“Oh my God, Mom. I can’t believe it.”
“Me neither.”
“Please tell me Jude didn’t hurt you.”
“No, but it was getting to that stage. He was getting angrier by the day, but he didn’t hit me or threaten me.”
“Thank God. What about Amy?”
“She’s fine sweet girl. He still doesn’t know about Eric. I think he might suspect something though. The other day he was dropping comments about your sudden change of heart and wanting the best wedding dress. I don’t know what’s happening, but I pray everything will be okay.” She starts crying and my heart breaks.
“Please don’t cry, Mom.”
“I just want to see your face again. I just want to have you back here with me, safe.”
“You will,” I promise even if it’s a promise I’m not sure I can deliver. Not while Jude is alive.
I glance at the phone to check the time and see we’re nearly at the limit.
“Mom, I have to go. But we’ll speak again soon.”
“Please be safe my dear girl. Be safe.”
“You too.”
“I love you with all my heart. Please know that you have always been loved, by me and your father.”
It means the world to hear her say that to me.
“I know and I love you too.”
“We’ll speak soon.”
“Yes. Bye Mom.”
“Goodbye my love.”
When she hangs up, I stand there for a few seconds with the phone pressed to my ear.
It almost feels like a dream. When I glance out the door though and remember the man who made this possible for me, I know it’s not a dream and if it is, it’s one that came true.
I walk out to the deck and see Aiden standing by the barrier gazing out to the sea.
His dark hair ruffles in the wind and when he looks over at me his eyes sparkle in the sun. The darkness and light in him remind me of a dark angel and I realize that’s what he became to me.
The thought moves me to him. I wrap my arms around him and break down, crying tears from everything inside me both good and bad.
He holds me to him, enveloping me with big, strong arms I want to get lost in forever. It’s a gesture that’s quite unlike him. unbecoming of him for the tenderness, but it flows from him freely along with the feeling that caresses my soul when we look at each other.
“You got my mother away from Jude?” I breathe.
“Yeah.” He nods.
“Oh Aiden, saying thanks doesn’t feel like it’s enough.” I move my hands over the granite walls of his chest and they tremble. “It just doesn’t, but it’s all I can say. Thank you so much.”
“It’s okay. Sorry you couldn’t talk longer. I couldn’t risk the phones being tracked on their end. We came out here because nothing can be tracked out here by those who might be listening in.”
I want to ask him who might be listening in if we were in his house but something stops me.