown and standing demurely with her hands clasped before her, as though this was just some run-of-the-mill encounter. As if she was the epitome of maternal love and propriety.
Sally had the most unnatural urge to laugh.
It was hysteria, no doubt. But knowing that didn’t make this sensation go away, and she was forced to clamp her lips shut to hold herself together.
Be calm for Rebecca. That was what she needed to do.
“What are you doing here?” she managed.
Her mother smiled and the flicker of gratitude in her eyes made Sally stiffen. She was not asking out of kindness, nor acceptance. “I came to see you girls, of course.”
Rebecca shook her head. “Why here? Why now? You’ve never had any interest in us before.”
Their mother jerked her head back as if she’d been slapped, but she recovered quickly. “That isn’t true. But I don’t expect you to believe me.” She shook her head slightly. “I know I have made too many mistakes for you to forgive. But I wanted…” Her clasped hands wrung together. “There are some things I wished for you to know. I needed you to know.”
Sally looked to Rebecca. “We ought to get back.”
“Please,” their mother said. “Just a few moments of your time.” She looked meaningfully toward a side street where there were no crowds.
Again, Sally and her sister shared a look. Rebecca squeezed her arm. “Let us hear what she has to say before we leave.”
Before we spend another decade not knowing where she is or why she’d left. That was what she didn’t say, but Sally understood all the same.
“Very well.”
Their mother gave them a sheepish little smile of gratitude before leading the way. Sally’s pulse roared in her ears as they followed. She struggled for calm, but her heart and her mind were overset with memories and suspicions, fears and hopes that she didn’t wish to acknowledge.
“I know what your father told you,” their mother said as soon as they were off the main path. “I know why he said it. But I thought it time you heard my side of the story.”
“What is that?” Rebecca asked.
Sally marveled at her sister’s cool composure. She would have expected Rebecca to weep or faint at the sight of their long-lost mother, but instead she seemed calmer than Sally.
Their mother sighed. “I never wanted to leave you. Your father refused to let me return—”
“Lies,” Sally bit out between clenched teeth. Her skin was hot and prickly as anger swelled up at the mention of their father. “You were the one that left. He stayed. You do not get to stand here and make accusations against him.”
Her mother’s eyes widened and her gaze flickered past them. She gave a quick shake of her head. Sally turned to see three large, burly men standing there as if...as if standing guard.
She pulled Rebecca closer toward her and held her tight. “What do you want from us?”
Their mother’s smile was small and sad. “I just wanted to see you. But when Rebecca here caught me following you, I thought—that is, I’d hoped—” She smiled at Sally. “But you are right. I should not come to you with those words. Your father is a good man, and he loves you. Everything he’s done, he’s done for you. Just like everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you.”
“You left us for our sake?” Bitterness laced Rebecca’s tone and once again Sally was stunned. Dry humor and wry tones were far more characteristic of Sally, or even Minerva. To hear it from Rebecca was alarming.
Their mother’s chin tilted up. “I did, in fact. And to be fair to your father, the reason he insisted I stay away was for your sake as well. I did some…” She wet her lips as her hands flailed. “Underhanded things. I did them with the best intentions, but they were underhanded nonetheless. But you must know, I only ever had your best interests at heart—”
“What sort of things?” Sally asked before her mother could finish speaking. She didn’t want to hear platitudes, and it was far too late for her mother to speak about their best interests.
Her mother’s smile faded. “I’ll let your father tell you about that. He made his decision, and I respected that. But I never stopped loving you girls, and I just needed you to know that everything I have done since then has been for you. To provide you girls with every option, every possibility.” She took a step closer and reached out as if to touch them, but dropped her hand when they both stiffened. “All I want is your happiness.”
Both sisters stared at the woman who looked at once so familiar and so foreign.
After a long, tense silence their mother sighed and threw her hands out. “I am sorry. I truly am. I
