Her eyes soften. “Well, I’m very proud of you Chris. For making something out of yourself even after everything that happened.”
I nod, swallowing when the emotions climb up my throat. “Thank you, mom. And uh… thank you for saving me that day,” I tell her, my eyes getting glassy and blurred as I lock eyes with her.
She shakes her head, her own eyes growing teary. “I should have done more,” she says. “I shouldn’t have let him hurt you. I should have left him. I should have…” She sighs. “I should have donemore.”
“It’s okay, mom,” I promise her. “We’re both free of him now,” I say, repeating the same words Gabi said to me.
Beside me, my best friend tightens her hold on mine, showing me she’s here for me.
“Yeah,” my mom agrees, her shoulders relaxing. “We are.” Her eyes flick to mine, and uncertainty swims in them. “Have you heard from him?”
I nod, my jaw clenching. “He calls sometimes,” I say, not wanting to tell her he calls way too often for my liking. “I never answer.”
“Good,” she says with a nod. “You don’t need him in your life, Chris.”
“I know, mom. But I do needyou.”
My mom’s eyes tear up and she stands up, embracing me in a hug. “Promise you’ll visit me,” she begs.
“Of course I will.” When we pull away, I smile down at Gabi. “Besides. I have someone else I’ll need to visit too.”
My mom brings her hand over her mouth. “You two are…” She gestures between us.
“Yeah,” I nod, sliding my hand into Gabi’s. “She’s my girlfriend.”
Girlfriend.
My chest jumps at the words. How long have I seen her be someone else’s girlfriend? How long have I wished her to bemine? And now she finally is.
“That’s amazing,” my mom says with a huge grin on her face. “I always thought something was going on, but he told me you guys were just friends.”
“We were,” I say with a shrug. “But I was always in love with her.” Gabi smiles up at me, and my heart starts to beat again.
“I thought so,” my mom continues. “You wouldn’t believe how much he talked about you,” she tells Gabi.
I narrow my eyes. “Okay, mom. She gets it.”
“No, please, carry on,” my girlfriend says, grinning at my mother. “I love hearing about how much you love me.”
“I’ll be sure to tell you every single day for the rest of our lives,” I tell her. “Let’s leave before she pulls out the baby pictures.”
Gabi gasps. “Oh my god. Baby Chris? I have to see it.”
“Perfect,” my mom says, indulging her. “I have a stack of photo albums.”
“Yay.” Gabi pulls away from me, following my mom toward the cabinet where she stores the photo albums.
I let out a laugh, watching the two women I love.
Maybe not all memories in this house have to be terrible.
Chapter 32
Pay up
“Gabi, you have to let me drive.” His tone is a warning, but a grin plays on his lips as I lean over and press another kiss to his cheek.
“But you’re so pretty,” I murmur, trailing kisses down his jaw.
