Unbroken

History.

As I dry off I can’t help but stare at the half moon shaped bite mark on my neck. The wound was evenly healed but left behind a noticeable scar. I glance down at my emerald necklace. I hadn’t taken it off since the first night we were together.

We spent the rest of the day and night diving into each others tumultuous pasts. Dane and I shared an immense amount of love for our mothers. Both of which we lost too soon. He told me of the cruelty of his father and how he vowed to rule differently.

I didn’t have much to share with him about my own past. It honestly was all a bit hazy to me. Anything before the age of twelve is almost fogged over in my mind. Sometimes I can’t even remember if my memory’s of my mom are real or if I made it all up in my head. I could clearly remember every detail about her face but when it came to remembering conversations, I have nothing.

I was 14 when I moved across the country to live with my grandma. Mind you, I had never actually met this woman in person. A yearly birthday card was hardly what I would consider a relationship.

She didn’t particularly enjoy the title ‘grandma’ considering my mother had me so young and out of wedlock. I was definitely a mistake in her eyes, though she never outright said it.

For four years we never talked about my mother. Any time I would try to illicit some sort of response from her, she would shut me down. The most I ever got out of her was when I asked about my dad. I don’t think I had ever seen her so angry.

SIX YEARS AGO

“Helena did you ever meet my dad? I can’t remember my mom ever talking about him.”

What I thought would be an easy yes or no question turned into unsolicited rant.

“That good for nothing dog got your mom pregnant when she was only 17, she just graduated high school!”

A blotchy redness started to break out over her chest as she spit out her answer.

“He took advantage of my sweet girl and corrupted her. I moved your mother as far away as I could to rid her of his grasp. It took years to un-wash her brain”

She clicked her tongue as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

“Your pathetic mother was convinced she was in love but it wasn’t love. It was infatuation. That good for nothing animal could never have given you both a good life. He was a delinquent.”

I couldn’t help myself,

“Can I at least know his name?”

I bit my lip waiting for her to yell at me for prying further.

“Cassius .. such a smug name.”

It looked like she just tasted something bad.

“Cassius wouldn’t leave your mother alone. Thankfully I stepped in when I did.”

Present

Anytime I mentioned him from then on she scowled at me and reminded me what a piece of garbage he was. Surprisingly I never remember asking my mom about him. I like to think I was too happy to wonder.

Thoughts of my mother flooded my mind. I could almost feel her embrace around me. I couldn’t help but let a few tears fall in front of Dane as I remembered her incredibly warm hugs. I remembered her sweet melodic voice and her constant attention. She was my everything.

Dane wrapped me in his arms and wiped away my tears with his thumb.

“I’m so sorry my love, I couldn’t imagine growing up without my mother.”

Dane’s mother died unexpectedly a few years ago. He kind of glossed over the details but I could tell it was really traumatic for him.

“What did she look like,” he asked “your mom I mean.”

“She actually looked a lot like I do now. Same hair color, similar size.. except both her eyes were blue.” I giggle thinking of all the times we talked about our matching eyes. Going through my teen years without her made me resent my one green eye. I wanted to be as much like her as possible.

“I don’t know what my dad looked like but I assume he probably had green eyes. My guess is I got one from each.”

I shrug,

“What about yours? Did she look like you?”

I ask.

“She was beautiful. Daphne looks a lot more like her than I do except for the hair. My moms hair was the brightest shade of orange.” He smiled as he remembered the details of his mother.

“Same blue eyes as me and Daphne.. and I tell you she was the sweetest woman ever. She was always on my side. She always protected me.”

Dane smiled as one single tear dropped from his eye and rolled onto his cheek.

I reached up to wipe it away the same way he had done mine. I could feel his sadness and it was breaking me inside.

We spent the rest of the night wrapped in each others arms. Being close to him made me feel the happiest I had ever felt in years.

In just a few days he had become the new center of my world. It felt so incredibly right. I knew from that night I never wanted to spend another day without him.