“I did neither,” Mom interrupts.“I let you live your life in a state of fear and desperation.I want you to know something.”
“I’m all ears.”I put my hands out to the side in a motion of surrender.
“I’m leaving,” she announces.“That’s why I came here to see you one last time.I know you won’t let me be in their life.”She points at Harley’s stomach.
“Damn right about that,” Harley agrees.
I shoot her a glare.“She’s trying.”
“Too little, too late, in my opinion.”
“No, she’s right, Bishop.There were a lot of things I could’ve done for you and I didn’t.I just wanted to see you and let you know what was happening, in case your dad came around looking for me.”
“Trust me.”I grin.“He won’t be coming to look for me for a very long time.”
“I heard.”She grins back.“Would it be okay if I text you?Write to you once I get to where I’m going?”
For a few moments, I contemplate what she’s asking.Who knows, maybe I can have a better relationship with her while my dad isn’t around than I did throughout the whole of my childhood.
“Sure.”I reach over, taking her phone.Quickly, I text myself.
When I’m within arms reach, she grabs hold of me and squeezes tightly.“I’m proud of the man you’ve become.Even if you became that man in spite of everything your parents did to you.”
Those words mean more to me than anything else she could’ve said.It’s the closest to a stamp of approval I’m going to get and damned if I’m not going to take it.