Page 131 of Mended Hearts

“But Leigh? I believe in you. It was always criminal to me that they spoke that kind of finality over you. You—of all my daughters—were born to be a mother.”

I didn’t expect the images that flickered through my mind. Tillie and Beau, Ollie’s smile, his warmth curling around me in bed.

“So. The father?”

I guess that’s where I got my blunt delivery, too.

“What about him?”

“Tell me it’s that handsome Hart boy.”

“Mama!”

“What?I saw the way he looked at you. And honey, you turned into a goddamn lioness after the accident. I thought they might have to sedate you when the nurses tried to take his daughter from your arms. That wasn’t neutrality. That was instinct. And don’t get me started on those Halloween pictures. Nowthatis America’s ass.”

“Mother!” I nearly dumped my tea into my lap.

“I’m old, not blind.”

“You’re not old. But youaremarried.”

“Happily so, might I add. But window shopping never hurt anyone. And let me tell you—your daddy may have a flat ass, but he makes up for it with?—”

“STOP.” I buried my face in my palms. “Oh, god. Sonotsomething I need to think about.” I glared at her as she snickered. Little shit. She would finish that sentence just to see me squirm. “Also, back to less horrific concepts—me lovingTilliedoesnotequate to me loving Oliver.”

“No, but you rearranging your life to look after the three of them just might. Him being the star in every story you tell me might.”

“Mom,” I groaned.

She just laughed, rising to dust off her dress before spooling herself back into her swing. The chair rocked slowly in the morning breeze, like the conversation wasn’t about to gut me alive.

“Mothers know these things. I was just waiting for you to come to grips with it yourself.”

“Come to grips,” I muttered under my breath.

“What did he say? How’d he react?”

“He was amazing at first,” I admitted, trying not to melt at the memory of his arms wrapped tight around me. “Focused on me. Making sure I was okay. But after the doctor’s appointment?” I hesitated. “I dunno… he just…”

“Panicked?” she offered gently.

“Yeah. You could say that. Heproposed, Mom.” I said it pointedly, like it was the punchline to a joke she hadn’t asked for.

Her lips twitched. “Oh, Ollie,” she sighed. “Sweet boy.”

“He’sthirty-two, Mom.”

“Like I said.”

I snorted, shaking my head as I stared at the giant pink flowers climbing her fence—thick green vines crawling up and around each slat like they were holding everything together.

“I think I broke him,” I admitted quietly before walking her through the day. “He said he loved me and I couldn’t say it back. I mean, not at first.”

“And why is that? Do you not love him?”

“Isn’t this all moving awfully fast?” My eyes burned. “I wanted to say it back. So badly. But he makes my head spin. All I could think was:Deargod, things are moving too quickly.”

“Oh, honey, that’s part of falling in love—that out-of-control feeling.” She smiled sympathetically. “I’d say the nausea is part of it too, but yours has a…different root cause.”

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