We sat at opposite ends of the couch.
“You should’ve said those things to them months ago.”
“Yes.”
Mom left
“I’m still angry,” she said. “Coming home wouldn’t mean this is erased.”
Coming home.
“I’ll handle Mom from now on.”
Laura rubbed a thumb along her sleeve. “That’s what you’ve always said.”
She was right.
“I’m angry,”
She watched me for a while.
“I did it tonight, and I’ll do it again. I mean it this time: Anything for you.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I want to come home. I want us to work on this.”
“Please.” I held out my hand.
“Anything.”
She took my hand.
Then she slid closer and leaned into me, and I held her while she cried.
***
We collected her bag from Priya’s and drove home. I kept glancing over, grateful to find her beside me.
At home, we settled on the couch.
My hand.
