“I will, just please rest. You need it after everything you have been through. I will be back later.” She kisses me on the forehead and looks me in the eye, a concerned expression on her face.
“Okay.” I take a deep breath. “I love you,” I say softly. I look at her, searching her eyes for a reaction.
“I love you more,” she whispers as she hugs me one last time. She leaves and I watch as she drives away. I go back into the kitchen but my parents are gone.
“Mom?” Where did they go?
“Upstairs honey!” I hear her yell. I slowly climb the stairs into my old bedroom and see her fussing with the bed sheets. I notice that she has already laid out a pair of pajamas. I am way too tired to do any kind of media damage control, but I have to at least call Julie and Declan.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I ta
