Page 87 of Broken Pieces
“Mom, I—”
I interrupt, “Oh, you’ve got to befuckingkidding me right now.”
Eleanor places a hand on her chest, gaping at me. “Excuse me?”
I grab the corners of the table, my knuckles going white with how hard I’m gripping. I’ve been trying to hold back, but I am at my wit's end.Fuckthis.Fuckher.
“Let me get this straight,” I say through gritted teeth. “You haven’t seen your daughter in over four years, and the first thing you do when you see her is critique her hair. Her beautiful, wonderful hair, may I add? Then, throughout the whole lunch, you just ask your condescending questions and sneer comments as she sits there taking yourshit.” I get up from my chair, placing both of my hands on the table and leaning forward. “And now you’re asking if she can do you asolidand put her credit on the line foryou?”
The whole restaurant is looking at us and I couldn’t give zero fucks at this point.
She gasps. “I don’t know who you think you are—”
“No. I don’t know whoyouthink you are barging into Aria’s life, not caring about her passions, her likes, or the great job she has been doing at the gallery. So you can go ahead andfuckoff,” I sneer.
Aria’s looking back and forth, nervously. She gets up, placing a hand on my chest. “Damian, let’s just go.”
My blood is pumping all the way to my ears. I’m seeing red, and my heart wants to come out of my fucking chest. How dare this woman treat her like this! A woman that’s supposed to protect her, cheer for her, be there for her?
But again, a lot of undeserving people become parents.
Like my father. Like this woman before me.
I point a finger at her. “Listen to me and listen to me very carefully, if you contact Aria ever again, you will answer to me. Forget you ever had a daughter, because you don’t fucking deserve her.”
I look at Aria, and my heart just fucking breaks. Her eyes are so dark, dull, filled with a sadness I can’t take away. There’s not much I can do, but I will sure as hell protect her from this woman. I don’t need her to tell me what’s so clearly obvious. This has been going on for long enough, and it’s time someone steps in for her. Takes care of her for once.
“Let’s go, Darling.”
She nods, picking up her coat and purse. As we’re walking out of the restaurant, Eleanor is hot on our heels, following us.
Once we’re outside, she yells, “Aria, you’re seriously going to allow this?”
Aria stops dead in her tracks and turns around, her eyebrows furrowing and lips parting slightly in disbelief. “You know what?Yes!” she yells back. “I am going to allow this. Because I am sick of you and the way you’ve made me feel my whole life,” She shakes her head, her voice breaking. “I refuse to take this anymore. I’m an adult now. I’m not a 12-year-old kid looking for her mother’s approval anymore. Leave me the hell alone.” she lets out a shaky exhale. "Do not contact me ever again,” she says, her voice slightly above a whisper.
Her words are masked with such deep hurt, a hurt that makes my chest rumble, my body growls at me to make it better. To take her pain away.
Opening the door of the car, I let Aria get in first. Looking over my shoulder, I glare at Eleanor. Her face’s red from embarrassment and anger.
Good. I hope she feels like shit.
Getting in the car and shutting the door, I quickly bring Aria in for a hug. As soon as her face rests on my chest, she lets out a pained sob. It’s a sob that holds so much emotion, and pain she’s held over the course of her life that has been dragging her down. And I just hold her. Holdher as she lets years of bottled-up frustration, sadness, and anger. All I can do is fucking hold her as my heart hurts for her. Screams for her. If I could take her pain away and make it my own, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
I furrow my brows. Bringing a hand to my face, I wipe away a… a fucking tear. The love I have for this woman is so powerful, that her pain has become my own. I gulp, my throat hurting from all the pent up emotions I’m holding back. “I’m sorry for putting you in this situation. But I don’t regret it one bit.”
She pushes away from me, and looks at me with red puffy eyes. “Wait, why are you crying?”
I sniff, letting out a humorless laugh. “If you hurt, I hurt,Tesoro. You are such a wonderful woman. You deserve the whole world, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t see you before. I’m sorry I didn’t understand what you were going through. I had to stand up for you. That was the only way to make up for it.”
She grabs my cheek, shaking her head. “You have nothing to make up for. You being here for me is more than enough.Thank youfor standing up for me. God knows, otherwise, I'd never have done it.”
My heart tugs at the sight of her with her red stuffy nose and puffy eyes. I want to make her feel better.God. It’s hard to swallow, because my throat feels like it’s closing up again. I close my eyes and breathe for a moment, trying to center myself. Everything happened so quicklyand I was so upset and high off adrenaline, I hadn’t had a chance to take a step back and realize what the hell was happening. All I fucking know is that Aria was being hurt, and I couldn’t stand that.
The realization hits me like a strong wave, crashing against the walls of my heart and enveloping me in the cold realization. I wouldburnthe world for her.Killfor her. If it meant she’d be safe and happy. If it meant I could get to see that beautiful smile, and those bright eyes that are like a breath of fresh air in my life.
Because she’s my safe space.
The light at the end of a tunnel.
