I laced my fingers with hers and guided her out in the hall before she could change her mind. I was as nervous as her. My mom had agreed to apologize years ago, but an apology had never happened. She had been horrible to us before our wedding. Hell, she had been horrible to me my whole life. I felt that same sour feeling Penny did in her stomach. But I was sick of holding grudges. I was getting too old to harbor feelings of resentment toward my mother. I needed to let this go. My cardiologist would thank me later for being less stressed.
I was surprised to hear Rob’s laughter filtering through the hall. Apparently my mother was making nice with him as well.
“Penny. Darling,” my mom said as we entered the room. She stood up and approached us.
Penny was squeezing my hand so tightly it felt like she was going to cut off circulation to my fingers.
“I have so much I need to say to you,” my mother said. “I wanted to protect my son. And in doing so, I realize that I wasn’t really taking his opinions into consideration. I dismissed you as a young hussy with fluff for brains and never took the time to get to know you. Partially because of your family’s status and partially because I adored Isabella so.”
I couldn’t believe when she stopped talking and stared at Penny expectantly. “That wasn’t a good apology,” I said before Penny could even reply. “You have to admit that you were wrong about her and her family.”
“But her family is of unequal footing as…”
“Penny has half of everything I own.” I pulled my hand out of hers. “She’s better off than you now.”
Rob laughed from the loveseat behind her.
My mother cleared her throat. “Clearly I wasn’t calling her a poor hussynow. The idea that she changed by being around you was implied.”
“Geez, Susan, come on,” Rob said with a laugh and stood up to join the conversation. “You basically just insinuated that she used to be a hussy.”
“For the last time, Robert, do not call me by my first name. I am your mother.”
“You haven’t been acting like it,” he mumbled.
She sighed and turned back to me. “I’ve apologized to you and your brother. And your wife, James. I don’t know what else you want from me. Anyone who marries into wealth understands common associations with doing such a thing. Where do you think the term gold digger came from?”
“We’re leaving,” I said.
Penny grabbed my arm. “No, it’s okay. Honestly, she’s right. Not about the hussy thing, obviously. And I don’t love that insinuation. But it’s hard marrying someone who has so much. I’ve certainly felt like I didn’t belong more times than I can count. And she wasn’t calling me a gold digger. She was simply using it as an example. Right, Mrs. Hunter?”
My mother smiled. “See. She understands my apology.”
“I understand where you’re coming from. But technically you haven’t uttered the words ‘I’m sorry.’ And I for one would really appreciate hearing them.”
Her words made me stand up a little taller. Sometimes I forgot that Penny didn’t always need my protection. She could fend for herself. She was strong and brave. I was in awe of her.
Rob clapped our mom on the back as he walked over to Penny. He folded his arms across his chest as he stood beside us. Three against one. A united front. I was glad he was here. I’d never beable to accept my mother’s apology until she apologized to him too. This was about all of us. Not just me and Penny.
“For heaven’s sake. I’m sorry, Rob. I’m sorry, James. I’m sorry, Penny. Truly. I am.” She sounded sincere.
I looked down at Penny. This was up to her. She was the most important person in my life. It was crucial that she and my mom both knew it.
She smiled up to me, definitely less nervous than before. “If your sons forgive you, I forgive you,” she said and glanced at Rob too.
Rob winked at her. "Sure,” he said. “But I’m still calling you Susan until Daphne agrees that you can be part of our lives too. It’s not just about me anymore. I have a whole family that you haven’t wanted to be a part of.”
Our mother sighed. “Fine. Don’t call me mom. But maybe my grandkids can call me grandma?” She looked at all of us hopefully.
I wrapped my arm around Penny’s back. She nodded up at me with a smile on her face. For a few days, I thought my family was falling apart. Now we were more whole than ever. I looked back at my mother. “Okay, Grandma. Ready to meet them?”
