Page 58 of The Soul Never Forgets

“You struck out on mothers both times.”

“I have Coco. She makes up for all the bad ones I’ve had.” I can’t wait for Dawsey to meet my sweet grandmother.

“I’m sorry you’ve had such bad luck with mothers, but you’re going to gain a wonderful mother when you marry me. My mom will treat you like her own daughter.”

“It sickens me to think of letting my mother have a presence in the lives of my children.” I would probably choose violence if she ever did anything to one of them.

“You meanourchildren.”

“Yes, sorry. Of course I meantourchildren.”

“You’re an adult. No one can force you to keep her in your life. People cut ties with family every day. If she’s toxic, and she is, you have the right to terminate your relationship with her.”

Lilly Beaumont is blessed with the gift of persuasion. “I’ve been afraid to cut ties because of the power she holds with my doctors. She has them eating out of her hand. They believe everything she says about me. So I guess it’s a good thing that I’m marrying my psychotherapist.”

“About that. I’ll have to terminate our patient-physician relationship. It’s unethical for a doctor to have a romantic relationship with a patient.”

“What does that mean for me?”

“I think our best course of action is to go through the official process of transferring your records and care over to me. Your former doctor can’t do anything if you’re no longer his patient. After it’s official, I’ll release you as a patient.”

“You’re positive he can’t have me admitted for noncompliance? Because I assure you that my mother will try.”

“They won’t be able to do anything. We’ll marry after I release you as a patient, and your mother will have no say in anything regarding your medical care. As your spouse, I will become your advocate. She can try to fight it if she likes, but no judge will listen to her when your psychotherapist husband testifies on your behalf.”

No more Sunday brunch mental-health checks. I’m finally going to be free of her poking her nose into my life. “How soon can we make this happen?”

“That all depends on you. How soon can you plan a wedding?”

A lot of women put much concern into how they look on their wedding day. Who will be there to see them. What the cake tastes like. Which songs are played at the reception. Not me. “I’m not concerned with a wedding. I just want to be married to you as soon as possible.”

“A wedding isn’t required. We don’t have to make a production of getting married if you’re not into it.”

A pretty dress. Rings. Vows. My handsome groom.

Those are the things I require.

“There’s no need to make the decision tonight. We’ll think about it.”

Chapter14

Caroline Beaumont

New Orleans,Louisiana

Present Day

It’sout of sight but I hear Dawsey’s phone vibrate for at least the tenth time since we got in the car. It’s Devin. And it’s beginning to irritate me.

“I’m sorry,” he says, reaching for my hand and bringing it to his mouth for a kiss.

It’s been two days since the breakup with Devin in Cabo, and she’s been blowing up his phone ever since.

“There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. You aren’t the one sending five thousand texts a day.”

“I’ve asked her to stop. She isn’t respecting the boundaries I’ve set. I have no choice but to block her.” And when he does, will she start showing up at his house or office?

It’s as though she wants him more now than when she had him.

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