Her eyes watered as he said all the words he could muster, "Hey,Mom."
She tried to sit, but he shook his head. She lay back down, but clutched his hand. "Peter, I wish I wasn't sick. The doctorssaid they'd justmonitorme."
He swallowed his own tears. He then petted her arm. He had pictured her dead so manytimes.
He tried to smile. "It's okay. You look better than Iimagined."
She tried to sit, but the monitor blocked her. Her arms were wide open as she sobbed. "Peter..."
She couldn't say anything else. Her tears filled the room with sound. He wrapped hisarms around her and ignored themonitors.
"Don't cry.I'mhere."
She hugged him as the monitors beeped. "All these years you were the one I saw in all my dreams and nightmares. You were so close. It was your eyes that followed me across the foyer, and that moment I rememberedthemost.”
“What?”
“You were my boy, my helper. You always tried to protect me and your siblings.Your lips that curled into a frown when you realized you couldn't stop your father. You followed me everywhere until your father had me taken away. Now you've grown into ahandsomeman."
For a long while they didn't say anything. As a child, he remembered so many details about his mother. He could have followed her everywhere. He didn'tremember.
For now, he held her hand and thatwas it. She stopped crying and settled into the bed. Silence clung in the air now. He remembered what he had said toBelle.
"Mom, did you see methatday?"
She choked on a tear and then coughed. The monitor on her nose made noises, but then she stopped and wipedherface.
"On the stairs? Yes. You helped me put everyone to bed, and then didn't listen when I tucked you in. Iargued with your father that I wanted a divorce, which he denied me. I walked out the front door to get air, nothing more. I would never have left youthere."
"I wanted tofollowyou."
"At the dock, before I was loaded onto the ship, your father told me to consider you dead as you'd never be my boy everagain."
Those words sounded like Mitch Morgan. Peter had heard thingslike that all his life. His stomach nowburned.
"Mom."
"I believed him when he said I'd never see you again." She squeezed his hand and he stared into her eyes. "Peter, I am sorry I didn't hold you as tight as Ishouldhave."
This wasn't her fault. He shook his head and wished he had done more to defy his father than he had. He stroked hercheek.
"Don't say that. Iwas being selfish and scared. When you walked in the door, I didn't know what to do. It was my boyhooddream."
"It was my dream too. I wanted all mychildren."
"I'msorry,Mom."
"There is nothing to be sorry for. This was your father's fault. I'm happy you're notlikehim."
If only that was true. She made that sound she used to make when he made her proud with a presenthe had made her. He covered his lips and sat there. His mother pressed the button on her bed and moved it to sit up. She straightened her pillows and then squeezed his handagain.
"Peter, tell me about your girlfriend. Is she goodtoyou?"
Belle made him happy. She was sweet. He sat beside his mother and saw her as she was in hismemory.
"Mom, Belle and I are new with dating.I think she's too goodforme."
Her gaze narrowed, much like Vicki's did when she was deciding forherself. "Why?"
