Page 90 of Meet Me on Lilac Lane

How could he not remember? “That day. When I told you about Troy and the baby…I was crying, and you just sighed then called for Mom and walked away.”

“I—” His eyes reddened. “I wasn’t turning my back on you. I was starting to cry. I wanted to be strong for you, to pull myself together so we could make a plan. I knew your mom could give you some comfort, so I left the room. By the time I got back, you were gone. I’m so sorry I made you feel unwanted. I should have responded better.”

“It just seemed like you were so angry with me. I wish I had known that was what was happening. We could have cried together.” All fight left her, and she slumped in her chair. “You looked so disappointed.”

“Your mom and I wanted the best life for you. We didn’t know how that would happen if you were a mother at nineteen, but then we saw how happy you were with Troy and how much he loved you and took care of you. We wanted to make amends.”

Mia remembered then that they had tried to reach out to her, but she had continually kept them at arm’s length. She didn’t want her poor decisions to affect Troy and Finn, so she’d avoided situations where her parents could pass judgment on them.

“I’m sorry, Dad. I misjudged you.” Ironic, since that was what she thought he’d done to her. She leaned forward and took his hand. His eyes were red and shiny with unshed tears. Hers probably were the same. “I should have given you a chance to explain. By the time Troy and I were married, it seemed to matter less. And then Maggie was on the way, and then Troy…I should have listened to you. I thought I needed to do it on my own.”

Her dad stood and pulled her to her feet. A moment later, she was engulfed in his arms. She breathed in the safety of being held by him.

Just like that, he was her dad again, broad shoulders that could help carry her burdens. “We all need each other.” She heard his voice deep in his chest where her ear rested. He pulled back a little, not letting her out of his embrace, just enough to look her in the eyes. “More than that, we all need God. People will always fail us, but God never will. You don’t have to do this all alone.”

“Thanks. I think I’m finally figuring that out.”

“Of course you can move home, but maybe a better option would be for us to help you with the mortgage?”

She let go of him, and he released her as they both sat back down. “No. As much as I would like that solution, I can’t manage any part of the mortgage without a job. I don’t want to be in debt to you and Mom. I need to find a cheaper solution. Living in the house on Lilac Lane is a dream that needs to die.” Tears pricked her eyes again as she thought of leaving her little home. But the thought didn’t hurt as much as she’d expected. The knowledge that her mom and dad were on her side helped.

Her dad nodded. “Okay, I’ll respect your decision on this. It sounds like you’ve thought it through.”

She reached into her bag and pulled out a sheet of paper. “I still have my real estate license.” She handed him the paper where she’d outlined her expenses and a possible timeline. “I think if I start a real estate business, I wouldn’t have to live here very long before I can afford to rent something nicer in Port Joseph or another town over there than what I can currently afford.” She pointed at the bottom line. “Once people start moving back to Jonathon Island, business will pick up. And, when the hotel is finished, we’ll probably see a housing boom too. If I can sell that many houses a year, I might be able to save for a down payment on another house.”

He rubbed his chin as he looked at her numbers. “This all looks good.”

Her heart swelled. “Thanks, Dad.”

He handed back the paper and leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. “Where does Cody fit into this plan of yours?”

She rubbed at her chest. “Cody?”

“What does he think of all these plans?”

“I don’t know. He doesn’t know about the meeting and the vote.” She swallowed hard.

A line appeared between her dad’s eyebrows. “Don’t you think he would like to discuss this with you?”

“Why would I discuss this with him?”

“I know I haven’t been a stellar father to you lately, but the whole island is aware that you and Cody are in a relationship. I just think it would be a good idea to discuss everything with him.”

She dropped her gaze to her hands. “I told Cody I couldn’t be in a relationship with him. It’s too hard.”

“Sweetie, love is hard. But it doesn’t always end in tragedy. You can’t let what happened with Troy cut you off from love. Where would it stop? Would you stop loving your kids because they will leave someday?” He covered her clasped hands with one of his own. His heat seeped into her fingers. “Don’t harden your heart. Sure, being vulnerable is hard, but the rewards are so very worth it.”

“When I learned that Cody was out in the storm, I was so scared. What if I lost another man that I love? Plus, I don’t think he trusted me to make it on my own.”

“Sounds to me you are already losing him, but this time by a choice you are making. Does it hurt less?”

Her gaze flew to her dad. A softness lingered around his eyes. “No. It hurts pretty much the same.” In fact, it felt like tearing out her heart with a filet knife.

He smiled. “I think this is more about your desire to control the loss in your life. You think if you can control it, it will hurt less. But it doesn’t work that way. All loss hurts. And there will be plenty of pain in life, but you don’t have to choose this one. It’s worth the risk.” Her dad leaned toward her. “I hate to break it to you, but none of us can make it on our own. We all need each other.”

Her dad’s words jangled through her brain, chasing her home and all through the bedtime routine with her kids. After she’d tucked Finn and Maggie in for the night, she laid on the couch and stared at the ceiling.Being vulnerable is hard, but the rewards are so very worth it.

She pictured Cody, his goofy smile, his kindness with the kids, his wisdom, his poetic nature. And he’d never said she couldn’t do it on her own, just that he wanted to help her, to support her and her decisions.

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