Page 74 of In All My Dreams
I should have been there to protect her.
How could my own mother have done all this without me realizing it?
My mother.
“I didn’t mean to hurt her,” Auden says, interrupting my chain of thought.
Georgia caresses Auden’s cheek softly. “Can you tell us what happened when you fell into the water?”
Auden presses her body harder against mine and buries her face in the crook of my neck. “I don’t know. I woke up and got scared, so I pushed the bad one down with my feet. I accidentally kicked her really hard when I tried to swim to the top.”
Georgia cries silently next to me. I can see the same type of heartbreak I feel about not being there to protect Auden.
“What do you mean by ‘the bad one’?” I ask Auden.
“I didn’t know she was the bad one. The bad one always watches me when I sleep and scares me. But tonight, she wasn’t wearing the black hat, and I saw her face. It was Mrs. Foster. I thought she was my friend.” Auden bursts into tears. “I didn’t mean to hurt her.”
I stare down at Georgia. She seems to have realized the same thing because she turns and scans the water behind us. We both see the red and blue flashing lights as they make their way up the windy road to Crane Manor.
“Please take Auden to the shore,” I tell Georgia, passing Auden to her before I turn and wade back out into the depths of the black abyss before me.
I see something floating in the distance, and I swim toward it.
When I find my mother’s body, I already know it’s too late.
She’s gone.
I flip her over so I can be completely sure, but instead of a pulse, my mother’s lifeless eyes reflect back at me.
She left this world the same way Irene did—a tragic accident.
I drag my mother’s body to the shore. Georgia and Auden are already wrapped in a blanket, the red and blue lights flashing over them in tandem.
I rush over to them as soon as I’m done explaining what happened to the cops. Georgia and Auden had apparently already given their stories while I was looking for my mother.
I wrap my arms around both of them, holding them close as I let the aftermath flood through me. Georgia reaches up and wipes away my tears, giving me a sad smile.
“I love you,” she says.
Auden sniffles loudly between us before I can return the sentiment.
“Ian, are you my dad?”
I look to Georgia, unsure how to answer. She gives me a firm nod as tears spill from her eyes.
I turn my attention back to Auden. “Would you be okay with that?” My heart pounds savagely in my chest as I wait for her answer.
How does this tiny human already hold so much power over me?
I would give my life for her happiness.
Auden smiles at Georgia before making a big show of acting like she’s debating the topic heavily.
She smiles up at me before throwing her arms around my waist. “I think I’m going to love having you as my dad.”
Georgia bursts into tears at the same time as the ones I’ve been holding back escape down my cheeks.
It’s a strange feeling, fitting this much joy and happiness right next to the overwhelming sadness that lies in my heart. Both emotions fight tooth and nail to overthrow the other.