Page 123 of Capri

“You slept with my husband.” Her angry stare penetrates the sweetness of Capri’s. But Capri doesn’t back down, sitting on the bed by Mom’s feet.

“Did I?” Capri asks her. “I guess I am a whore then.”

Mom sits tall and does something even I never imagined her doing. She takes a lock of Capri’s hair and pulls it, a frustrated growl leaving her lips as she yanks Capri’s face to hers. Capri accepts it with grace. “If I ever catch you in his bed again, I’ll ruin you. I have his last name, honey. You can believe it won’t take much to destroy your pretty little life.”

Capri gulps, letting herself be a punching bag for my sick mother’s verbal abuse. I try to catch her eyes, begging her to forgive me.

Not to leave me because of this.

I can’t imagine what she must be thinking.

Please don’t end this. Fuck. It would destroy me.

But it seems Capri is a more incredible woman than I gave her credit for because she grabs my mother’s hand and says, “Dolly, I am so very sorry.” There’s tears in her eyes and my immediate thought is that she’s a damn good actor, but I see the sympathy in them. Capri is seeing this disease firsthand and the heartache it can bring.

My gut tells me it’s also because she’s been there. She’s been the woman cheated on by her husband, and the pain is familiar.

She can relate.

Capri continues, “I was young and didn’t know. Had I known he had a wife and family, I never would have done it. I’ll leave town and never bother you again. You have my word. Please forgive me.”

It’s as if the skies clear and the sun beams with pride.

I love this woman.

I love her with every fiber of my being, and I’m confident I’ll never stop.

Not only did Capri come to visit my mother after working all day, but she got on her level, not taking anything personal and doing more for me than she could ever understand.

She’s giving my mother peace.

Peace to move on. Peace to heal her broken heart after all the years my father wronged her. Peace to find her own happiness again, however that may look.

It doesn’t take long before Mom’s in tears, Capri sliding toward her and pulling her into her arms. “Oh, Tucker. Why? What did I do?” Mom wails through emotional pain. “I loved you.”

My eyes lock with Capri’s, finding hers revealing the same. The gravity of my mother’s hurt is heartbreaking. I knew she went through hell with my father, but I never knew the extent. She stayed faithful to him through death.

The sorry bastard couldn’t do the same himself.

Capri runs soft circles along her back as she weeps in her arms. “It’s okay. You’re not alone, Dolly. I’ve got you.”

“My husband. My love. You left me alone,” Mom cries.

I’ve never seen her cry like this. She’s releasing years upon years of pain buried inside of her.

This feels like the breaking point for both of us.

“We’re right here, Mom,” I say, reaching for her hand and soaking in the beauty of the woman holding her.

“Jones?” Mom calls for me.

“Right here. I love you,” I tell her.

A smile full of love and pride shines through her. “Oh, my sweet boy. Promise me you’ll never let him control you again.”

Overwhelmed by emotion, I nod. “Promise.”

I know she means the company. Underneath it all, she knew I did it for him. Archer Chartering wasn’t my dream, it was his.

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