Page 158 of Flawed

I add, "It's for your safety."

She takes a minute to digest it then nods. "All right. That's fair."

I continue, "So back to your mom. She did what she should have. And if I can live with it and forgive her, so should you."

Surprise fills Zara. She questions in a hurt tone, "You forgive her?"

I lean closer. "Yes. She dedicated her life to raising you and keeping you safe. I'll always be grateful to her for that."

Zara purses her lips.

I add, "Maybe I'm wrong about you."

"Meaning?"

"I thought you were mature for your age, but maybe I overestimated that a bit," I state, hoping it doesn't bite me in the ass.

She scrunches her face, claiming, "You weren't wrong."

"No?"

"No," she answers, as if insulted.

"Then I need you to show me you are. Holding a grudge against your mom and treating her how you've been is immature," I assert.

Zara's face turns red. She accuses, "She told you to talk to me, didn't she?"

"She's done no such thing."

"Then why are you sticking up for her?"

I don't back down. "I'm not looking to fight with you. But did you listen to what I just said?"

She takes a deep breath, losing a bit of her attitude. "Yes."

"Okay. Well, there's that and another thing," I claim.

"Which is...?"

I admit, "There's only one woman I've ever loved. It's your mother."

"You loved her?"

"I still love her. Always have and always will."

Zara tilts her head. "Like love her as in just basic love orinlove with her?"

"Inlove. Madly, deeply, whatever the word you use for the greatest amount of love a man can have for a woman, that's how I feel about your mom," I declare.

Her eyes widen. "Even after what she's done?"

I confess, "I'm at more fault than she is for our situation."

"How is that?"

"I didn't trust your mom enough to tell her who I really was when I could have. So if you want to blame someone, you blame me, not her," I insist.

Zara stays quiet.

---