Page 49 of Twisted Salvation
“Uh. Not really,” I say. “A few of them stick out in my memories, but it’s been so long.”
“Do you remember your mother’s aunt?” she asks. “She was three years older than her.”
“Oh my God!” I say loudly.
“Okay. Now I’m confused,” Rose says.
“We lied,” Megan says to Rose. “The reason we were able to get custody was because we are relatives.”
“So, you are my… aunt?” she asks.
“I called you Aunt Meggy,” I say. “How did I not know it was you when I went to the station?”
“I think you did, but you had just gone through so much. I hadn’t seen you and Jenny since right before he killed her,” she says. “She was almost ready to take you and run. She had cash saved up. I wanted to just come get her, but it was too dangerous. She was afraid he’d kill you. I guess he got wind of her plan and killed her.”
“I remember before she died, she told me something about us going on a trip. Dad said she was taking a bath when he came into my room. I can’t believe I didn’t remember you.”
“Honey… You were a baby with a baby. The brain has a way of protecting us, the best it can. We tried to convince you to stay with us, but you were adamant that if you ran, it would just get Rose killed. We reported everything to the police about your abuse and the fact you had the baby to begin with, but….”
“But Alvin was a judge, and Walter was a cop,” I say.
“We were afraid you’d think we didn’t care about you and just wanted Rose,” Paul says. “We wanted you, but you refused to come with us. You didn’t want to chance endangering Rose. We didn’t want to force you to do anything you didn’t want to, but we knew you had a lot of Jenny in you. We knew you’d fight to the ends of the earth for your child. Jenny died trying to save you, and we know you’d do the same for Rose, no matter what was said or done. We made the wrong choice, and we will spend the rest of our lives regretting that decision. You were so young. You didn’t have the capacity to fully grasp the situation.”
“I don’t blame you. Just like now, they would have found a way to get me again. It never would have ended until they all died,” I say.
“Well, we are going to go to our room,” Megan says. “We will take Rose with us so you all can have some time together.”
“I almost made Dominic cry,” Rose says proudly to Paul.
“She called him Dad,” I say. “It doesn’t bother you that she keeps calling me Mom, does it?”
“Myra, I told you then, and I’ll tell you now. Rose Jennifer Lawson is your daughter. She has your mother’s maiden name. She looksidentical to you. She tells everyone you’re her mother, so you are her mom,” Megan says. “I’ve never claimed to be her mother, and I’m not starting now.”
“Wait,” Rose says. “When things settle, does this mean I can stay with her sometimes, too?”
“If she wants,” Paul says.
“We have a spare room,” Dominic says.
“No, we don’t,” I say, confused.
“We haven’t moved in yet because we wanted to wait for you, but we bought a new house,” Matt says. “It’s close to Paul and Megan, too.”
“Wait, really?” I ask.
“Mhmm,” Dominic says with a smile. “The master bedroom is bigger, so we had a bed custom-made.”
“Ew,” Rose says.
“Exactly. Ew,” I say, and she laughs.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Rose says as she hugs me. I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head.
“Thank you,” I say. “But don’t do that shit again, okay?”
“Don’t get yourself kidnapped again, then,” she says as she pulls back with a grin. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too, Rosey,” I say, trying not to cry. “Go get some sleep.”
