Strength After Him

Chapter 9 - The Circle

My mom asked, shock written all over her face, “When did this happen, Ava?”

I told them everything that had happened, about George, the heartbreak, the rejection, and the struggles I faced along the way.

This wasn’t the plan, but it happened this way. I introduced Maria to my mother and grandmother. My life wouldn’t be the same without her; she was there every step, encouraging me and pushing me forward.

Their faces lit up with happiness at seeing her. They thanked her for the love and support she had given me."

“Never let anything bring you down again. Keep moving forward. "You have already overcome so much, and nothing can stop you now," my grandmother said.

A soft smile spread across my face as I watched Ivy sitting comfortably on my mother’s lap. As their bond grew stronger with each passing moment.

Ivy took out the gifts she had gotten for my mom as she told her to close her eyes, Ivy's small fingers carefully placing a flower in her grandma’s hand. “Open your eyes' grandma,” Ivy said.

Grandma’s eyes softened as she looked down, a warm smile spreading across her face. “Oh, my granddaughter,” she whispered. “You got flowers for mama?” Ivy nodded slowly. “It’s beautiful, just like you.” Grandma opened her arms and pulled her close, giving her a hug as she whispered into her ear “Thank you”.

We had dinner together as a family. Later at night, just before I was about to sleep, there was a knock on the door. It was my mother. She stood quietly at the door, her eyes fixed on me. It was certain she had something bothering her. She moved closer to me, taking a seat beside me.

“You’ve changed so much,” my mother said quietly, her hand resting gently on my arm.

I looked up at my mom, smiling softly, silently asking why she said that.

“Look at you,” she said, her voice softer now. “Your body… you’ve grown into a woman.” Life has shaped you. "I can’t believe you’re a mother now. "It suits you, motherhood looks good on you.” She smiled warmly.

Her words carried the weight of a mother seeing how much time had passed. I was no longer the little girl she used to know.

My mom asked me to tell her everything about my journey, her eyes gentle and attentive. She needed to know the pain, the struggles, and the times I felt abandoned.

After I had finished telling her everything, my mom sat quietly for a moment. Her eyes filled with unshed tears, as she held my hand. “I had no idea what you have been through… I’m so proud of you,” she whispered, her voice thick and full of emotion.

“But," she continued. "I really worry about why life had to treat you the way it treated me,” she said, her voice filled with concern.

I frowned slightly, concern creeping in as I asked, “Mom, why do you say that?”

My mother shook her head. “You know, I haven’t told you much about your father.” While you were growing up, when you asked about him, I told you he promised me marriage, abandoned us, and later… he died.” I nodded, remembering the pieces of that story she had shared with me back then.

With her eyes fixed on the floor, she continued softly, “He didn’t show up… not because he didn’t care. He had an accident on his way to see me.”

I gasped, my mouth opening wide as I tried to process what she had just said, struggling to grasp the meaning of her words. I finally spoke, my voice tight with confusion. “But Mother, you said he’s dead.”

She looked at me and shook her head slowly. “No, he isn’t dead.”

I pressed on, trying to make sense of it all. “Then why didn’t he search for you, since you both loved each other? "At least he should have known you were pregnant,” I asked.

She gave a faint, almost knowing smile, as if to say I wouldn’t understand. Then she spoke softly, “After the accident, he lost his memory. He couldn’t remember anything. At that time, he hadn’t even introduced me to his family. "I waited endlessly for him that day, only to hear later that he had an accident and… that he had died.”

My face fell, a wave of sadness hitting me as I saw history repeating itself. My mom continued, “He’s been coming by recently, trying to make up for all the years he was absent.”

“You mean he has been here?” I asked quietly. My mom nodded. I stayed silent for a while, wondering if George would one day come back too.

"I said aloud, ‘Mom, if Dad could return after all these years, maybe George would too. But… George had no reason to leave me the way he did.’ I shook my head, refusing to tie George to her past, even though the stories sounded too alike."

Her eyes softened as she spoke, a hint of past pain in her voice. "But… I would advise you to take your mind off George. You’ve come too far to tie your future to one man. "I don’t want you to end up like me, never married, waiting for your father to come back, even though it was clear then that he was gone."

I knew what my mother had just said was right. I had come too far in life to let a man hold me back. My mother quietly stood up and left, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

In the morning, before having my coffee, I decided to take a walk around my beautiful city. It had been a while, and I wanted to feel the flow of the neighborhood again. A few minutes away from home, I sighted my old school playground, its field stretching wide and familiar in the distance. That took me down memory lane, to the days I used to go there with my friends and my mom. I thought about bringing Ivy to the playground before we headed back to London.

After spending an hour outside, it was time to head home, when I suddenly spotted my old school best friend.

“Lilian!” I screamed, one hand cupped over my mouth so she could hear me clearly.

She turned back as I hurried toward her, unable to hide my grin. The excitement on our faces was so much that people stopped to look at us. We hugged each other warmly, exchanged pleasantries, and out of curiosity, I asked, “Who are they?”